From: apayton@acorn.co.uk (Andrew W Payton)
Newsgroups: rec.autos.sport
Subject: John Watson on Italian GP
Date: 9 Sep 92 11:53:20 GMT
Organization: Acorn Computers Ltd, Cambridge, England


 John Watson on the Italian GP

 Extract from BBC CEEFAX

 After a somewhat premature start, the  
 1992 silly season is starting to live  
 up to its name and amongst the growing 
 rumours are a number of facts.         
                                        
 The most important and far-reaching of 
 which is McLaren International's       
 announcement that Michael Andretti is  
 to join their team next year.          
                                        
 It is long overdue for a top American  
 driver to be a part of F1 racing and it
 could be the key to more commercial    
 involvement by America in the sport.   
                                        
 Equally important should be an American
 Grand Prix in what is, after all, a    
 world championship.                    
                                        
 The terms and conditions of Michael    
 Andretti's contract with McLaren are to
 be announced on Thursday afternoon.    
                                        
 The question now is who will partner   
 Andretti in 1993 and will McLaren still
 retain Honda power?                    
                                        
 Things look more settled at Benetton   
 with Michael Schumacher continuing,    
 contrary to my comments on the Belgian 
 Grand Prix, for another season and     
 Riccardo Patrese joining the team.     
                                        
 Also confirmed is Mika Hakkinen        
 agreeing to spend a third term with the
 ever-improving Lotus Ford operation    
 alongside England's Johnny Herbert.    
                                        
 The question that remains unanswered   
 focuses on the new world champion.     
                                        
 The 'Nigel Mansell Saga', that new     
 English classic novel, is providing as 
 many twists and turns as any Grand Prix
 circuit.                               
                                        
 In fact, it is rumoured that Hollywood 
 agents are queueing up to buy the film 
 and television rights in the event of  
 it turning into a real blockbuster.    
                                        
 But I do believe that the situation is 
 very serious and rumours have even     
 linked Mansell with the Newman Haas    
 Indy-car team that Michael Andretti has
 left to join Formula One.              
                                        
 Some members of the Williams team are  
 regretting Riccardo Patrese has joined 
 Benetton and this also indicates how   
 serious the Nigel Mansell situation is.
                                        
 Alain Prost is still to be confirmed as
 a Williams driver, although this is    
 purely a formality.                    
                                        
 A game of hardball is now being played 
 out by Mansell and Williams with Ayrton
 Senna, who looks less likely by the day
 to remain with McLaren for 1993,       
 waiting on the sidelines.              
                                        
 This is a sorry mess for new world     
 champions.                             
                                                                               
 In the meantime, there is a race going 
 on at Monza this weekend and, as has   
 been the form throughout the year, it  
 should be dominated by Williams.       
                                        
 For statisticians - Can Nigel Mansell  
 make it nine wins in a season and set a
 new record number of wins in a year? My
 answer is yes.                         
                                        
 The best part of the Italian Grand Prix
 will be the battle behind the two      
 Williams.                              
                                        
 This will be between the McLarens, the 
 Benettons, Ferrari, Lotus and don't be 
 surprised to see a Ligier or two       
 tagging along in that group as well.   
                                        
 Monza is, mechanically, a demanding    
 race but the 53 laps and 191-mile      
 distance is no physical problem for the
 drivers.                               
                                        
 I think Monza is always one of the most
 spectacular Grands Prix of the season. 
                                        
 The Andrea Moda team has been excluded 
 from Formula One as a result of changes
 introduced by FISA earlier this year.  
                                        
 Brabham are not going to Monza either  
 and this is just another disappointment
 in the history of this once great team.
                                        
 The only positive news is that there   
 will be no pre-qualifying as a result. 



---Andrew

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