From: apayton@acorn.co.uk (Andrew W Payton)
Newsgroups: rec.autos.sport
Subject: John Watson on Hungarian GP
Date: 12 Aug 92 14:22:30 GMT
Organization: Acorn Computers Ltd, Cambridge, England


                                        
 Every British Formula One enthusiast   
 must be looking forward to savouring   
 the moment this weekend when Nigel     
 Mansell wins his first world title.    
                                        
 The 1992 crown is in his grasp. All he 
 needs to do is add one more victory to 
 his eight so far this season and he    
 will become the first Englishman to win
 the title since James Hunt in 1976.    
                                        
 He would also set a new record for the 
 number of victories in a single season,
 a record he currently shares with three
 times world champion Ayrton Senna.     
                                        
 Certainly the chance of anyone else    
 winning the 1992 title is very remote. 
                                        
 Nigel Mansell constantly reminds us    
 that he is not thinking about the World
 Championship but just taking each race 
 one at a time.                         
                                        
 However it cannot have escaped his     
 notice than just one more victory would
 assure him of his first world title -  
 even if he did not race again this year
                                        
 Everything about the Hungarian Grand   
 Prix favours the Mansell-Williams      
 combination; the superior equipment    
 will work as well here as anywhere else
                                        
 It is a tight circuit with a very high 
 workrate and nowhere to catch one's    
 breath. It will be a tough 77-lap race.
                                        
 Ferrari fans will have something to    
 celebrate at the Hungaroring on Sunday,
 regardless of the result of the race.  
                                        
 They will be enjoying Ferrari's 500th  
 World Championship appearance.         
                                        
 Some historians may dispute the figure 
 but, remember, Ferrari competed in     
 Indianapolis in the '50s when it was on
 the World Championship F1 calendar.    
                                        
 While this momentous occasion may not  
 be reflected on the track, Ferrari fans
 can at least look forward to next      
 season when Englishman John Barnard    
 returns to lead the team reconstruction
 - Ferrari's gain, everyone else's loss.
                                        
 All the teams face a serious situation 
 at the Hungaroring this weekend.       
                                        
 About ten days ago they were advised by
 FISA that the fuel currently in use by 
 the majority of teams may not be legal.
                                        
 The only fuel completely legal is pump 
 fuel and the penalty for using anything
 else will be disqualification from the 
 Hungarian GP plus a retrospective      
 three-race points deduction.           
                                        
 This will have a significant effect on 
 engine performance with the loss of up 
 to 60bhp. Ironically Elf, suppliers to 
 Williams and others, have done the most
 development so have the most to lose.  
                                        
 The move by FISA to ensure the use of  
 regulation fuel is certain to cause a  
 great deal of confusion.               
                                        
 Many teams have already been testing   
 with FISA-approved fuel in order to    
 re-programme their on-board computer   
 management systems.                    
                                        
 The fuel factor, plus the nature of the
 circuit, should result in a more open  
 race with a few surprises.             
                                        
 It will give teams like Benetton a     
 realistic chance to score their first  
 1992 win. It is therefore a great      
 chance for Michael Schumacher or Martin
 Brundle to collect a maiden victory.   



---Andrew

   Information Systems Group    EMail:     apayton@acorn.co.uk
   Acorn Computers Ltd          Telephone: +44 223 245200
   

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