DIARY

October

18: Opel rocks the German Touring Car scene by poaching reigning champion Klaus Ludwig from Mercedes. He will partner Keke Rosberg in the Finn’s brand-new Opel Team Rosberg next season.

19: Taki Inoue tests a Simtek S941 at Barcelona. Though his F3000 team-mate Vincenzo Sospiri records a faster lap, Inoue is confirmed as partner for David Brabham in his home Japanese GP, becoming the Banbury team’s sixth driver this season.

19: Ahead of expectations, Peter Sauber announces that Karl Wendlinger, who was badly injured in the Monaco Grand Prix, will race in Japan. Remarkably recovered from his 19-day coma, the Austrian tests a Sauber at Paul Ricard (above) and pronounces himself fit; the decision is later revoked on medical grounds, and JJ Lehto is drafted in.

19: The FIA band sequential gearboxes and water-cooled brakes in F3 for 1995.

20: With Jos Verstappen apparently suffering from neck strain from his Jerez crash, Benetton tries out Johnny Herbert at Barcelona. He enthuses about the B194 after an impressive performance, but is still tied to Ligier…

20: Elf Renault UK Clio Cup-winner John Bintcliffe tests a BTCC Renault Laguna at a very wet Silverstone.

21: Reigning British F3 Champion Jan Magnussen tests a Paul Stewart Racing Reynard 94D F3000 car at Snetterton.

23: Dale Earnhardt equals Richard Petty’s seven NASCAR titles by winning the AC Delco 500 at Rockingham in his Goodwrench-sponsored Chevrolet.

23: Giancarlo Fisichella, the recently-crowned champion, and Andrea Boldrini win the final two rounds of the Italian F3 Championship at Misano.

23: Jason Watt and Vector add the Brands Hatch Formula Ford Festival title to their British Championship success. Jonny Kane is second for Swift, with Vincent Vosse third in a Van Diemen. The Kent Festival is won by Gavin Wills in a Swift.

23: David Donohoue, 27 year old son of the late Mark, clinches the IMSA Bridgestone Super Car series by winning at Sebring in a BMW M5.

23: Despite rolling out of the Le Touquet Rally on the 10th stage, Rudi Lancaster and Paul Spooner and confirmed as the Peugeot Challege Champions. The rally is won outright by Franҫois Chatriot’s Toyota Celica Turbo 4WD.

23: Fiat boss Gianni Agnelli criticises current F1 regulations at Mugello’s Ferrari Day, not long after Luca di Montezemelo sends John Barnard to the Laguna Seca IndyCar race, sparking hints the Italian outfit might be looking at the Indy 500.

24: Hugh Chamberlain announces a private team of Jaguar XJ220s for Le Mans. He will run three cars at the Sarthe, but drivers are yet to be finalised.

24: Lotus is cleared to participate in the final two Grands Prix of the season, following the disclosure that a mystery consortium – thought to be headed by US businessman Sam Brown – has acquired the team.

24: Lola reveals the shape of its latest IndyCar challenger, the T95/00 (bottom).

24: Elton Julian makes a sensational F1 testing debut at Estoril, the American lapping faster than Larrouse’s regular driver, Erik Comas, within three laps.

25: Proposals for a new one-make series to replace F3000 are aired at the FIA’s World Motor Sport Council; meanwhile 10mm skidblocks or “planks” will be compulsory for next year, while variable valve timing, water-cooled brakes and twin ignition are all banned.

25: Despite a last-minute approach from Ford, Eddie Jordan (below, right) and Peugeot Sport sign a deal to propel next year’s Jordan 195 with the French V10 engine, late of McLaren. Though Peugeot’s Jean-Pierre Jabouille (below, left) is keen to see a Frenchman in the team, there are no current plans to drop either Irvine and Barrichello.

25: Reigning British F3 Champion Jan Magnussen has his maiden F1 test, the young Dane impressing McLaren with his performance at Estoril.

26: Damon Hill and Mike Hakkinen suffer shunts during Estoril testing. Both men are unhurt.

26: Aston Martin reveals its intention to race the new DB7 at Le Mans in 1996.

26: Ford drops Mats Jonsson from its RAC Rally plans, and replaces the Swede with former World Champion, Ari Vatanen.

27: China announces that it wants to host a round of the World Rally Championship.

28: Ex-Lotus F1 driver Pedro Lamy has his first run in a racing car since his huge testing shunt at Silverstone in May when he drives a GTCC Mercedes-Benz C-Class at Hockenheim. He is linked with Mercedes’ touring car plans for 1995.

28: The hugely popular Clubmans racing formula is to be revolutionised by the introduction of a mid-engined format in 1995.

28: Former British F3 Champion Gil de Ferran signs a three-year deal with the Hall IndyCar racing team.

29: Having clinched the BTRDA Club Championship on the previous round, Adrian Struthers and Graham Law win the Castrol Crystal Ford Forest Stages in a Ford Escort. On the same event Ricky Evans and Ian Butcher secure the Peugeot Sport Gold Star series in the 205GTI.

30: Four-wheel drive rally cars gain a reprieve when the FIA bows to pressure from manufacturers and drops its proposed ban, though Turbo four-wheel drivers are still out; the new 2-litre series is brought forward to run alongside the current makes championship.

30: British Formula Ford Championship front-rummer Jonny Kane wins on his Formula Vauxhall debut at Pembrey.

30: By winning the Oman Rally in his Ford Escort Cosworth, Mohammed Bin Sulayem secures yet another Middle East Championship title. He is co-driven by Irishman, Ronan Morgan.

30: Pete Doughty and Jerry Freeman’s Ford Sierra Cosworth finishes second on Cheviot Rally to win the EARS/Motoring News National Tarmac Rally Series. Meanwhile fifth place on the Fastnet Rally is enough to give Subaru Legacy RS pairing, Mickey Farrell and Anthony Nestor, the Vard Irish National Rally Championship.

30: Kenny Bernstein becomes the first man to clock over 500km/h in a drag race. His top-fueller does back-to-back runs of 311.85mph (501.76km/h) and 314.46mph (505.95km/h) at Pomona, California.

31: Team Lotus confirms that former British F3 front-runner Mika Salo will make his GP debut with the team in the Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka.

31: Andrew Ferguson, one of the founder members of FOCA and a former Lotus Team manager, succumbs to the stroke he different the day before the European Grand Prix at Jerez.

31: British F3 champion Gil de Ferran starts his test programme with Jim Hall’s IndyCar team at Laguna Seca, turning in high grid times in the Pennziol-Reynard, before switiching to Phoenix’s Firebird East oval and bettering Nigel Mansell’s unofficial record there.

NOVEMBER

2: A new junior race series, Formula Renault Sport, is launches at the Williams base in Didcot. F1 hopefuls will be aiming for the champion’s bonus of a Williams-Renault test-drive.

3: Peugeot Italy withdraws from the Italian Touring Car Championship for ’95.

4: Enrico Bertone and Massimo Chiapponi are the surprise winner of the Catalonia Rally in a Toyota Celica Turbo 4WD. However, this is a round of the Two Litre Cup, and it is the second-placed Renault Clio Williams of Oriol Gomez, the Spanish Champion, that takes maximum points.

4: TVR’s Le Mans contender debuts at Castle Combe. The V8-engined Cerbera GT will enter the BRDC GT series to work up to the 24-hour endurance race.

5: Ayrton Senna’s sister, Vivane Lalli, its President, explains the aims of the Senna Foundation in Suzuka. Concieved by Ayrton before his death, the organisation will use marketing and manufacturing profits to improve quality of life for the Brazilian community, particularly children.

6: Damon Hill’s championship hopes soar with a win in Japan, putting him one point behind Michael Schumacher. Martin Brundle is reprimanded for having an accident in the torrential rain and hitting a marshall, ironically after criticising safety at the Suzuka circuit.

6: At Suzuka, Minardi reveals that the Italian F3 Champion Giancarlo Fisichella will be its test driver in 1995.

6: German Rally star Armin Schwarz announces he will quit Mitsubishi to return to Toyota for next season.

6: Alfa Romeo’s Gabriele Tarquini, the current BTCC Champion, wins the penultimate round of the Spanish Touring Car Championship at Jarama. At the same meeting Javier Diaz clinches the Spanish Formula Renault Championship in a Van Diemen.

6: BMWs dominate the touring car races at Kyalami with Alex Burgstaller/Deon Joubert and Joachin Winkelhock/Shaun van der Linde taking a win apiece.

6: Patrick Bernadini wins the Cévennes Rally in his Ford Escort Cosworth, and thus becomes the French Rally Champion. Meanwhile, Andrea Aghini wins the final round of the Belgian Championship, the Condroz, in a Toyota Celica Turbo 4WD, and Dieter Depping is victorious on the Semperit Rally in Germany at the wheel of a Ford Escort Cosworth.

7: Plans are announced for the World’s first-ever rally for electric cars. This will be held somewhere in northern Europe, and will consist of 15 times tests.

8: The recently retired Mario Andretti refutes speculation that he will drive a Ferrari sportscar at Daytona and Le Mans.

8: Max Mosley, the President of the FIA, sits alongside Juha Kankkunen, as the Finn tests the latest Toyota Celica GT-Four in Wales. Franҫois Delecour then offers Mosley a run in a Ford Escort RS Cosworth to illustrate the dangers of the new Monte Carlo tyre rules. At the same time the French tarmac ace announces his intention to stay with Ford for next season.

8: The RACMSA decide to take no action against Swift Racing Car Constructors in the wake of the double eligibility exclusions that deprived Jonny Kane of this year’s National Formula Ford Championship.

9: Damon Hill creates a storm on his arrival in Australia by criticising Williams for its lack of appreciation for his efforts.

9: Armin Hahne crashes the latest Honda NSX GT car while testing at Snetterton. The German driver is unhurt.

11: Audi is believed to have signed with Mike Earle’s 3001 International team in readiness for its assault on the 1995 British Touring Car Championship.

12: One race after its 400th Grand Prix as an engine-supplier in Suzuka, Ford announces that Sauber will use its World Championship-winning Zetec-R V8 unit during the 1995 Formula One season. At the same time Arrows are linked with Brian hart’s V10 and Minardi with the Mugen-Honda V10.

13: Michael Schumacher becomes the first German Formula One World Champion in controversial circumstances during the Australian Grand Prix at Adelaide. His Benetton hits the wall while leading on the 36th lap and collides with the Williams of main rival Damon Hill as the Briton attempts to overtake. Schumacher retires on the spot, but Hill crawls to the pits where he retires with damaged suspension.

13: Nigel Mansell wins the Australian Grand Prix for the first time – his 31st GP win. And he is now strongly tipped to partner Damon Hill at Williams next season. This leads to speculation that David Coulthard will drive for McLaren in 1995.

13: NASCAR veteran Harry Gant retires at the age of 55 as the oldest winner of a Winston Cup race- he was 52 when he was victorious at Michigan.

13: Jean-Louis Schlesser wins the UAE Desert Challenge in his self-built Buggy T3.

14: For the first time in more than a decade Team Toyota Europe will not be contesting the Safari Rally. This is because the event is a round of the Two Litre Championship, and therefore its four-wheel drive Celicas will not be eligible to score points.

14: Jamie Hunter, 23, is confirmed as this year’s Renault UK Karting Scholarship winner.

14: Honda UK withdraws its official team from the National Saloon Car Cup after winning the series in 1993 and 1994.