Like father, like son - the second-generation F1 racers

When Max Verstappen takes to the grid in Australia he’ll be creating history. Not only will the 17-year-old Dutch rookie become the youngest man in F1 history to start a Grand Prix, he’ll also become the 12th son of a former driver to compete in the world championship. In anticipation, we analyse how the other 11 sons of famous racers fared when following in their father’s wheel tracks… 

Hans-Joachim Stuck (son of pre-war Grand Prix ace Hans)
The handful of world championship races that Hans Stuck senior entered in the early 1950s didn’t amount to much, but his race-winning exploits for Auto Union in Grand Prix racing’s great pre-war era meant that son Hans-Joachim still had much to live up to when he stepped up to the sport’s premier class in 1974. Like his larger-than-life father, who in his colourful career was once rumoured to have won a hill-climb event driving backwards, Stuck junior proved himself a more than capable racer, achieving two F1 podiums in 1977 for Brabham. Ultimately, though, the German would achieve his greatest successes away from F1 racing, in particular at Le Mans where he twice triumphed in the famous 24-hour race.  

David Brabham (son of three-time world champion Sir Jack)
If Hans-Joachim Stuck had a tough act to follow, that was nothing compared to David Brabham who had the unenviable task of trying to live up to the achievements of one of the most accomplished drivers in F1 history. Sadly, despite a stellar junior career that included winning the British F3 championship and the famed Macau Grand Prix, Brabham junior would never get close to emulating his dad’s F1 achievements. The Australian’s first foray came in 1990 with the team that bore his family name, though by this stage they were a mere shadow of the once mighty squad ‘Black Jack’ had set up, taken to world championship success and subsequently sold. A single 15th place finish was all David could manage in a torrid campaign and his final F1 outings, with minnows Simtek in 1994, were no better. Still, at least David was able to follow his father into F1 racing - older brother Gary made two attempts to pre-qualify for a Grand Prix with the lacklustre Life team in 1990, failing on both occasions...

Christian Fittipaldi (son of F1 veteran Wilson)
The older brother of two-time world champion Emerson Fittipaldi, Wilson Fittipaldi was never able to establish himself as an F1 frontrunner, but it looked like his son Christian might, especially after he won the prestigious F3000 title in 1991. Alas, it wasn’t to be. The Brazilian ended up spending just three seasons in Formula One racing, the first two with tail-enders Minardi and the third with the equally challenged Footwork squad. He departed to IndyCars in 1995, having scored 12 points (nine more than his dad) in 40 starts, but is probably best remembered for spectacularly back flipping across the finish line at Monza in 1993.

Damon Hill (son of double world champion Graham)
Graham Hill achieved just about all there was to achieve in Formula One racing, including winning two world titles and setting up his own team. Tragically he died in a plane crash before son Damon had begun his own motorsport career, and thus the younger Hill had to forge his own path to the top without the benefit of his debonair father’s considerable experience. Luckily Damon proved a chip off the old block and, like his dad before him, doggedly battled his way up the racing ladder and onto the F1 grid, despite extremely limited funding. Once there he became a regular race winner, and though to his disappointment he was unable to emulate his father’s multiple successes at Monaco, he did taste victory in Great Britain - a race win that had always eluded his dad. More importantly in 1996 he won the world title, establishing the Hills as the first - and as yet only - father and son world champions.

Michael Andretti (son of 1978 world champion Mario)
At his peak Mario Andretti was one of the quickest and most versatile racing drivers on the planet, winning 12 Grands Prix along with endless races in IndyCar, Nascar and sportscars. Son Michael proved similarly quick, but had considerably more trouble than his father in adjusting to Formula One racing when he left his native United States to join McLaren in 1993. Paired with the great Ayrton Senna, Andretti junior struggled to get to grips with driving unfamiliar machinery on unfamiliar circuits, and despite eventually scoring a breakthrough podium at Monza - the first for an American in four years - he opted to quietly return home before the season was out. 

Jacques Villeneuve (son of six-time Grand Prix winner Gilles)
The son of one of the most idolised and revered racers in F1 history, Jacques Villeneuve was always going to attract attention when he began his career in motor racing. To his credit the feisty French Canadian, who was just 11 when his flamboyantly talented father Gilles was killed during practice for the ’82 Belgian Grand Prix, dealt with the sky-high expectations superbly, using his illustrious surname to secure much needed sponsorship as he climbed the single-seater ladder, whilst always refusing to be anything other than his own man. When he graduated to F1 racing with Williams in 1996, having become the youngest winner of both the Indianapolis 500 and the IndyCar championship in 1995, the hype had reached fever pitch. But Villeneuve junior stood up to it impeccably, nearly winning his first race before going on to finish his debut season a close second in the standings. The following year he cemented his own place in F1 history, capturing the world drivers’ crown that many believed his father’s talent had so richly deserved. 

Nico Rosberg (son of 1982 world champion Keke)
Keke Rosberg’s exuberant driving style and extraordinary commitment behind the wheel earned him a legion of loyal fans in the 1980s, not to mention world title success. As such there was a sense of palpable anticipation when the original flying Finn’s former team Williams promoted his son Nico to a race seat in 2006 following a prodigious rise through the junior ranks. Although considerably less spectacular than his father in approach, Rosberg junior immediately showed his potential with a solid drive from the back of the field to seventh place on his debut. But it wasn’t until some years later when he departed Williams for Mercedes and got his hands on more competitive machinery that he was able to show his true race-winning potential. Today, like his father, he’s regarded as one of the most gifted drivers of his generation, and is as well-placed as anyone to emulate his world title success. 

Kazuki Nakajima (son of former Lotus racer Satoru) 
Were it not for the trailblazing exploits of father Satoru, Kazuki Nakajima might never have raced in the top echelon of motorsport. Nakajima senior, who recorded ten top-six finishes in five seasons of Formula One racing, was the first of his countrymen to break out of Japan’s competitive domestic scene and establish himself as a regular on the F1 grid, and he did it all with the backing of Honda. It was somewhat ironic then when, 20 years later, son Kazuki landed a drive with Williams thanks largely to backing from Honda’s arch rivals Toyota. Unfortunately, Nakajima junior failed to make the impact his father had, and after scoring nine points over 36 Grands Prix he lost his seat when Williams’ Toyota engine deal came to an end. 

Markus Winkelhock (son of F1 veteran Manfred)
A committed and often spectacular driver, Manfred Winkelhock racked up 56 Grand Prix starts for tail-enders ATS and RAM in the early Eighties before sadly losing his life in a sportscar crash in Canada in 1985. Son Markus’s F1 career was considerably shorter, lasting just 15 laps, but was no less memorable. Having qualified his Spyker dead last for the 2007 European Grand Prix at the Nurburgring, the German took a gamble and started the race on wet-weather tyres. The rain duly arrived and for six famously chaotic laps Winkelhock achieved something his father never did: he led a Grand Prix.  

Nelson Piquet Junior (son of three-time world champion Nelson Senior)
Back in the late Eighties Nelson Piquet was one of the most celebrated drivers in Formula One racing, his hard-nosed approach having carried him to three world titles by the age of 35. Mindful that his son Nelsinho would have to endure endless comparisons when he began his own career in motorsport, Piquet senior did all he could to ensure the young Brazilian had the best chance possible to emulate his achievements, including helping to set up teams assembled specifically around his son’s growing talents. Piquet junior duly repaid his faith, winning the British F3 title in 2005 and finishing a close second to Lewis Hamilton in the GP2 Series in 2006. His reward was an F1 test contract with Renault in 2007, which became a race seat the following season. However, paired alongside two-time champion Fernando Alonso Piquet junior found the going extremely tough, with the only real highlight of a difficult season being an unlikely podium finish in Germany. He was retained for a further year by Renault, but left both the team and the sport under a cloud before the end of the year when details of the infamous Singapore ‘crashgate’ scandal - in which Piquet junior had been a reluctant participant - were revealed.  

Kevin Magnussen (son of former McLaren and Stewart racer Jan)
Having broken Ayrton Senna’s long-standing win record as he waltzed his way to the 1994 British F3 title, much was expected of Jan Magnussen when he stepped up to F1 racing, with no lesser luminary than Sir Jackie Stewart hailing him as a world champion in waiting. But despite his obvious talents, a self-confessed lack of application led to the Dane being consigned to the F1 scrapheap aged just 25; a single point was all he had to show from 24 outings with McLaren and Stewart GP. In stark contrast to his father, Magnussen junior’s rapid ascent up the racing ladder owed as much to his hardworking attitude and disarming maturity as it did to his natural ability. These characteristics stood him in good stead when he, like his father, made his F1 debut with McLaren. But whereas Jan finished his maiden race in 10th, Kevin came home second, becoming the first Dane in history to stand on a Grand Prix podium. 

So, what does Max Verstappen have to live up to?
Like son Max, Jos Verstappen was once hailed as the ‘next big thing’, though ultimately the Dutchman was never able to capitalise on the promise that had taken him to two podiums in his 1994 debut season with Benetton. ‘Jos the boss’, as he was known to the legion of orange-clad fans who followed his fortunes around the world, went on to score 17 points over 106 race starts for the likes of Tyrrell, Stewart and Arrows, though he’ll no doubt be hoping that his son, whose mother was also a successful kart racer, not only gets to drive more competitive cars than he did but enjoys considerably more success…

(source: f1.com)

F1 2015 Nose Rules - Craig Scarborough explains

2006 European GP (FULL RACE)

The 2006 European Grand Prix (round 5) full race! There is so little going on in F1 right now so I am forced to post a lot of races etc. so that you will survive the off-season time we have left. Enjoy!

Alonso's best drives for Ferrari according to F1.com

For the first time in six seasons, Fernando Alonso will no longer line up in the red of Ferrari when the 2015 FIA Formula One World Championship commences in Australia in exactly two months.

In tribute to their partnership, which established Alonso as one of the sport's all-time greats even if it failed to yield world championship glory, we look back on a selection of his finest drives for the Scuderia - from commanding wins to against-the-odds victories and heroic defeats...

Victory at the first attempt, Bahrain 2010
It was the ideal beginning for Ferrari and Alonso: while the Spaniard was beaten to the front row by team mate Felipe Massa, a rapid start moved him into second and set up a typically dogged pursuit of Red Bull's race leader Sebastian Vettel. Alonso had trimmed the gap down to 1.5 seconds when Vettel suddenly slowed with spark plug problems. "I was planning to attack in the final ten laps, but luck gave me a hand," Alonso said afterward. Never one to turn down such an opening, he quickly picked off the stricken RB6 and, once out front, reeled off a series of fastest laps to dominate the final part of the race - and in the process secure his maiden win for Ferrari at the very first attempt.

The pride of Italy, Monza, 2010
Alonso had already won twice heading into Ferrari's home race, and added another accolade to his maiden season with the Scuderia by capturing pole on home soil - the first time the team had topped qualifying in 22 months. Unusually, he suffered at the start: jumped by McLaren's Jenson Button, his nose made contact with the rear of the Briton's car as they entered the first chicane, which in turn bounced Alonso into team mate Massa. After the initial stress, Alonso set about a relentless pursuit of Button, denying his rival any breathing space. The tactic worked: as Button pitted, Alonso produced a fantastic in-lap and Ferrari were equally adept in the pit lane. Alonso and Button emerged side by side, but the Spaniard had the inside line and drew ahead. Sixteen laps later, a delighted tifosi couldn't hold back their joy as Alonso handed Ferrari a home victory. A special day all round.

A wet-weather masterclass, Korea, 2010
Amid an epic deluge, and under the immense tension of a fraught title fight, Alonso was at his imperious best in Korea. The race started under safety-car conditions, was briefly suspended due to the abysmal weather, and then restarted under the safety car until Lap 17. The drama began almost immediately: Mark Webber slammed his Red Bull into the barriers, bringing out another safety car (the third of four) and promoting Alonso from third to second. "The situation on track and in terms of visibility was really precarious - I knew it would be an achievement just to stay on the track," he admitted. He did more than that though - while he lost second to Hamilton due to a delayed stop, he excelled in the mixed conditions and was therefore perfectly placed to snatch the place back when the Briton ran wide at Turn 1. Alonso then set about closing the gap to race leader Vettel, whose complaints about fading light suddenly transformed into dismay when his engine gave out on Lap 46. The win - and the championship lead - belonged to Alonso.

Alonso stuns in changeable conditions, Silverstone, 2011
Alonso claimed what would prove his only win of 2011 with a stunning drive in typically capricious conditions in Great Britain. Red Bull were his chief competition, with Webber and Vettel locking out the front row and leading from the start, as Alonso maintained his third position. He was among the first to switch from wets to slicks, but struggled initially to get temperature into his fresh rubber and dropped to fourth, behind Hamilton's McLaren. Rather than spark a collapse, however, Alonso was soon flying: he swept back past Hamilton and set off in rapid pursuit of the Red Bulls. Both had slow stops, and Alonso had closed enough to take full advantage by moving into the lead. Now in clean air, he was unstoppable: a series of blistering laps meant he pulled away from the chasing pack at a rate of a second per lap, which soon handed him an unassailable advantage.

Calm in the storm, Malaysia, 2012
"It was an incredible race! I would never have bet on this - to win with all the problems we have got is something quite extraordinary!" As Alonso himself attested, expectations at Ferrari were low heading into Malaysia. The team had been dogged by an inauspicious pre-season, while a low-key opening in Australia - and qualifying ninth in Malaysia - added further proof that they were off the pace. But as the rain fell on Sunday at Sepang, Alonso flourished. He was fifth by the end of the first lap, and - after an hour-long halt due to worsening conditions - continued to gain through a combination of incisive passes and clever strategy until he hit the front and began edging away. There was a final twist, however: the track began to dry, and Sauber's Sergio Perez started rapidly closing, his car far quicker than the Ferrari in the dry. Alonso was inch-perfect in defence, earning an unlikely victory in one of the most remarkable races in recent F1 history. It was also his 28th career triumph, moving him into fifth in the all-time victory list.

The tears flow, Valencia, 2012
Seven different winners from the opening seven races made for a remarkable, record-breaking opening to the 2012 season. And while Alonso would end the sequence at Valencia by becoming the first repeat winner, the extraordinary moments didn't let up. From 11th on the grid, Alonso was up to fourth by mid-distance through a combination of a rapid start and typical belligerence in attack. He jumped to third through the final pit stops, and then moved up into second with an outstanding pass around the outside of Lotus's Romain Grosjean at Turn 1 following a brief safety car. It would be the decisive move: moments later Sebastian Vettel retired from first, and Alonso moved into a lead he would not relinquish, retaking the championship lead in the process. What followed showed just how much it had meant: Alonso clambered out of his car to celebrate with the fans on the warm-down lap, draped in the Spanish flag, and then couldn't hold back the tears on the podium. 

Attack is the best form of defence, Hockenheim, 2012 
Alonso didn't have the fastest car in Germany - both he and Ferrari pointed that out post-race. Nor was he ever afforded breathing space by his rivals, whose constant pursuit meant the result was in doubt right up until the chequered flag. Neither fact deterred Alonso: from pole, he led every lap on his way to a third victory of the season that further stretched his championship advantage. This was Alonso at his unerring, methodical and dominant best - yet more validation that he could never be discounted. "Clearly, I didn't have a moment to relax but I think I was calmer than the team in the garage and on the pit wall and our fans sitting in front of their televisions," he reflected afterwards. "I always want to give 100 percent and work day and night towards this goal. I don't want anyone to [be] better prepared than me, or physically or mentally more motivated than me, and I always try and win this competition that runs alongside the one on the track."

Alonso takes command, China, 2013
In a race where judging when to hold back and conserve tyres - and when to attack - was essential, Alonso was masterful. A fifth-lap move on polesitter and race leader Hamilton was decisive, but his ability to eke out performance in between stops was equally crucial to setting up an eventual 10-second victory. "This has a special feeling because it was a tricky race full of action," was Alonso's verdict. "Qualifying third gave us the possibility of fighting for the top place. Along with that all the important factors worked perfectly, such as set-up, strategy, calling the pit stops and the stops themselves. All together it produced a win that wasn't easy at the end of a race in which we made the most of our pace."

First-lap heroics send home fans into raptures, Spain, 2013 
"Even if this is the third time I've won a home race, the emotion is still very strong, as if it had never happened before," a jubilant Alonso proclaimed following a hard-fought victory on home soil. Once again his aggression and instinctive genius on the first lap set up the triumph: without room to attack into the first corner, Alonso decided to wait and use his KERS at Turn 3, where "I realised, after watching GP2, that it was possible to attack around the outside". Attack he did, picking off Kimi Raikkonen's Lotus and the Mercedes of Hamilton in one glorious swoop to move into third. That became second after the first stops, before Alonso snatched the lead around the outside at Turn 1. Victory was still not assured - Raikkonen was on a three-stop strategy to Alonso's four - until he finally settled the matter by scything past the Finn on Lap 39. From there he was able to cruise home to his 32nd career victory, moving him into fourth in the all-time list behind only Michael Schumacher, Alain Prost and Ayrton Senna.

Majestic even in defeat, Hungary 2014
It might not have ended in victory, but this was one of the drives of the season. In an incident-packed race, which started in damp conditions and was punctuated by two safety cars, Alonso once again hustled his way to a result he had no ostensible right to achieve. This time it was his smoothness and his brilliance in dragging every last ounce of performance from his tyres that underpinned his success. From fifth on the grid, Alonso led at mid-distance and again when Daniel Ricciardo pitted at the end of Lap 54 - 16 laps after Alonso had made his final stop. Alonso was already being hounded by Mercedes' Hamilton, but soon Ricciardo had joined to make it a three-way fight for the lead. On fading tyres Alonso held on, an unlikely victory seeming increasingly possible, until, two laps from the end, Ricciardo finally unlocked his defences to snatch the lead. While Alonso tried to retaliate, he also had his hands full defending from Hamilton, but against the odds he held on to take only his second podium of the season in second. "To do 31 laps at the end on used soft tyres was a great challenge," Alonso admitted. "After so many difficult races, we managed to get the most out of everything, also taking a few risks and second place seems like a win."

(source: f1.com)

2003 Malaysian GP (Räikkönen's first win)

I'm sorry it's not in english but it's still the same race ;) If you find this in english on YouTube then let me know!

2007 Australian FULL GP! (not in english)

What am I going to write about before the season starts?

Some of you have asked me what I am writing about before the season starts and now it's time to answer that question as good as I can.

Of course I am posting news, updates, videos (old races, documentaries etc.) and I am continuing with my "Finnish F1 drivers" -series.

I am also going to compare the 2015 teammates like I did last year with 2014's line up. Some of the teammates are the same as last year so I am forced to copy what I said last year and make a small update about how they did last year. But I promise new stuff in every post of course.

Some are very interested of the F1 stuff that I find or buy so maybe I will post some "F1 treasures" as well.

The 2015 winter testings are also coming soon so I am forced to write about them as well. I promise to post the results every day and maybe something about the new cars etc.

I am also announcing that the PREDICTORS LEAGUE will start right away from Melbourne so make sure you will post the top3, pole position and fastest lap of the race (driver not actual time) before the weekend.

If you have any questions about anything else or these same topics then feel free to ask.