The Impact of Fate

[FAL]

To put it yet another way: would Benetton have received as much "attention" from the FIA if Walkinshaw had never become involved there?

[wedge]

To put it yet another way: would Benetton have received as much "attention" from the FIA if Walkinshaw had never become involved there?

Walkinshaw certainly has previous with pushing the limits with the regs and perhaps it was he who instilled that ethos into Team Schumacher - Ross Brawn and the notorious Ferrari barge boards and arguing that Michelin created illegal tyres.

But I think Flavio's letter was the catalyst since we now know that Max does not hold grudges well and the whole affair snowballed after the British GP at the hearing. Earlier that year at the Pacific GP Nicola Larini admitted Ferrari was using TC and all they got was a slapped wrist whereas Benetton had fines on top of another.

[Bruce D]

I think the most important question is what if Bruno Junqueira had won the Williams shoot out and not JB? They were very, very close and IIRC Junqueira was quicker over a single lap.

Given Bruno's lack of success and consistency in Champcars after this test, even in top machinery like Newman / Haas and Ganassi he never really shone, it's unlikely that he would have been much to write home about in F1.

[wedge]

Given Bruno's lack of success and consistency in Champcars after this test, even in top machinery like Newman / Haas and Ganassi he never really shone, it's unlikely that he would have been much to write home about in F1.

True but the point was if/how JB would've ended up in F1 given his savvy management as he had already tested for Prost GP in '99.

[ArrowsFA1]

Piquet was getting a lot criticism for his Benetton days, certainly from James Hunt. Its often said that Piquet stayed in F1 for the money and drove within himself.

IIRC that picture of Piquet began when he joined Lotus in 1988. Camel stumped up a lot of cash but the Lotus performance, when compared with the dominant McLaren-Honda, was abysmal. It got worse in 1989 and Piquet was accused of being in 'cruise and collect mode'.

He signed for Benetton on a payment by results basis and won three races in two years. Not bad for an emerging team.

[Bruce D]

True but the point was if/how JB would've ended up in F1 given his savvy management as he had already tested for Prost GP in '99.

Ah yes, ok well in that case it would have been interesting to see when JB got into F1, if he would have at all. Given that Williams already had Montoya signed and were waiting for 2001 it's unlikely that Button would have gone to Williams, as Ralf had a good reputation at that stage.

[BDunnell]

IIRC that picture of Piquet began when he joined Lotus in 1988. Camel stumped up a lot of cash but the Lotus performance, when compared with the dominant McLaren-Honda, was abysmal. It got worse in 1989 and Piquet was accused of being in 'cruise and collect mode'.

As I recall, in Simon Taylor's excellent 'Lunch with Peter Warr' in Motor Sport a couple of years ago, Warr stated that he was aware that Piquet was not quite the competitor he had been when he signed him; that he had already been affected by the ways described here.

[wedge]

As I recall, in Simon Taylor's excellent 'Lunch with Peter Warr' in Motor Sport a couple of years ago, Warr stated that he was aware that Piquet was not quite the competitor he had been when he signed him; that he had already been affected by the ways described here.

IIRC that picture of Piquet began when he joined Lotus in 1988. Camel stumped up a lot of cash but the Lotus performance, when compared with the dominant McLaren-Honda, was abysmal.

Was '88 abysmal? Lotus were race winners at best. The domination of McLaren meant realistically the best result was the podium.

[Fortitude]

When Walkinshaw took over at Arrows F1, he had kept it at its original location? I have often wondered as the team in Bletchley there had done a remarkable job with very little resources. Arrows F1 wasn't a failed team, it was under financed, so moving to Leafield wasn't such a good idea, as Tom Walkinshaw had envisaged...

What if? The impact of fate. Now sadly, the Arrows F1 team is history.