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For Jaguar Racing, the start of the 2003 World Championship is off with
a whimper. Twice – first at Melbourne (March 9) and then at Sepang
(March 23). But, for those of us used to watching Michael Schumacher
climb onto the top spot on the podium, this season’s taking on a lot more
color and curiosity.
The Malaysian Grand Prix was packed with excitement while temperatures
on the track soared over the course of the 56-lap race. Kimi Raikkonen
claimed his first Formula One victory! The 23-year-old Finn’s triumph
at Sepang means McLaren has won the opening two races of the 2003 season,
and Raikkonen now leads the World Championship by six points. Rubens
Barrichello (Ferrari) finished in second place, but 39 seconds behind.
Renault’s Fernando Alonso finished third. Michael Schumacher finished
sixth after being given a drive-though penalty after colliding with Jarno
Trulli’s Renault on the opening lap.
Antonio Pizzonia driving the R4 at the
Malyasian GP. Photo Jaguar Racing / Bryn Lennon-Getty Images |
Sadly, Jaguar Racing’s Mark Webber and Antonio Pizzonia retired early.
Pizzonia started the race from the 15th place on the grid, with teammate
Webber just behind him in 16th place. A dust-up at the first corner
involving several cars affected Pizzonia, who was hit from behind and
had to pit at the end of the first lap for a replacement nosecone.
Webber skillfully weaved his way through the debris on the track and by
the fifth lap, moved up to eighth place. Later, on lap 15, a planned
pit stop cost Webber more than 30-seconds due to a clutch problem.
The Australian rejoined the race in 12th place, drove well and moved up
to eighth place again, before being called into the garage on lap 25 due
to an oil consumption problem. Pizzonia stayed in the race through
lap 43, but ended due to a suspected brake problem that caused him a spinout.
The opening race of the 2003 World Championship was in Melbourne.
David Coulthard (McLarens Mercedes) finished in first, followed by Montoya
(Williams BMW) in second, Raikkonen (McLaren Mercedes) in third, Michael
Schumacher (Ferrari) in fourth, Trulli (Renault) in fifth and Frentzen
(Sauber Petronas) in sixth place. Despite both cars starting, neither
Jaguar finished the race.
The New Rules – Formula One Racing
After years of talk about Formula One becoming:
- boring;
- costing too much;
- dependent on the whims of car manufactures who come and go as it
serves their business needs;
- generating inadequate revenues; and,
- being dominated by a few;
attempts to revamp the rules have led to many changes for 2003 and loads
of confused, but purportedly happier fans. From personal observation,
the 2003 season does provide increased interest for race fans.
Clearly controversial, the New Rules are aimed at:
1) Attracting and retaining race fans to Formula One; and,
2) Reducing the costs of going racing to ensure that independent
teams can continue to afford to compete, thus reducing the dependence of
Formula One on major car manufacturers.
The New Rules will be phased-in starting with the 2003 season and continuing
through the 2006 season.
The Rules – 2003
- A ban on two way telemetry is in effect, only transmission of data
from car to pit is allowed.
- No scrambled radio communication between the driver and the pit,
frequencies use must be published.
- Only two cars will be scrutineered per team. Under highly defined,
stringent circumstances, a spare car may be scrutineered; it then becomes
the driver’s primary car and the initial car becomes the spare.
- Spare cars will not be allowed (except under highly unusual circumstances
if a primary car is deemed unrepairable).
- The car will be required to go into parc fermé immediately
after making its second qualifying run. Cars will have to start with
whatever fuel and tires they had a the end of the second qualifying
run.
- All cars are released simultaneously from parc fermé shortly
before the start of the race, when checks on all cars have been completed.
- Severe constraints are placed upon electronic (as opposed to driver)
control of throttles, clutches, differentials and engine actuators.
This means that traction control, launch control and fully automatic
gear changing systems can no longer be used.
- No mechanical design may rely upon software inspection as a means
of ensuring compliance.
- A ban on team orders is in effect.
The FIA, in weighing the need to draw fans to Formula One in order to generate
sufficient profits to sustain all teams (never mind the violent disagreements
as regards how income should be divided – skewed to the winners, evenly
amongst all teams, or the lion’s share to the independents) decided it
must address two key issues. The problems are: (1) any team not backed
by a major manufacturer is likely to find itself short of money and technology
(remember that Prost and Arrows went into receivership (like bankruptcy)
in the past twelve months); and, (2) there is nothing to keep one or more
of the major manufacturers from exiting Formula One racing. It’s
interesting to note that Ferrari has been in the World Championship since
it began, and this is Toyota’s first experience with Formula One.
The remaining five – BMW, Ford, Honda, Mercedes and Renault – have a history
of coming and going from Formula One. Realistically, the major manufacturers
use their involvement in Formula One as a marketing and technology lever.
However, it is likely that there could be anywhere from two to nine majors
in the World Championship at any time.
FIA determined that it cannot control the amount of money invested in
the design and development of a car or engine. However, it can control
the cost of going racing once the car and engine has been developed.
FIA determined that it could keep the cost of going racing down by:
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Eliminating unnecessary and complex equipment and procedures at the races;
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Requiring the use of long-life car components and engines (e.g., in 2003,
the estimated cost for engines for the season per team will be $20 million
– this will reduce to $10 million in 2004 as a team will be allowed only
one engine per car per weekend instead of two or three. By 2006,
the cost are anticipated to drop to $1.6 million as one engine will be
required to be used in six races (six weekends of warm-ups, time trials
and racing); and,
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Allowing teams to use components designed or built by other teams or outside
suppliers (mass production).
Time will tell. 2003 already looks to be an exciting season, just
maybe not for Jaguar Racing.
Antonio Pizzonia in the R4 at the Malyasian
GP in Kuala Lumpur.
Photo Jaguar Racing / Bryn Lennon-Getty Images |
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