Potential RejectSport Magazine?

[dr-baker]

Will this magazine eventually be available to download (onto Kindles etc.)? (Maybe as a PDF file)

[DemocalypseNow]

Will this magazine eventually be available to download (onto Kindles etc.)? (Maybe as a PDF file)

No - we're creating it and then deciding to never release it. Or if we do, it will be in some proprietary format that no standard program can read, thus making all of this pointless!

Of course it will be available to download, that's rather the point...PDFs work with the Amazon Kindle Fire series, but not the Kindle e-reader series. And they work with all types of tablets (except maybe some of the dodgy chinese ones that cost about £50, but you'd be an idiot to buy one anyway). It will also work on all smartphones.

[dr-baker]

I did a single one-off issue a few years ago. It got so many views that, statistically, it has 50% of the circulation of The Independent, a national newspaper in the UK.

No joke. No idea who all these crazy people are but they all read the damn thing. So I have to disagree with your point...

Can I have a link please

http://www.myebook.com/index.php?option=ebook&id=22282

WHO ARE ALL THESE PEOPLE?!

Will this magazine eventually be available to download (onto Kindles etc.)? (Maybe as a PDF file)

No - we're creating it and then deciding to never release it. Or if we do, it will be in some proprietary format that no standard program can read, thus making all of this pointless!

Of course it will be available to download, that's rather the point...PDFs work with the Amazon Kindle Fire series, but not the Kindle e-reader series. And they work with all types of tablets (except maybe some of the dodgy chinese ones that cost about £50, but you'd be an idiot to buy one anyway). It will also work on all smartphones.

Sorry, the reason for my question is just that I remember being able to read this last magazine online, but never figured how to download it so... And I can read PDFs on my Kindle Keyboard, and I know that is not part of the Kindle Fire series...

[FMecha]

Tristan, I just noticed your email about Aida '95 - you have mail now.

[Londoner]

Will this magazine eventually be available to download (onto Kindles etc.)? (Maybe as a PDF file)

Argh bloody Kindles! You'll never catch me using one. A proper book/magazine/newspaper is so much better, in the same way CDs and vinyl will always be better than MP3s.

[/rantabouthowthingswerebetterinthe'olddays'.]

[Nuppiz]

Argh bloody Kindles! You'll never catch me using one. A proper book/magazine/newspaper is so much better, in the same way CDs and vinyl will always be better than MP3s.

[/rantabouthowthingswerebetterinthe'olddays'.]

I fully agree with this statement. I also don't understand the current craze about smartphones and tablet PCs, which has already resulted in the most recent Windows being designed first for mobile devices, and only second to good ol' desktop PCs.

In any case, the most viable option for sharing this magazine is PDF, as it's generally the most supported format.

[AdrianSutil]

Will this magazine eventually be available to download (onto Kindles etc.)? (Maybe as a PDF file)

Argh bloody Kindles! You'll never catch me using one. A proper book/magazine/newspaper is so much better, in the same way CDs and vinyl will always be better than MP3s.

[/rantabouthowthingswerebetterinthe'olddays'.]

Agreed. But sadly, this is the way technology goes. I have an iPhone, but it's more practical, less fashion statement.

[dr-baker]

Will this magazine eventually be available to download (onto Kindles etc.)? (Maybe as a PDF file)

Argh bloody Kindles! You'll never catch me using one. A proper book/magazine/newspaper is so much better, in the same way CDs and vinyl will always be better than MP3s.

[/rantabouthowthingswerebetterinthe'olddays'.]

Agreed. But sadly, this is the way technology goes. I have an iPhone, but it's more practical, less fashion statement.

I definitely prefer paper if I am just flicking through something or I want to look at an image across 2 pages, but the Kindle is fine for reading cover-to-cover. And I deliberately shun the iPhone and Blackberries in favour of Nokias (nothing to do with them sponsoring Tyrrell in the late 1990s - I had no idea who they were then. )

[tristan1117]

Huge thanks to everyone who submitted interviews for the 1995 F1RGP2C Pacific GP article.

[FMecha]

In light of recent events, who would like to write an article about Nobushige Fukuda's death?

[AndreaModa]

Pasta mate, I promise to get something written this evening, sorry for dragging my feet with it!

[pasta_maldonado]

Pasta mate, I promise to get something written this evening, sorry for dragging my feet with it!

It's ok Andrea; I'm still not finished collating it all yet

[Pointrox]

I'm currently writing an article about Precision Motorsports, and would love to put some comments from the guys involved in the project.
So - if you are one of these gentlemen:

Team Principal: Jeroen Krautmeir (Jeroen Krautmeir)
Technical Director: Enforcer (Ronan Griffin)
PR Manager: Klon (K. Lon)
Driver 1: Valrys (Alex Valrey)
Driver 2: Nuppiz (Niko Nurminen)
Test Driver(s): The Masked Lapwing (John Zimmer)
Young Driver Program Members: Wizzie (Daniel Melrose), tommykl (Thomas de Bock), MinardiFan95 (Dave Simpson)

Drop me a line at: [email protected]

[Salamander]

Is this still going? Because I'm really interested in seeing what tristan wrote for the 1995 F1RGP2C Pacific GP article.

[FMecha]

Is this still going? Because I'm really interested in seeing what tristan wrote for the 1995 F1RGP2C Pacific GP article.

Me too. That was what I want to say

[DemocalypseNow]

All I know is, I was never sent a completed file to make a final edit of. The content is out there somewhere I guess, I just don't have any of it yet.

[pasta_maldonado]

All I know is, I was never sent a completed file to make a final edit of. The content is out there somewhere I guess, I just don't have any of it yet.

I've got it all saved on my computer. I'll send it to you tonight, but be warned, it's just a collection of stories on several pages. I couldn't do anything to it looks-wise.

[DemocalypseNow]

All I know is, I was never sent a completed file to make a final edit of. The content is out there somewhere I guess, I just don't have any of it yet.

I've got it all saved on my computer. I'll send it to you tonight, but be warned, it's just a collection of stories on several pages. I couldn't do anything to it looks-wise.

Well, now is not great timing, I have to massive pieces of coursework due this week that I still haven't finished. I'll see what I can do at the weekend.

[pasta_maldonado]

All I know is, I was never sent a completed file to make a final edit of. The content is out there somewhere I guess, I just don't have any of it yet.

I've got it all saved on my computer. I'll send it to you tonight, but be warned, it's just a collection of stories on several pages. I couldn't do anything to it looks-wise.

Well, now is not great timing, I have to massive pieces of coursework due this week that I still haven't finished. I'll see what I can do at the weekend.

I'm not expecting you to come up with something great 30 minutes after you receive the file, take as much time as you need.

[DemocalypseNow]

If you tried to send the file, well, it failed. All of my inboxes and spam folders are empty.

[pasta_maldonado]

If you tried to send the file, well, it failed. All of my inboxes and spam folders are empty.

Sent them. I can't apologise enough for how rubbish they are.

[takagi_for_the_win]

Any news on this?

Pasta and Stramala, if you intend doing another issue of this, could I do an article on Restov Racing?

[RealRacingRoots]

Any news on this?

Pasta and Stramala, if you intend doing another issue of this, could I do an article on Restov Racing?

I was thinking the next issue be a End of Season Review/New Season Preview, that would be a huge undertaking, but really good for people who don't have a huge hand in the cannon.

[tristan1117]

Alright, with development on this stalled, can I go ahead and start posting that Aida '95 article I wrote (in serialized form)? I think I'm going to try to make these "long articles" more regular (monthly, perhaps?), as in-depth analysis on Rejects history is currently lacking. Also, pasta and Stramala, if you guys are too busy, I can try to put something together for the last issue on InDesign.

[Salamander]

Alright, with development on this stalled, can I go ahead and start posting that Aida '95 article I wrote (in serialized form)? I think I'm going to try to make these "long articles" more regular (monthly, perhaps?), as in-depth analysis on Rejects history is currently lacking. Also, pasta and Stramala, if you guys are too busy, I can try to put something together for the last issue on InDesign.

I dunno about everyone else, but I'm eager to see this article, and since the magazine seems to be something of a dud at this point, I think you should go ahead and post it.

[tristan1117]

Upon request, here is the article. It is quite long, as you can see. Enjoy.

Aida '95

Introduction

At a small, noisy, Korean restaurant in the suburbs of New Jersey, Tristan Jung arrives to our interview in a green polo shirt and long khaki pants. He has recently returned from his final time-traveling stint to the mid-nineties, after handing control of the F1RGP2C to his successor Padraig O'Connell. Of course, this is all ancient history to us now, but for Jung, it quite literally seems like it was only yesterday.

Jung is currently on an extended summer holiday in the States, recovering from injuries sustained at the 2015 RoLFS South City Round. When I told him that we were running a feature on the 1995 Pacific Grand Prix for the inaugural issue of RejectSport Magazine, he was initially hesitant.

"It was a bad time, the darkest moment of my presidency. The situation was an unsalvageable mess. We (the F1RGP2C) are lucky that a compromise was finally reached and that no one got hurt," said Jung. "I know I could have handled the situation slightly better and I wish that I had done so. But when people are in a tense, pressure-filled situation, they tend to make mistakes."

The Buildup

The F1RGP2C had exited the 1994 season on strong footing. Jack Christopherson had been crowned champion but subsequently retired, ensuring that a fierce championship battle would take place in 1995. As the season progressed, John Zimmer of Benetton and Daniel Moreno of Williams emerged as the main protagonists for the Drivers' Championship. In the beginning, it seemed that John Zimmer and Benetton would easily walk away with both titles. Zimmer won the first two races of the year while Moreno failed to finish the first two races. After Zimmer won by a lap in Argentina, some journalists predicted Zimmer and Benetton would dominate the remainder of the season. Moreno roared back by winning three of the next five races. Moreno reeled off seven consecutive podium finishes and an emphatic win in Germany, which left the championship balanced after nine races. The battle swung wildly as Zimmer won from pole in Hungary (with Moreno retiring) and Moreno picked up a lucky win in Belgium (Zimmer retired). In Italy, Moreno lost a golden opportunity to take the lead when his Renault engine failed, gifting Zimmer a fortuitous victory. Moreno was unable to stop Zimmer from building his lead in the two Iberian races but, critically, he salvaged four points when Zimmer lost a certain victory at Jerez to Padraig O'Connell due to an ill-timed spin. Moreno seized the initiative by winning in Japan, closing the gap to just eleven points heading into the final two races of the season.

Today, Daniel Moreno is known as "The Stig", an established and highly-talented racing driver, esteemed by many of his colleagues. After a successful 2015 campaign in which he captured two victories for Aeroracing, he has retired from the sport. But in 1995, Moreno was a young, dashing up-and-comer in the racing ranks. After just two years of Formula 1 experience, Williams-Renault quickly signed Moreno to a contract in the F1RGP2C, partnering Jack Christopherson. Moreno was arguably the best qualifier on the grid, taking seven poles during the season but his car let him down on too many occasions. His only win that year came at his home race, but Moreno embroiled himself in an intra-team controversy at Williams, claiming that Christopherson was not sharing race setup data. The argument was not leaked to media until 2000, but it was widely assumed at the time that Christopherson's stunning decision to leave Williams as undefeated champion had something to do with the politics inside Williams at the time.

Throughout 1995, Moreno's relationship with the British press deteriorated. The British media heartily supported Moreno's teammate Douglas Mann but when a frustrated Douglas Mann quit Williams following the European Grand Prix, the media vilified the Williams team, Renault, and, by extension, Daniel Moreno. Accusations of driver bias, engine conspiracies, and overall maltreatment would become a recurring trend for both of the Mann siblings. In fact, Pippa Mann, following her brother's lead, angrily parted ways with DAMS after failing to qualify for the European Grand Prix. Though Douglas would find asylum with Ligier, his sister did not procure a drive for the rest of the season. Her role at DAMS was taken by Max von Hegel, the seatholder at Footwork. Who would replace Douglas Mann at Williams? Enter Jorg Scrattenheim, an anonymous rookie who had spent the year toiling away for nothing at a dying Simtek team. Jean-Denis Deletraz, yes, the legendary pay-driver, was brought in by Simtek in an effort to cover their mounting debts. All of the driver changes proved to be pivotal in the events of the weekend.

There were also a bevy of minor subplots heading into the race. Padraig O'Connell was winding down his stellar open-wheel racing career. Reiko Megumi and Kazuhiko Takagi were driving for their jobs. Dennis Mignolet was preparing to exit the stage. McLaren and Jordan were locked in a battle for fourth in the Constructors' Championship. Lastly, Tristan Jung was in the midst of negotiating a new television deal with the BBC for 1996. Jung aptly described the mood of the weekend:

"Everyone was tense. Everyone on the grid was under some kind of pressure. I saw Zimmer walking around the paddock and it seemed like he had the world on his shoulders. He knew that he would never hear the end of it if he lost the championship. Actually, I shouldn't say everyone. Jorg Scrattenheim was very relaxed for the whole weekend. If you watch the press conferences and the pre-race interviews, you can tell he was just happy to be there."

Pre-Race Madness

Twenty years later, Kazuhiko Takagi is a well-known figure in RWRS circles. The owner of the Takagi Racing Enterprises F3 team is now sporting a greying beard and a noticeable paunch. Takagi's English has improved greatly since his younger days in the European circuit. Although his time in the limelight as Japan's top racing driver has passed, Takagi does not miss the circus of modern grand prix racing. His role as the catalyst of the bizarre events from two decades ago is long forgotten.

The chaotic buildup to the race was finally ended as the engines started up for the first free practice session on Friday. Six drivers spun at Turn 10, but no one made anything of it. The drivers will still adjusting to the circuit and a few spins were to be expected. Daniel Moreno and Scrattenheim topped the session; Williams' FW13 was well-suited to the TI Aida Circuit and Benetton appeared to be on the back foot. A few hours later, the first qualifying session began in earnest.

The F1RGP2C's qualifying system was identical to the current system used by the F1RWRS. The frenetic fifteen-minute sessions were crowded and drivers always had difficulty finding ample track space. Midway through the session, Sebastian Gazurek's Forti began to slow at the pit entrance. The Forti team had failed to put enough fuel in Gazurek's car. He limped into the entrance before his car stopped. Then, Leonhard von Gottorp approached in the Jordan. He was coming into the pit lane just behind Gazurek and he swerved to avoid the stricken Forti. von Gottorp crashed heavily into the outside shoulder of the pit wall. Kaliniczenko then spun at Turn 10 but missed the accident scene. Inexplicably, Jean-Denis Deletraz also ran out of fuel and he also stopped at the entrance. Gazurek's car had been pushed into the pit lane but Deletraz was still parked at the entrance. Max von Hegel and Kazuyoshi Hoshino were unable to enter the pits. Kazuhiko Takagi lost control of his Benetton while braking to avoid von Hegel and hit a marshal who was trying to remove Leonhard von Gottorp's car. The session was immediately red-flagged. Takagi personally apologized to the marshal and to the Benetton team for his actions.

Medical staff rushed to the scene to take the injured track marshal, Akiro Fujiwara, aged twenty-five, to a nearby hospital. Fujiwara's legs were broken in several places but his condition stabilized by Saturday morning, a great relief to the F1RGP2C paddock. Max von Hegel, having just returned from retirement, embroiled himself in the controversy by lodging an official complaint with the stewards of the race. von Hegel demanded that the track be altered in the defense of safety. At the time, it seemed that the majority of drivers were on von Hegel's side. But when the stewards denied von Hegel's request, the German angrily walked out of the steward's meeting. von Hegel hoped he could use a united drivers front in order to gain leverage, so he asked Padraig O'Connell, the esteemed head of the Grand Prix Drivers Association, to call an emergency meeting of the GPDA at 7:00 PM JST.

The fallout from the freak accident stretched into the late hours of the night as the GPDA and all thirteen seatholders met in emergency session to discuss the situation. Drivers complained that once the Goodyear tyres began to wear, they were unable to handle the curbing on Turn 10. When they tried to pit for new rubber, they would inevitably spin off. James Davies, no relation to the James Davies who is in the F1RWRS, spoke with RejectSport at length on the issue.

"Well, we were all in the emergency meeting after Kaz Takagi basically simultaneously forgot both what brakes were and how to steer, and he hit some poor marshal - thankfully the guy was okay, but he was pretty shaken up at the time, as you might expect. So I was sitting there in the meeting, bored to tears by von Hegel (Max), who just droned on and on about safety and track design, and how we couldn't possibly be expected to actually take that corner in race conditions."

Although Max von Hegel did get some support from Simtek, Pablo da Silva, Forti and Luca de Montmelo overall, the response from the drivers and seatholders was lukewarm. The meeting was abruptly adjourned when James Davies made an impromptu address.

"I stood straight up, called out the losers for the pansies that they were, and stated in no uncertain terms that I would be racing on race day, and that nothing would stop me in doing this. Then I walked straight out and went back to the McLaren pit. Afterwards, Don Rennis, my boss, caught up with me and basically said I stopped von Hegel and his health and safety brigade dead in their tracks. They could not gain any traction at all with the other drivers or team bosses after I walked out."

von Hegel, now grasping at straws, announced in a late-night press conference that "some drivers" would not be competing for the rest of the weekend.
"In reality, the number was about four. Everyone else wanted to race," said Max von Hegel. von Hegel is now the driver manager for Johannes Rueckert and Patrick Feldhoffer, two Germans in the feeder series of the RWRS. When we inquired on his reasoning for protesting, he responded succinctly:
"I didn't want to risk another serious pileup. I had no real problem in driving, I just wanted to prevent further injuries."

Tristan Jung did not respond well to von Hegel's announcement.
"I had just come off the phone with Goodyear's tyre man Gordon Drayson and he told me that Goodyear had no feasible solution to the problem. I told him to (bathplug) off and I hung up the phone. Five minutes later, the chief steward called and told me about von Hegel's idiotic press conference. I didn't know that most of the drivers had walked out, essentially rendering von Hegel's argument useless. I dictated my response to my press secretary and I mentioned that I would hire Formula Nippon drivers to replace von Hegel's lot. (pause) I'll admit that idea sounds very stupid now, but I was blinded by anger at the time."

On Saturday morning, the newspapers crushed Jung. They invariably took the side of von Hegel and painted Jung as callous and inflexible. As the news headlines rolled in Europe, more drivers spun out in FP2 and during the second qualifying session. The championship battle had taken a backseat to Friday's drama, but John Zimmer stole pole away from Jorg Scrattenheim with a stunning 1:10.182, over three tenths quicker than the German. Daniel Moreno could only manage third and was six tenths behind his new teammate. Padraig O'Connell was alongside Moreno on Row 2. Douglas Mann's Ligier debut was less than spectacular; he only managed twelfth. von Hegel qualified in dead last. Andrew Spokes, then driving for Minardi, was one of many drivers who spun off during the second qualifying session.

"As soon as I entered Turn 10 on my in-lap, the car jerked out of control and I hit the gravel on the exit of the turn. My car went back across the track but I avoided the wall and I continued into the pits."
When asked how he managed the corner, James Davies spared no recourse.
"I never understood the big deal about that corner, honestly - F1RGP2C was filled with people who couldn't drive for shite back then. I didn't have one problem negotiating that corner by myself - I did spin out once when some dumb moron decided to get in my way when I was going to pit. Frankly, I had more trouble with the Esses - though that was more down to the car setup and my driving style, though."

On the political side, all of von Hegel's momentum from the previous day was shattered when all the drivers except himself, da Silva, Tramontani, Gazurek and Hoshino went out again for the second qualifying session. With no one backing him, von Hegel acquiesced and elected to compete in the race. "Clearly, the drivers were more interested in their prospects for next season. Oh well, they all spun off during the race anyway," von Hegel remarked.

The Race
Saturday night gave way to Sunday morning. During the pre-race warmup, seven drivers spun off at Turn 10. Deletraz broke his front wing after going off into the gravel trap. However, the die was cast. Moreno and Zimmer both had little to say before the race. In a 2003 interview, Zimmer could not recall much about the pre-race buildup.
"I focused on setting up the car, working out my pit strategy and getting in the zone. To be honest, there was more media coverage on von Hegel and Jung than Daniel and I."

As soon as the lights went out, Zimmer leapt off the line and maintained a small advantage into the first corner. O'Connell kept the inside line into Turn 1 and got past both Williams cars. Scrattenheim did not move over for Moreno and the lead Williams driver was consigned to fourth for the time being. O'Connell's brief moment in second was dashed by the end of Lap 2 as both Williams cars easily disposed of the Ferrari. The delaying action helped Zimmer build a five second lead after six laps. Scrattenheim let Moreno by on Lap 6, heeding the orders of his Williams bosses. The midfield quickly spread out and apart from a good battle for sixteenth place between Hoshino and Spokes, there was very little on-track action. Things did not get going until Lap 11. Poppy Whitechapel lost control at Turn 10 and slammed into the barriers, instantly becoming the first retirement of the race. Pieter Kickert's suspension failed two laps later. Meanwhile, Zimmer lapped his way through traffic with Moreno eight seconds behind. Pablo da Silva, driving quite slowly in his Sauber, offered no resistance to Zimmer. On Lap 16, Daniel Moreno arrived to lap the Brazilian. As the pair arrived at the ironically-named Williams Corner, Moreno tried to pass da Silva on the inside. da Silva shut the door on Moreno and the Williams flew into the air. Both cars slammed into the barriers. Moreno was out immediately but da Silva was able to continue. The championship had been decided in favor of John Zimmer.

Daniel Moreno was furious.
"To this day, I have no idea what Pabo da Silva was doing. I cannot explain it. Anyways, it was the most frustrating moment of my life. I probably didn't have a chance at beating Zimmer that day without some luck, but I just wanted to have a chance. Losing the title in such a stupid collision definitely affected me," Moreno later commented.

"As soon as I saw it, I decided that he would be suspended," Jung remarked. The dramatic collision quickly became one of the defining moments in F1RGP2C history. One lap later, George Tramontani's engine exploded, Pablo da Silva spun at the Williams corner for the second time in two laps and Padraig O'Connell lost control of his Ferrari at Turn 10 and spun off. He avoided the wall and entered the pits without any damage. This pattern repeated every time a driver tried to enter the pits. von Gottorp, Spokes, Zielenkovski, Hoshino, Douglas, Douglas Mann, Damon Cannon and even John Zimmer all spun off. Zimmer tangled with Tom Douglas' Ferrari and lost massive amounts of time, allowing Jorg Scrattenheim to take the lead. Kazuhiko Takagi's spin cost him a full three minutes as he scraped his way out of the gravel trap. von Hegel and Cannon both retired with mechanical problems.

After all of the drivers pitted, Zimmer had pulled out a twenty second gap over Jorg Scrattenheim. Tom Douglas retired on Lap 24 and Padraig O'Connell's engine let go on Lap 29, spoiling a good result for Ferrari. Then, on Lap 36, John Zimmer came up to lap Pablo da Silva. Zimmer tried going on the inside, da Silva shut the door, and Zimmer went flying into the barriers. Once again, da Silva kept his Sauber going. To make things worse, da Silva started pushing Zimmer's wrecked car onto the circuit. Luckily, no one was injured.

Zimmer did not reserve judgment in our interview."At the time I didn't know that Moreno was out, I was having radio issues, so when I came up to lap him all I knew was I was second and he wasn't a Williams. I come up to pass him, he moves over to let me through, then as I draw level he shuts the door. I admit, I did **** myself when I left the ground, but you wouldn't believe just how angry I was when he started pushing my car onto the track; I was ready to deck him. When I got back to to the pits, they were showing replays, not only of his clash with me but with Moreno as well, and I thought he must have done it to make up for taking out Moreno."

"After that, I left the circuit. The championship battle had been totally ruined," said Jung. Jorg Scrattenheim assumed the lead and did not turn back. He eventually lapped the entire field, turning the rest of the race into a snoozefest. The only interesting event was da Silva's final act of madness; on Lap 60, he took out Leonhard von Gottorp's Jordan while being lapped. Luckily, von Gottorp only lost his front wing and managed to finish the race. Jorg Scrattenheim did his best to avoid Pablo da Silva and he cruised home to an easy victory. The win had fallen into his hands, but, barring a spin, Scrattenheim had driven flawlessly. Scrattenheim ironically attributed this to his Formula Nippon experience, cosmically justifying Tristan Jung’s convoluted plan of action from Saturday.

“It was the best moment of my entire career,” Scrattenheim later opined. “I spent the entire year dawdling with Simtek so landing on the top step of the podium in less than a week was an impossibly quick turnaround.” Comparisons were drawn between Scrattenheim and Roberto Moreno, another average driver who was given a chance at a top drive at the 1990 Japanese Grand Prix. Moreno finished in second, but Scrattenheim had gone one step beyond. All across the grid, celebrations abounded. Rory McAllister, to the right of Jorg on the podium, celebrated McLaren’s best result of the season. Kazuhiko Takagi eventually finished on the podium at his home race, but the chants of the Japanese crowd could not save Takagi’s job at Benetton. Some of those chants were also for Reiko Megumi, who took her career-best finish to date. von Gottorp and Davies filled out the rest of the points positions.

Though Daniel Moreno’s fury hadn’t subsided by the end of the race, an elated John Zimmer recalled a conversation with his championship rival after the race.
“I didn't celebrate at the time, instead I went down to the Williams motorhome and spoke to Moreno, probably the only civil conversation we ever had. I wanted to cap it off with victory in Adelaide, so predictably the gearbox seized while I was leading, but by the end of that race the entire team was drunk! Except Takagi, he was busy begging everyone in the paddock for a seat.”
Takagi’s exit from Benetton was less civil. After near-collision at the British Grand Prix, Takagi’s relationship with the team rapidly collapsed. As the seatholder, John Zimmer forced Takagi out, despite Takagi’s eight podiums. Takagi had little to say on the falling out:
“When [John] Zimmer refused to renew my contract at Benetton, Japan Tobacco turned against me and I lost their backing. This turned to be a blessing in disguse, since that meant I could move to Ferrari, which was sponsored by another rival brand.”

Takagi’s future girlfriend, Reiko Megumi, fondly remembered the race;
“The race result, for me, was one of best things ever - that is the only my point finish in F1RGP2C that I can remember.”
Pablo da Silva’s reputation suffered an enormous hit. He was universally blasted by everyone related to the F1RGP2C.
“I don't really have much to say on that other than it proved the guy had no business being in F1RGP2C at that time. He was only decent in 1994 because he kept copying my setups. Soon as Kickert went in, he didn't have anywhere near as good a benchmark, and I guess that kinda got to him,” said James Davies.
“As far as I'm concerned, Pablo Da Silva should have his superlicence revoked. His performance was inexcusable, even with the ridiculously high tyre wear rates,” Damon Cannon remarked immediately after the race.

Tristan Jung laid down a three-race ban for da Silva, one race for every car that the Sauber driver had taken out. In many ways, the ban changed the trajectory of da Silva’s career. His form drastically improved in 1996 and 1997, rewarding Sauber’s trust in the erratic Brazilian. da Silva’s epiphany was one of the many long-term effects of the grand prix.

Firstly, we must discuss the political ramifications. Tristan Jung lost a great deal of influence and he would never wield the same control of the sport. He retired in 1997 and returned to the present day. Padraig O’Connell’s wise moderation during the crisis was not forgotten, and he was successfully installed as president once Jung retired. Max von Hegel continued as seatholder of Arrows and removed himself from the spotlight after the grand prix.

Secondly, the sport’s reputation suffered considerably due to the fiasco. The media vindicated von Hegel’s course of action after the spin-fest during the race. Jung became the scapegoat for the fiasco, saving the GPDA and the stewards from the public’s fury. James Davies summarized his position:
“ Ah, the old chief. I always got on with him after that - he didn't take a bunch of whiners and losers at their word, and I respect him for that to this day.”
The race was the career-high for several drivers. John Zimmer’s career took a turn for the worse, beginning with a gearbox failure while he was in the lead at his home race in Australia. He was beaten in 1996 and 1997 by his new teammate Andrew Spokes and Benetton declined precipitously after 1995. Post-Benetton, Zimmer spent his time in and around Formula 1, eventually forming the F1RWRS with his brother in 2010. His racing career never reached such heights again. Jorg Scrattenheim never won an F1RGP2C again. Takagi’s performances at his home race gradually got worse after his first podium.

Daniel Moreno rebounded after his disastrous loss. Despite trying to throw away the title on various occasions, he became the first double World Champion in F1RGP2C history. Douglas Mann, a non-factor in the race, won the next race in Adelaide and went on to a good career in his own timeline after one horrendous season at Ligier. Rory McAllister continued his fine career into the early 2000s and took a managerial role at his brother’s F1RWRS team.

The 1995 F1RGP2C Pacific Grand Prix also set a precedent for the future. Ten years later, when drivers once again complained about tyre wear and safety in the 2005 United States Grand Prix, the drivers elected to withdraw, partly in response to the ‘95 race. A similar event occurred ten years after that, during the 2015 F1RMGP Swedish Grand Prix. In the ensuing firestorm, many drew comparisons with the 1995 F1RGP2C Pacific Grand Prix. The TI Aida, (now called Okayama), Circuit never hosted a Formula One or F1RGP2C event again. Japan’s economic stagnation in the late nineties hurt the circuit owners and the event did not draw enough spectators to feasibly hold the race in 1996.

Tristan Jung ended his interview with this statement.
“Motor racing is no stranger to bizarre occurrences. Who could have predicted those crazy guys who ran onto the racetrack in 2000 and 2003? Who believed, at the time, that Nelson Piquet Jr. really did crash on purpose to let Alonso win in Singapore 2008? What about the Mori/Jones Saga, Kay Lon’s arrest case, Andrea Sassetti?! Totally bizarre! The 1995 Pacific GP was yet another strange, virtually impossible, half-crazy situation that manifested itself in a sudden fashion. Then, it was resolved. Such is life, and motor racing.”

[roblo97]

I had never been made speechless after reading a post on this forum until now. Well done tristian, that was amazing

[Ataxia]

Top notch, Tristan! Absolutely love it.


I wrote a little featurette on the first F1RDS season, nothing major but I thought I'd share...

The F1RDS: a developing series; a developing title fight.

It was a tenuous start to life for the F1RDS. Firstly, the need for a new feeder series was questioned and it was uncertain whether there would be the interest. After this boundary was crossed due to all of the entries being submitted in a matter of hours, the engine parity became largely frowned upon by all of the team owners.

It became apparent that the Opel-Spiess engines were the ones to have; the qualifying performance was enough for an Opel-powered car to take pole on two occasions, and manage wins on four occasions. However, these engines didn’t just bring wins, but they brought consistency as well and powered three of the top four teams in the teams’ championship. However, on occasions where there were tight circuits with little overtaking opportunity the Volkswagen and Opel engines were clearly superior due to the fact that they’d claimed track position in qualifying; the VW engines taking the rest of the pole positions throughout the season.

However, these races mainly occurred early in the season; Adelaide and Monaco being prime examples. Circuits like Spa and Monza certainly favoured the Renault and Toyota engines more, and if one driver had put in a decent qualifying performance then it was inevitable that they’d surge through and take a win. Although this was exciting for the spectator, it was successfully argued that it didn’t really display the driver’s skill. So for 2016, it will become a single-spec formula.

But the title fight was interesting, wasn’t it? Gary Pacer was certainly dealt the best hand at the start; the Canadian driver took two wins in the first 4 races to help Good Call Racing to the top. South Korean Hwok Kwol-Cho was always there too, and he was consistently in the points along with Finnish driver Tonu Pykalisto. However, after the Czech race at Brno, it all began to turn around. Renault and Toyota power became far more prevalent and slowly Pykalisto dropped from the equation. Then, after Aeroracing drafted in Pacer to their F3RWRS lineup then it all changed further. Kwol-Cho was still looking good, but came under pressure from Jerry De Boer and Mustafa Kurniawan. The latter, an Indonesian driving for home team Mecha Grand Prix, never had the best of starts but managed to pick up podiums and points on a regular basis. De Boer didn’t have a great deal of consistency to live on, but the American managed to pull three wins out of the bag to pull himself up.

Zandvoort was the final round, and the title was to be decided between Kwol-Cho, Kurniawan and De Boer. Pykalisto was still mathematically in it, but missing out on points in the first race at the Dutch circuit all but put him out of the mix. Kwol-Cho ended up having his first retirement of the year, as Kurniawan and De Boer drew ever closer. It was all set up perfectly for a three-way fight in the last race, and viewers weren’t disappointed. Kwol-Cho took pole, and De Boer wasn’t too far behind. However, Kurniawan was very lacklustre indeed; qualifying 25th and effectively ruining his chances. Kwol-Cho lost the lead to Aeroracing’s Juan Manuel Scalabroni, but the second place ahead of De Boer in third was enough for the Korean to clinch the title.

Was the F1RDS a success? Considering many of the drivers have been in talks with F3RWRS teams, it appears so. However, with chassis and engine combinations becoming universal for next season, it should be even closer. Here’s hoping!

[pasta_maldonado]

I'd like to apologise again, massively, for the magazine not taking off. I thoroughly underestimated how much work it would be to get it up to the standard that both you and myself expected. As such it is 100% my fault for this not working.

[tommykl]

Thought I'd post the article I'd written on the 1951 Alternate Formula One season, written as myself (in character).

Retrospective : 1951
1951 was the second season of Formula One, and the first that showed all the darker sides of the sport. A title won on points, not wins, two fatalities and one major injury, forced entry restrictions, many retirements and team mistakes of all kinds. F1RWRS driver and history enthusiast Thomas De Bock takes a look back on this dark year of motorsport.

By all rights, the second season of Formula One should have been a thriller. 1950 had been breath-taking, with the title being decided in the last race, with four drivers still in contention, and Giuseppe Farina taking the title in style with his third victory of the year. Entry lists were large, many new talents emerged, and the legendary Alfa-Ferrari rivalry took off.

With the introduction of a constructors’ championship and a corresponding entrants’ championship, the competition could only get fiercer for the second season, with Ferrari and Alfa Romeo far ahead and equally matched, with Alexander’s Gordinis increasingly competitive and the Claes Maseratis also on a good level.
However, right from the start, it seemed that the year would not be as good as it was hoped. It turned out to be a disaster for the sport in general, and on many levels.

The entry lists
By the end of 1950, entry list size was becoming an issue, with well over thirty cars present every weekend. With some race organizers displeased by the sheer number of cars to deal with (the 37 starters in Switzerland would remain a record), grid sizes were standardized in time for the Belgian Grand Prix.
But with garage space now becoming an issue at the tracks, entry lists were topped at 40 entrants, and the top teams were kept to an average of three cars per race from Spa onwards, which caused a bit of confusion, as teams were forced to drop one driver. Ferrari made the decision to split the third car between Peter Whitehead and Reg Parnell, while Alfa Romeo quickly released Trintignant from his contract and hired unproven rookie Stirling Moss.

The sudden increase in space on the lists was a blessing for small hopefuls, who entered the odd race in their own little cars. Some, like Commesso and the short-lived Metcalf, managed to make a name for themselves, while Scuderia Ambrosiana only survived through a stroke of luck.
But this revolution at least allowed some young talent to shine, such as David Hampshire or Tony Gaze. Ecurie Nationale Belge also brought success to Trintignant, Pilette and Nello Pagani, who later went on to greater things.
Despite all this, the field was more spread out and the front less competitive, resulting in duller races where it mattered.

The opposition
Everyone remembers Giuseppe Farina winning the title with a single victory to his name, but the story is that his title bid wasn’t the most impressive by any means, and without his four fastest laps, Toulo de Graffenried would have been champion.
Of course, Farina was still at the top of his game, running consistently at the front, but consistently behind faster drivers. What gave him the edge was that these faster drivers were, more often than not, different drivers every time, and his astonishing capability of getting cars to the end. Amazingly, Giuseppe was able to finish five races out of seven, a feat only accomplished by Piero Taruffi that same year, while Fangio and Moss had racked up eleven retirements between them.

As it turned out, those five podium finishes were enough to win the title, while also teaching the other teams to make their cars more reliable and their drivers more consistent. Indeed, only de Graffenried was able to score more than twice out of the other race winners, while Bira and Ruttman didn’t score at all besides their respective victories.

On the constructor and entrant level, this feeling of disorganization both at Alfa Romeo and Ferrari was reinforced, as Ferrari comfortably walked away with both titles; having won five races out of eight and podiums in all but Great Britain, while Alfa Romeo could only get points from Farina, with Ecurie Nationale Belge also failing to help Alfa to the constructors’ title.

The races
Of course, there were some good fights for the lead, such as in Belgium and Italy, where the battle went down to the final corners, or the Netherlands, where Farina and Serafini fought fiercely for most of the race before Farina suffered from a rare mechanical issue, but most of the races were quite dull at the front.
Indeed, in Monaco, Manzon won by two laps, Ruttman won the Indy 500 without much trouble, and with Farina’s retirement in Germany, Parnell was left with a huge gap he didn’t even have to defend.

However, the most exciting and also worst race of the season was the British Grand Prix, as the insane heat caused over two thirds of the drivers and cars to retire, including Consalvo Sanesi, who was on his way to his maiden victory, and retired with two laps to go, having run out of fuel.
By the end of the race, Farina had won his only race of the year, just six cars made it to the finish, with Sanesi classified second. The Dutch Grand Prix went one better, with just five classified finishers (including Giovanni Bracco, who gained Scuderia Ambrosiana’s first points), but the British Grand Prix is still more vivdly remembered for the third of three events that marked the season.

The danger
The drivers had already been warned of the lack of safety of these cars back in 1950, when Clemente Biondetti broke his legs in the French Grand Prix, but with the rest of the races happening with little harm done to the drivers, they started taking more risks, which would ultimately prove to be a bad decision.

In Belgium, the first sign of the faults in the system were sighted. Luigi Fagioli had rolled his Maserati at Burnenville and fractured his skull, becoming Formula One’s first fatality, at age 52. The accident was attributed to oil left behind, and apart from many obituaries, no effect was seen.

Sign two came at Reims, where Franco Rol suffered a similar accident, also fracturing his skull and legs and suffering heavy burns. Miraculously, the Italian survived, albeit with almost career-ending injuries, and more attention was given to the driver than the cars and circuits.

The third and final key event was in the final laps of the British Grand Prix, where Yves Giraud-Cabantous skidded on the oil of his team mate Robert Manzon, rolling his car in the grass and getting ejected. The Frenchman died instantly.

Faced with two deaths and one career-ending injury in three races, the paddock finally opened its eyes, and anti-roll bars were fitted to many cars in time for the German Grand Prix, the first safety measure ever taken in Formula One. Shocked by his compatriot’s death, Manzon sat out the following race, both in disgust and in protest.
If there were ever three drivers that shaped modern racing, it was Luigi Fagioli, Franco Rol and Yves Giraud-Cabantous.
1951 had the makings of a bad season, with a boring title chase, disorganized top teams, unreliable and inconsistent outsiders, rejectful rookies, ludicrous races and a large dose of tragedy. It would remain in memory as the season never to be repeated.

Thomas De Bock