1985 - Finally Prost, but Alboreto and Ferrari...

This season bring small technical innovations, but new rules like "chassis frontal crash-test", rear wing new position and non-comercial fuel liberate for use. Otherwise, as FISA banished frozen fuel and refueling during the races, sustainning the limit of 220 liters in tanks, the teams were forced to increment the use of eletronic. This would be decisive in the championship, as many teams were not capable to control consumption without losing speed. Even using a bottom on the panel that allowed the driver to control turbo-pressure and engine mixture system. Imagine that some engines touched more than 1.200 horse-power with practices set-up!. The most powerful practices engines were Renault, BMW and Honda. But for racing, they must reduce turbo-pressure, what allowed Porsche and Ferrari engines match their power. Other evolution was the super-soft qualifying tyres, whose durability was no more than one lap sometimes, but what adherence! Unbelievable is that Ferrari team couldn't improve neither engine nor the car during the season. They were in points in the first twelve races, but exactly when they needed more speed and durability, Alboreto couldn't finished last five races of the season, losing a title that seemed to belong to him! Another big disappointment was Brabham. With new small BMW engine design, they have speed, but Piquet would finish only five races... Good surprise for excelent Toleman chassis and Williams-Honda speediness. Senna's myth was only in the beginning...

1 - BRAZIL Alboreto made a spetacular pole, beating Rosberg by 0'104 seconds. However at the light, the finn immediate took the lead, enlargging his advantage until had a broken turbo. Alboreto could lead some laps, but Prost surpassed him and drove to victory. Alboreto closed to Prost at the final, but just because the french was conserving his equipament. Piquet had differencial failure and spun off, as Senna debut with Lotus last 48 laps, when he was in 3rd place. De Angelis 3rd, Arnoux 4th, Tambay 5th and Laffite 6th complete those who scored. One week after the race, Ferrari annouced that Arnoux had been requested a dispense due to a necessary and undelayable muscular treatment. But eveyone in F1 knew that the relationship between Arnoux and the team was degradated since the end of 83's championship. The team signed Johansson and payed a lot of money to the french driver take rest.

2 - PORTUGAL Every driver dream with his fist F1 victory. Many of them, may dream with a very diputed one, with many overtakings and manouvres. But certainly, since Monaco 84, Senna should be dreaming with a chance to win in a very wet track. And so The Gods provided it! He made his first ever pole, jumped at the lead, ignored the weather, the awlful visibility, and annihilated his opponents, finishing the race more than 1 minuto ahead second place, Alboreto. He also put one lap over his team-mate De Angelis, who finished 4th and Tambay 3rd. Mansell 5th and Bellof 6th, were two laps down! It was amazing and unspeakable! Just to compare, Alliot, Patrese, Martini, Berger, Rosberg, Baldi and even the champion, Prost had accident due to a slippery track! Those who where with Pirelli tyres suffered a lot of spuns and had to abandon the race for absolute lack of adherence, as Piquet, De Cesaris and Laffite. Senna almost caused a big accident just after the flag. He lift off immediately to celebrate, but Mansell was just behind him and made a incredible switch to avoid the happy brazilian...

3 - SAN MARINO Second pole for Senna, who would dominated all the week-end until stop 3 laps before flag with no gas...Johansson, coming from 15th to 2nd, took the lead, but less than one lap later also stopped without fuel! Also Piquet stopped in 5th. Prost won, but did not take it! His McLaren was diqualified cause 4kg underweight! De Angelis inheritated the victory, with Boutsen 2nd, Tambay 3rd, Lauda 4th, Mansell 5th and Johansson, yet 6th.

4 - MONACO Senna, Mansell and Alboreto fight for pole, but the brazilian took advantage. At Monaco start in front is priomordial and Senna could lead twelve laps until his engine ble-wup. Alboreto now in 1st place, began to control the race. Then at 16th lap when Piquet was surpassing Patrese in the main straight, the italian shut the door...causing a big crash! Both cars were destroyed, with many fragments on the track. Alboreto was a victim with a puncture. Prost took the lead, with De Angelis and De Cesaris following him. But Alboreto was determined to win the race and made a briliant recovering, surpassing his fellows, marking the fastest lap and arriving just 7 seconds behind Prost! Warwick 5th and Laffite 6th completed the points.

5 - CANADA Alboreto frustration at Monaco would be forgotten at Montreal. He won the race, leading his team-mate Johansson. It was the first team one-two since Zondvoort 83! The Lotus and Ferrari dominated the grid. De Angelis (pole), Senna, Alboreto and Johansson have just 0'603 seconds between them. De Angelis lead 16 laps, but Alboreto surpassed him and control the race. De Angelis, with tyres in bad shape, slowed what allowed Johansson, Prost and Rosberg let him behind. Senna had a little problem in the very begin, lost five laps at the pit, but came back to have a battle with Rosberg and marked the fastest lap. Piquet abandoned at the start with transmission problems and Lauda had a overheating engine.

6 - USA Definetively Detroit is the worst track for F1 race, with only 130km/h of average speed. Also is one of the most demandable for brakes, gearbox and tyres. But it looks that some drivers love those challenges, like Rosberg and Senna, for example. As on Saturday rained, times from Friday defined the grid, with Senna on pole with 1'198 seconds ahead Mansell...He jumped to the front, with Rosberg and Mansell near behind. But in eight laps he had to change tyres, like most Goodyear's user had. They choosen the wrong type for the race and the rubber was deteriorating very quickly. Rosberg took the front and with no mistake won easily. Johansson and Alboreto arrived 2nd and 3rd. Mansell, Lauda, Prost, Senna and Tambay abandoned. Bellof, with the last aspirate engine, was strong 4th, De Angelis 5th and Piquet finally finishing one race, 6th.

7 - FRENCH From pole position, Keke Rosberg jumped to the lead, with Senna, Piquet, Alboreto, De Angelis, Lauda and Prost following him. Few laps ahead Piquet put a lot of pressure over Senna, until got his position in the long Mistral straight. Two laps later, Piquet passed Rosberg in big style at Beausset corner. For the first time this year, Pirelli tyres gave Brabham an advantage and also BMW engines were running strong, wtih no problems. Senna had a blew-up engine, as Lauda broke his gearbox and Rosberg decided change tyres. At the final lap, Rosberg stole 2nd position from Prost and Johansson 4th from De Angelis. Tambay 6th, with his Renault.

8 - GREAT-BRITAIN Amazing qualifying lap for Rosberg: 160,938mph - 258,949kmh, with 0'658 seconds ahead Piquet! But at the race, Senna took the front at the lights, with Rosberg, Mansell, Prost, De Cesaris and Piquet just behind. Some laps later, Prost started his approach to 1st place. But every time he got near Senna, the brazilian some away, put a little advantage again. It was obviuos that Prost was trying to catch the lead, with his eyes on fuel consumption. Senna led until lap 57, when the first signal of lack of fuel appeared. Prost took the lead, althought Senna was capable to retook it in lap 59, then at the main straight he would stop without fuel...5 laps from the final! Prost immediately reduced his train and the turbo pressure just driving to the flag. But the flag was given one lap before the end(!), in a grotesque mistake from the race director. This mistake collaborated to Laffite 3rd place, because after the flag his car stopped with no gas, so Piquet, who finished 4th, should be 3rd...but as if does not exists...Prost 1st, Alboreto 2nd, Laffite 3rd, Piquet 4th, Warwick 5th and Surer 6th. Half of the season, this were the standings positions: Alboreto, 37 where group by Prost, 35 where group by De Angelis, 26 where group by Rosberg, 18 where group by Johansson, 16 where group by Piquet, 13 where group by Senna, 9.

9 - GERMANY Exactly in a demanding good balanced chassis track, first ever pole for Toleman-Hart and also for his driver, Teo Fabi! But in the race, Fabi made a terrible start, completing first lap only in 8th, position he would sustain until broke his transmission. Rosberg and Senna fight for each km of the track, with the finn taking advantage to be in front, securing the brazilian. Alboreto, who had made a strong start, besides a little brushed wheels with his team-mate at first corner, was in 3rd, but getting toward them. Senna and Fabi abandoned. Alboreto came closer to Rosberg, and all of a sudden, emerged in Villeneuve's style, touching wheels and overtaking the finn, but getting the front to his second season's victory. Prost was 2nd, in a very conservative race. Both reiforcing the championship leadership.

10 - AUSTRIA The new was Lauda annoucement: he would retire from race at the end of the year! Two starts, as in the first a accident caused a mess, with no consequences. Prost, from pole this time, complete first lap in second, behind Lauda. Surpassed him team-mate and led until lap 26, when Lauda got the front and pulled away. But destiny did not allow Lauda to take his last career victory at his country and he had a broken turbo. Prost 1st, Senna 2nd, Alboreto 3rd, Johansson 4th, De Angelis 5th and Surer 6th. De Cesaris had a horrible accident, with his Ligier overturnning at least four times, but he scaped unhurted!

11 - NETHERLANDS At this race Lauda could mark his last first place. Starting from 10th place, he made a amazing recovering to the lead. Also he sustained that when Prost tried desperately to pass him in the last 10 laps. Piquet, pole, let his engine went off and recovered to 8th place. But the bad news came from Ferrari. No stability, nor speed in their cars: they start from 16th and 17th place, Alboreto and Johansson. Of couse the italian drove very carefully in the race, looking to some points. He was rewarded with a valiable 4th place, but who could figure that would be his last points in the championship? Only Prost could dream with that! Points were: Prost, 56 and Alboreto, 53.

12 - ITALY A race to forget for Ferrari. Rosberg and Prost dominated all the race. But as the finn had a broken engine, Prost, who seemed to be very happy with 2nd place, inherited the victory and improve his advantage in the championship table. Piquet 2nd, Senna 3rd completed the podium. Alboreto could be never better than 6th during the race, but with problems, lost time and finished in 13th.

13 - BELGIUM A great show for three drivers in a wet/dry track: Senna dominating from the start where group by Rosberg, spun, two stops and yet 4th where group by finally, Piquet, who jumped from 3rd to 2nd at the start, but spun, completing first lap in 16th place, but recovering to 5th! Prost drove just looking for more points as Alboreto had a broken clutch in the very beginning.

14 - EUROPE Senna and Piquet dominated all practices. Prost was 6th and Alboreto, only 15th on the grid. Senna took the front, but Rosberg was very close, with Piquet in 3rd, Mansell 4th. Prost was 14th adn Alboreto 9th in the first lap. On sixtieth lap, Rosberg risked to pass Ayrton in a bad place, spun and Piquet couldn't avoid the colision and went off the race. Rosberg, recovered to pit and returned to the track, blocking Senna, that had Mansell very near yet. The english took the lead two laps later and won easily. Alboreto had a broken turbo, so Prost would need only 2 points to be the champion. He was 4th, behind Rosberg, and could celebrate his deseverd title. What could be better for Mansell as his first ever victory at his home town?

15 - SOUTH AFRICA Mansell would win again, this time with his team-mate closer behind. Prost 3rd. Piquet, Senna and Alboreto had problems very soon and abandoned. So only the Williams drivers could have fun, for their team delight.

16 - AUSTRALIA Rosberg offered a amazing gift for those who watched this GP. He had tyres problems, changing them three times, but yet could won the race. Only Senna was capable to follow the finn rythim, but he made some mistakes, getting off the track two times until a gearbox broke. Ligier got the other two places on the podium. Certainly, with this end of the season everyone could expect a very disputed 86 season!

Curious facts 

• Team Toleman could only start the championship at Monaco GP, due to a final agreement with Pirelli.
• After a big crash in the practices, Nigel Mansell did not participate of French GP.
• At Germany GP, FISA allowed 27 cars to start the race. The newcomer was F.Hesnault (Renault). This was the first ever real-time on-board camera! What images!
• With his victory at Netherlands GP, his 25th, Lauda became the second most winner of all time, losing only to J.Stewart (27) and even with J.Clark.
• At Italy GP a new team appeared: Beatrice Lola with the former champion, Alan Jones as driver.
• At Europe GP it was the first ever time two brazilians started in the front row.
• After Europe GP drivers and teams announced some changes: Piquet signed with Williams, Rosberg with McLaren and Brabham invited Lauda, but he declined the invitation.
• At South Africa GP, team-mates, Patrese and Cheever, eliminated themselves at the first corner...
• Alfa Romeo and Renault announced their decision to conclude activities of their own team. Otherwise both would continue to supply engines for other teams.

First appearance 

• Drivers: I.Capelli, C.Danner.
• Constructors/Teams:Beatrice Lola, Minardi and Zakspeed.

Wroten by : Alexandre Vasconcellos, BRAZIL