Formula One Features — September 1991

It was another troubled year for the AGS team and, as the year ended, it seemed that the team would finally disappear from Formula 1 after six years trying to establish itself. The plan was to merge with Team Larrousse, the theory being that two teams, each with half a 1992 budget, would be better off together. The details of the deal are still being finalised.

To understand the complicated relationships between the French government and French motor racing takes a lot of explaining.

John Barnard left the Benetton Formula 1 team in the mid-summer and has been sitting on the sidelines ever since. Watching. We asked him to examine the technical progress in Grand Prix racing this season.

The days before the Italian Grand Prix were traumatic for Roberto Moreno. Just two days before going to Monza he lost his drive. He ended up driving a Jordan. Roberto's sudden departure from Benetton was a big surprise - not least for the Brazilian himself. To most observers Roberto had done a good job at Benetton. He joined the team after Sandro Nannini's helicopter crash in October last year. He finished second, behind team mate Nelson Piquet in his first race for the team in Suzuka last year and was retained for this season. Up against the vastly experienced Piquet - with 200 GPs to his credit - Roberto had been doing well. The team, however, had informed Moreno after Belgium that it did not wish to take up his option for 1992. Until the Tuesday afternoon before Monza, however, Roberto thought his immediate future was secured.

There is nothing new about Grand Prix drivers who started their careers, racing on motorcycles. A quick look back through the record books reveal some great names in Grand Prix racing started out on two-wheels: Tazio Nuvolari was a top bik racer in the 1020s in Italy and his motor racing rival Achille Varzi started out as one of his to-wheeled rivals on bike, Varzi being the first Italian to compete in the Isle of Man TT bike races. German Bernd Rosemeyer was also an accmplished bike racer before he joined Auto Union.

It is no great secret that Formula 1 is a sport for the rich, but just how rich does one have to be to do F1? What does it really cost? There are no definite figures, only estimates. And these have to be revised every year by at least 15%.

For a spectator at a race track, doing a lap chart can outline battles which you may not know were happening and chases which you had not previously appreciated.