Snow and former Minardi drivers are a rare combo but
that is what some of the members of the Minardi Club San Francisco found
when they attended the inaugural A1 GP event at Laguna Seca Raceway in
Monterey California over the March 10 – 12 2006 weekend.
The A1 GP is nearing the end of its first, and by some
accounts, successful season. With just two races remaining in the
championship the event at Laguna Seca, some 90 miles south of San Francisco,
was looking to be pivotal. The MCSF was excited as it brought together 3
former Minardi drivers, Christian Fittipaldi, Jos Verstappen and Alex Yoong.
Our friends over at Team Malaysia helped get us in
touch with the former drivers and we set up a time to meet with them all so
we could give them some of our MCSF gear and, most importantly, let them
know that we are there to support them.
Early, too early if you ask me, Chuck Kennon and I met
up at his house and the trek began. Laguna is some 90 miles south of the
City so it took some time and upon our arrival we found the track to be
quite deserted – of fans. The paddock was bristling with activity and after
a brief look about Chuck and I stopped by the Team Malaysia Hospitality
suite. We were met by John Beale, Driver Coach for Alex. John is a man of
great experience and has worked in F1, GP2 ,WSC as well as many other series
in his lifelong involvement in motor sport. While waiting to meet up with
Alex and one of our members, John Castleman aka Dr Spin, ,John Beale took us
into the garage where we saw the Team Malaysia crew sorting the car. The
crew was going about their duties with great care and the car just looked
great. Shortly after we arrived in the garage the crew fired the engine –
its not a F1 engine but the sound was nonetheless fantastic.
We returned to the hospitality area where we met up
with Alex. He remembered us straight away and was as nice as possible. He
talked about the cars and the circuit – he had not driven it yet but had
taken a walk around the circuit. Due to the weather the scheduled practice
was put back and would continue to do so until they finally got onto the
track at 4 PM.
We let Alex get back to his important work with his
engineer and former Minardi man Greg Wheeler and we set off about the
paddock in search of other things Minardi.
While walking through the paddock I saw a driver in the
team Italia suit and called out “Enrico” thinking it was Enrico Toccacelo –
however the surprise was all mine when it turned out to be none other than
Max Papis. Max is not a former Minardi driver but he is a friend of the
team and Mr Minardi. We chatted briefly as he was going into the garage for
what looked like a seat fitting.
Christian Fittipaldi’s A1 racer – I have to say the
green in the picture does not do justice to the impact it has in person!
Next stop was Team Brazil. Upon entering their area we
were met by none other than Fernando Paiva. I introduced myself and a hug
grin spread across his face. It seems that Mr Paiva was an engineer at
Minardi from 1985 – 1993. What a surprise! He was very glad to hear that
we were still around and that we we continuing our support of Mr Minardi in
his new racing effort. He wants to get a Brazilian driver into one of GCM’s
cars as soon as possible. He also thought that it was the intention of Mr
Minardi to move up to GP2 as soon as possible. What great news for us.
New member Joe Gooseby, Quig, Sergeant at Arms Chuck
“Chucka” Kennon with former Minardi Engineer (1985 – 1993) Fernando Paiva.
Fernando promised to introduce us to Christian
Fittipaldi and for us to check back later in the day. We left the area and
while traveling through the garage area we happened to run into Chris. We
presented him with some of our MCSF gear – a hat, t shirt and travel mug and
let him know that we were there to support him as a former Minardi driver
and hero to many in the Minardi community. All day long I had been lugging
around a hug bag containing a nose cone off of his M193. He saw the nose
poking out of the bag and said “That is MY nosecone!” I replied that
although I owned it he was in fact correct – it was his forever. He signed
it for me as well as putting his famous signature on our Club flag. He had
to get back to work but thanked us for our support.
Benevolent Dictator for Life Emmett Quigley,
Christian Fittipaldi and Club Vice President Jim Kennon with the well
traveled MCSF flag.
He day carried on and Chuck and I left for the bay area
without seeing the cars run. Three o’clock came around and the track
information people told us that the practice sessions had been cancelled for
the day. Little did we know that they did go out at 4 PM, we would have to
wait until Sunday to see the cars run.
Sunday morning came early and with the knowledge that
Alex had done quite well in qualifying we left for the track with great hope
for success by at least one of our drivers. Chris Fittipaldi had not faired
as well in qualification but as he is relatively new to the series we
figured that with a little more seat time he would regain his competitive
form. Jos had difficulty as well in qualification but the word in the
paddock was that with the weather he should go well
Five MCSF’ers made the event on Sunday. Jim and Chuck
“Chuck” Kennon, Steve Cunningham, Joe Gooseby as well as yours truly stuffed
ourselves in the MCSF battle wagon and headed south. The weather was
variable and the talk of a wet race was in the air.
Upon our arrival we once again stopped by the Team
Malaysia area and were met by Alex. The weather was on all of our minds and
the practice sessions had been cancelled due to the fact that the track was
still being sorted by the crews with shovel and vacuums. The new schedule
had the drivers going out for a warm up and then the first of two races –
the Sprint.
We said our goodbyes and wish Alex the best of luck and
off we went to our first viewing zone – the outside of turn one. We could
see the cars crest the hill under the start finish and watch them all the
way until they disappeared behind the hill leading to the corkscrew. The
rain was now coming down in buckets and all our money was on Noah and his
ARK Racing team to set fast time. The sprint race is a rolling start so we
saw the cars go by being led out by the thunderous Audi pace car and as it
pulled off we heard the roar of the Zytek engines as they climbed the hill
towards us. I did not know if I was at Seca or Spa with the rooster tails
coming from the backs of the cars.
The start of the sprint race! I was not sure if we
were not at Spa.
The race progressed and unfortunately Alex spun early
and was beached in the gravel Chris and Jos went on to finis and set their
positions for the main race. The Sprint was marred by heavy rain and Safety
Car Periods – Jos was said to comment after the Sprint that “That was not
racing, that was ….!”
Entry into the first corner with Alex holding a solid
fourth.
Alex on the downhill run to the first turn.
The Main Race commenced in the dry albeit with small
rivers running onto the track at various places. The Club was at the top of
the hill so we could travel back in forth from the side of the hill where we
could see 60 percent of the track and over to the other side which was right
at the fence guarding the most famous corner in US racing – the “Corkscrew”
We were joined at this time by John Castleman who had never been to Seca –
our viewing area was really spectacular. And the back and forth across the
hill counted as a workout.
The competition was fierce and with the cars being so
close in preparation the passing was definitely due to using momentum and
setting up your opponent. The mandatory pit stop shook up the field as well
as the numerous yellow flag portions of the race. Alex did a mega pass
early in the race only to lose his hard gained position while exiting the
world famous “Corkscrew”. Christian and Alex had a duel early on as well as
Christian and his friend Max. Great fun and with the cars so easily
identifiable by their respective nations it made keeping track of positions
pretty easy.
Christian Fittipaldi in the world famous “Corkscrew"
Jos ended up having a bad event being called into the
pits for penalties and at the end of the race he stormed off in protest.
Alex ended up a solid eighth and Christian in eighteenth. Salvador Durna
was the class of the field charging hard into first place for both of the
day’s events. Look for him in the future.
Alex taking an aggressive line through the Corkscrew.
Here are the official results:
P
os
Driver Team Time
1. Salvador
Duran Mexico 1h00:52.974
2. Timo Scheider
Germany + 2.042
3. Robbie
Kerr Great Britain + 3.117
4. Alvaro Parente
Portugal + 10.420
5. Patrick
Carpentier Canada + 14.183
6. Ralph Firman
Ireland + 20.805
7. Max Papis
Italy + 23.199
8. Ryan
Briscoe Australia + 24.236
9. Mathias
Lauda Austria + 29.229
10. Alex
Yoong Malaysia + 30.072
11. Adam
Khan Pakistan + 31.391
12. Matt
Halliday New Zealand + 31.977
13. Giorgio
Mondini Switzerland + 2 Laps
14. Nicolas
Lapierre France + 3 Laps
15. Bryan
Herta USA + 3 Laps
16. Tomas
Enge Czech Republic + 6 Laps
17. Tengyi
Jiang China + 7 Laps
18. Christian
Fittipaldi Brazil + 11 Laps
19. Ananda Mikola
Indonesia + 12 Laps
20. Graham Rahal
Lebanon + 13 Laps
21. Jos Verstappen
Netherlands + 23 Laps
22. Stephen
Simpson South Africa + 37 Laps
Fastest lap: Lapierre,
1:17.951, on lap 27
The end of the race had us all meet back at the Team
Malaysia Hospitality Area where we met up once again with Alex, his wife
Ariana as well as some of the other members of his family. Considering what
Alex had just participated in he was in good spirits and wanted to get on
with the debrief but prior to that he was outside signing autographs and
handing out Team Malaysia T Shirts. The same could not be said for all of
the drivers in the series. Alex is truly a class act.
The last event of the day was a trek to the local
English “Pub” for a beer amongst the gathered friends.
A great day for all of us. Lets hope the series
makes it back around this way next year!
Jim Kennon, Joe Goseby, Chucka, John Castleman and
yours truly, Fearless Leader, in the paddock after the race.
