1993-1994 Silly season
2nd Part
(click here to return to the beginning)
"Hunting on Verstappen" was the second (after McLaren's pilots) theme that occupated everyones mind.
The cause was that Verstappen at that time (unlike nowadays) had a reputation of growing talent. After his first tests in Footwork during testing session in Estoril in autumn 1993 he impressed many team managers including Ron Dennis (McLaren) and Flavio Briatore (Benetton).
The first one offered to Dutchman to be official team's test driver and 3rd pilot for 1994. But Briatore's suggestion was a little bit better. Flavio offered to 21 year old pilot two-year test driver contract with possibility of becoming a GP driver in 1995.
Naturally, Verstappen couldn't say no, he agreed immediately.
However he got a chance to show his racing skills as F1 driver much more earlier than he or someone else could expect or wish.
At first tests of new Benetton car for 1994 - B194 JJ Lehto (second driver of Benetton team) broke a vertebra in his neck (brain was not hurt) and leaved the races for three month cure. Finn had an opportunity to participate in first races of the season, but after some testing in Silverstone he decided not race for a couple of months to complete health recover.
So Verstappen unexpectedly, just before Brazilian GP, became the only one who could drive second Benetton (thanks to testing in mid-season).
But there was another theme, that was much more important than "who's gone race where". And this topic occuped not just fans, press and some pilots with team managers, but really everyone. That theme was the rules changes initiated by FIA.
FIA had banned all electronical aids, such as: traction control, active suspension, fly-by-wire throttles and anti-block brake system. But also FIA allowed refueling during the race (this was banned since 1983). Max Mosley, Bernie Ecclestone and other FIA's officials wanted, thanks to these decisions, that races would be more competative (the car's speed in corners would be less than before and so there would be more overtakings during the race) and the pilot's skills would play a more important role than the perfection of the car. And thanks to returning of the fuel pit stops the race strategy had to be gone more complicated, than it was before and so the races should be more unpredictable.
As well the mechanics's work has gone on public - everyone could see and value their good or bad work during pit stops.
But there was another side of this problem.
To find out what it was click here!
TBFOC, 2003.
