On 14 July 1951, Jose Froilan Gonzalez drove his 375 F1 to take the first victory for Ferrari in the Formula 1 World Championship. It was the first chapter of a long story that would include more than 200 wins 16 constructors’ championship titles so far. Gonzalez had become known as El Cabezon, ‘the Wild … Continue reading On this day in 1951: Gonzalez scores Ferrari’s first F1 win
Enzo Ferrari articles archive
F60: another name change for Ferrari
Posted onFerrari’s new 2009 F1 car launched yesterday may mark another change in the team’s somewhat esoteric approach to naming its cars. Here’s a brief guide to how Ferrari have named their F1 cars from 1950 to 2009.
Ferrari score their 200th Grand Prix victory
Posted onKimi Raikkonen’s victory in the Chinese Grand Prix was the 200th Grand Prix win for Ferrari. The great Italian team is the only outfit that was present in the first ever championship Grand Prix still competing in Formula One. Until 1988 the team was headed by founder Enzo Ferrari. But it has won more races … Continue reading Ferrari score their 200th Grand Prix victory
“Ferrari: The Grand Prix Cars (new ed.)” (Alan Henry, 1989)
Posted onBooks on Ferrari are ten a penny. But most of the titles about the famous Italian marque are glossy ‘coffee table’ pieces with plenty of pretty pictures but little in the way of style. So I was very happy to come across this very substantial book by Alan Henry. What it lacks it gloss it … Continue reading “Ferrari: The Grand Prix Cars (new ed.)” (Alan Henry, 1989)
Essential & cheap summer reads for F1 fans
Posted onThe three-week summer break follows the next Grand Prix in Hungary. If you’re heading off on holiday a stack of summer paperbacks is essential for those long days at the beach. Here’s a selection of five of my favourites from biographies to general topics. Plus you can pick them up at bargain prices from F1Fanatic’s … Continue reading Essential & cheap summer reads for F1 fans
“Champion: Surtees” (Duke DVD Video 2004)
Posted onJohn Surtees: Tip-top bloke whose stunning and unmatched achievement doesn’t get talked about often enough. That being the unique feat of winning both motorcycle and motor-car world championships. This Duke video in the ‘Champions’ series provides opportunity to see this great, under-rated British champion at work.
“To Hell and Back” (Niki Lauda with Herbert Volker, 1985)
Posted onLast week we took a look at Alez Zanardi’s gripping autobiography “My Story”. I thought an interesting book to compare that with would be Niki Lauda’s 1986 book “To Hell and Back” – the self-penned story of another driver whose career was defined by a life-threatening accident.
Top ten… F1 bombshells
Posted onWhat big F1 news story broke one year ago today? Have a guess… It was Fernando Alonso’s shock switch to McLaren for 2007 – a move that caught most, if not all, F1 followers completely unaware. Of course it’s not the first time in F1 history that a shock driver or team move has caught … Continue reading Top ten… F1 bombshells
“The Piranha Club: Power and Influence in Formula One” reviewed
Review
Posted onWhen Eddie Jordan was famously outmanouevred by Flavio Briatore in 1991, losing the coveted contract to run Michael Schumacher, McLaren boos Ron Dennis strode up to him and simply said: “Welcome to the Piranha Club”.