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The Stupid Season

FEATURE BY MIKE LAWRENCE
11/09/2014

A couple of years ago, it was confidently predicted in some sections of the media, that Mark Webber would move to Ferrari for 2013 on a one-year contract, so keeping the seat warm for Sergio Perez in 2014.

That was as good as it with the Silly Season these days. Time was when there were rumours of new teams and engines, like the Ferrari W-16. Formula One is now so regulated that much of the old silliness has been lost, but it has not gone away.

It used to be a case that weekly magazines would publish some of the rumours, but there was always an implicit health warning. The magazines used the term, Silly Season. Today some websites repeat tittle tattle and publish it as news.

By Silly Season I mean the rumours about what is going to happen. I do not mean incidental silliness like the current one of Rosberg gifting Monza to Hamilton by twice overshooting a chicane (the first time, apparently, was the practice run.) Correspondents in some heavy newspapers point to F1 having form in this respect, and citing Nelson Piquet Jnr deliberately crashing at Singapore in 2008.

What they fail to point out was that there were no conspiracy theories about that incident at the time. What happened is that Junior confessed to his father that he had been pressured to do it. Nelson Snr knew Charlie Whiting from their days at Brabham and, incensed, he spilled the beans to Charlie who instigated an inquiry.

Even Nelson Snr's role was not widely known until he did an interview with his old friend, Mike Doodson, which was published in Motor Sport. Mike was around when drivers were not surrounded by a PR machine and when some of us could become friends with some of them. There was mutual trust, essential to friendship.

Back to the real Silly Season, Next season, Honda will be with McLaren once more and so every top driver has been linked with the new set-up. Everyone who has written this has ignored history.

When Honda reappeared during the turbo era, it turned to Team Spirit. Spirit had been successful in F2 in 1982 with a Honda engine and Thierry Boutsen had come close to clinching the title.

For its re-entry into F1, Honda stayed with Team Spirit and its designer, and co-owner, Gordon Coppuck, modified his successful F2 chassis and a single car for Stefan Johansson appeared at the 1983 British GP. Spirit made a total of 23 starts and though it did not make much of an impression, it was useful for Honda which has always been in F1 to earn and to train its brightest engineers.

Indeed, when Honda first came into F1 in 1964, it employed a rookie, Ronnie Bucknum, who had done well in SCCA racing. Bucknum was neither champ, nor chump, he performed with credit, but he was no race winner. He did not have to be, Honda was there to learn.

When Renault entered F1 in 1977, it was with a single car for Jean-Pierre Jabouille, the current F2 Champion. Nobody expected a rookie to win and so Renault could go about the business of learning without pressure. 'Jabbers' knew the score, he got a paid drive with his country's top manufacturer and he ended his career with two Grand Prix wins and six pole positions.

Honda is coming into F1 with new technology. It makes sense to keep McLaren as it is to provide a benchmark. If Jenson or Kevin win races in 2015, Honda will get the lion's share of the credit and McLaren will be a support act. If the season is not outstanding, no blame will attach to Honda, which will be on a learning curve.

Every major manufacturer is in racing, any form of racing, for their own benefit. Honda hopes to raise its profile so it can shift cars from showrooms (win on Sunday, sell on Monday) but it also wants to gain experience with new technology. Remember, the two presidents after Mr Soichiro Honda, were Mr Tadashi Kume and Mr Nobuhiko Kawamoto, both of whom had been pitlane mechanics to Jack Brabham.

Soichiro Honda deliberately broke the mould of traditional Japanese business practice; he set up his son with Mugen and so passed on the message that he wanted the best talent. Mr Honda established the culture for his company.

The traditional Silly Season used to begin around Silverstone and be over by Monza. We now know that Valtteri Bottas will be with Williams next year and that Max Verstappen will replace Jean-Eric Vergne at Toro Rosso. My guess is that Vergne, despite some good performances, will not be in F1 in 2015 because he has not got big money to take to another team.

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READERS COMMENTS

 

1. Posted by Spindoctor, 21/09/2014 9:30

"The problem with the "Silly Season" is that it's now an intrinsic part of the fabric of the Formula 1 Circus, and not just during the silly season. "

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2. Posted by Indy2003, 13/09/2014 17:52

"Well I guess we should as Luca what he thinks about all this eh Mikey? O wait he doesn't work here any more does he. Good riddance.... "

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3. Posted by Martin B, 12/09/2014 11:08

"Another great piece of writing Dr Mike - I always know it's one of yours from the first couple of lines......"

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4. Posted by twillis, 11/09/2014 16:39

"Also,I suspect that the Japanese gentlemen you mention were mechanics for Bucknum/Ginther/Surtees and not 'Black Jack'!"

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5. Posted by twillis, 11/09/2014 16:35

"Come on, Mike! It was Ronnie Bucknum, not Buckman!"

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6. Posted by Hardliner, 11/09/2014 8:43

"The Grauniad. Always my first and urgent port of call for incisive reporting on Formula One...unless its winter-time, in which case it's already been used to light the fires. "

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