McLaren and
Bridgestone could be Schumacher’s last chance of
championship hopes.
The unfortunate incident at Luxembourg
involving the brothers Schumacher, has spoiled what
might have been a thrilling finale to the 1997 season
as yet again drawing the short straw, Suzuka
brings the simmering cauldron of Formula 1 to the
boil. Williams have shot to the front in the
constructor’s chase in the past two races and
their position looks unassailable with a mere six
points needed out of the forty remaining, the mould
has gradually formed in the latter half of the
season, and, in Japan, it is about to be set in
stone. Those same two races have taken Canadian Jacques
Villeneuve, from ten points down, to nine ahead,
leaving Michael Schumacher the nigh-on
impossible task of re-establishing Ferrari’s
early season dominance.
Most doubt that it
will happen but, Schumacher is Schumacher and
his end of race sentiments in Luxembourg echo the
utterances of every driver who has ever been nine
seconds down on a count of ten in the ring with only
two rounds to go. "We’ll fight to the
end." He said. "You never give up
whilst it’s mathematically possible to
win." As the man standing above him, set to
raise Villeneuve’s hand aloft when the bell
clangs, pauses at his calculator to prove him wrong,
the diminutive Williams driver cannot help but show
his competitive fangs in a mild gloat. "We’ve
put 19 points on Michael in two races and I’m
sure he’ll remember that going to Suzuka."
Indeed, that will certainly be at the top of
Michael’s agenda. But a focused Schumacher is an
extremely dangerous adversary and as the Japanese
grand prix has proved over and over again, there will
be drama, there will be outrage and there probably
will be a Champion.
Amid the razzmatazz of
Ferris wheels, swimming pools, hotels, golf courses
and restaurants at the Motopia amusement park, lies
the fast and sweeping figure of eight circuit of
Suzuka. Although only a recent host to Formula 1 it
has become an important venue for the resolution of
the drivers’ world championship.
Built in 1962 as a
test track for Honda motorcycles, it was Conceived by
John Hugenholz, the Dutch engineer who was
also responsible for the circuit design at Zandvoort
and Jarama. Suzuka is a mixture of long fast
corners, power straights and short testing curves and
is much favoured by drivers who can demonstrate their
abilities of maintaining maximum momentum whilst
keeping at bay the nausea caused by the winding
nature of the track, reversing as it does, its
clock-wise direction at the tight left hand Hairpin,
after passing under itself at roughly half distance.
Gary Anderson, Jordan
Peugeot’s technical director explains it
thus. "It’s a real drivers circuit, like
Spa, with corners that flow into each other."
He said. "Drivers enjoy this and it will be a
pleasant change from the ‘stop start’ of
the last couple of circuits. The balance of the car
is very important. The track is demanding because you
have to keep the momentum going throughout the lap.
Grip levels are reasonable and the downforce is
medium to high."
Previously held at Mount
Fuji on two occasions, the third F1 Grand Prix In
1987 witnessed the culmination of a battle for the
Championship between Mansell and Piquet
with a close following Senna. A bad crash in
Qualifying put Mansell out of the race and while Piquet
only finished in 15th position, the points gap was
enough to make it impossible for Mansell to challenge
at the Final race in Adelaide.
Honda took a
one - two with McLaren in 1988, Senna
narrowly pipping Prost not only to the flag but also,
by three points, to the title. The president of the
engine empire, Saichiro Honda was there to
acknowledge the honours for Japan.
1989 saw the
disintegration of all niceties between Championship
contenders Prost and Senna. Speculation
was rife that Prost took Senna out on
Lap 46 so clinching his third Crown and, adding
insult to injury, even though Senna won the
race he was disqualified for taking a short cut after
his coming together with Prost. Therefore in a
reversal of roles in 1990, he took what was possibly
a suicidal inside line on the first corner and wiped
out the Prost’s chances of clinching the
title.
Another ‘need to
win’ race by Mansell in 1991was curtailed
with a spin, so giving Senna his third title also,
but in a rather vehement post race criticism of
out-going FIA president, Jean Marie Balestre, he
openly admitted to running Prost of the road the year
before to settle the championship. Suzuka had
once again lived up to its reputation for
controversy.
A magnanimous if
rather public gesture by Mansell in 1992, to
give the winning honours to team mate Patrese - by
practically stopping on the track in an obviously
orchestrated manoeuvre to allow the Italian through -
ended embarrassingly a few laps later with a blown
engine. The Irony being that Patrese would therefore
have won anyway.
Violence erupted at
Suzuka in 1993, with Ayrton Senna striking New
boy Eddie Irvine for ‘blocking’
tactics and, as the 1994 season reached its
penultimate race, Damon Hill drove
magnificently in torrential rain to take the win and
the battle for the World Championship title on to
Australia.
The downhill race to
the first corner will be a heart stopper and if the
Williams or the Ferrari are anywhere near each other
then it will be the finest of lines between tragedy
and defeat as one tries to close the door on the
other.
Rumour has it that
Ferrari have hastily put together a new electronic
throttle control system that first made its
appearance - under protest ironically, from the
Scuderia itself - with McLaren. If it fails and
it’s reliability is in question, then Schumacher
has nothing to lose. David Coulthard and more
recently, Mika Hakinnen have been putting in
lightening quick getaways and Schumacher’s only
hope is the speed of the similarly equipped McLarens.
If they can provide a buffer between the two rivals,
then there is a chance that Spain will see the
outcome of the title.
Bridgestone
have performed well in recent testing at their home
circuit and could prove to be a helpful hindrance to
the Williams duo by putting their slower runners
amongst the points. Also, a few damp minutes before
the start, or a rainy race could be all the incentive
Schumacher would need to take those awe inspiring
risks. The race at Suzuka has been won before by
drivers putting their bravado to the test where
others have taken the softer option as Damon Hill
will recall in 1994.
Sadness too, for the
currant champion, who has watched all his records for
last year underwritten by his successors. A year like
1996 will probably not come his way again and it has
been an inglorious season in which to bathe in his
well deserved achievement.
As the Ferris wheel
spins and the monorails speed their thrill-seekers to
points all over the vast amusement park, the irony
will not be lost on Villeneuve that last year he also
came to the circuit 9 points down on Champion elect
Damon Hill. A last chance to capture the crown by
winning the race was scuppered by a loose nut causing
a wheel to travel further in the race than he did.
Williams will not be making that mistake again and,
if also like last year Schumacher finishes second to
the Canadian, he will be congratulating a champion
from the podium for a second year in a row.
It is however all
conjecture. The wonderful thing about Formula 1 this
year, has been the unexpected, and there are so many
permutations and twists of fate as to make this race
result as diverse as the rest have been. Schumacher
has to keep the points difference at 9 or under to
take the title to Spain but as they commence their
final battle, like the Samurais on who’s ancient
soil they participate, Spain will not be in their
thoughts. Neither driver has wanted, or needed, a win
as much and it will be interesting to see which of
the Warriors, both deserving of Formula 1’s
grand prize, falls first.
Chris Richardson
