The month in MOTOR SPORT
SEPTEMBER
15:Peugeot confirms that it will enter F1 in 1994, but declines to nominate a partner for the time being. Larrousse is said to be favourite.
15:Michael Andretti announces that he’s to quit F1 forthwith. Mika Hakkinen will partner Ayrton Senna for the final three Grands Prix; Andretti will return to IndyCar racing in 1994, driving one of Chip Ganassi’s new Reynards.
15:Chevrolet pulls out of IndyCar racing. Ilmor, which has built recent Chevrolet-badged V8s, will continue. Amongst the manufacturers said to be interested in an association with the British engine company are Mercedes-Benz, Toyota and Chrysler.
17:Richard Burns wins the Manx International Rally and, with it, the British Open Rally Championship title. At 22, the Subaru driver is the series’ youngest ever champion. Malcolm Wilson’s title chances evaporate when he rolls his Escort Cosworth for the third time in two rallies.
17:Harvey Postlethwaite returns to Tyrrell, to head the team’s technical operations.
17:March unveils its radical new F3 challenger, the Ralt 93C.
18:The first leg of the Rally Australia is marred by the death of Rodger Freeth, ‘Possum’ Bourne’s 39 year-old co-driver. Freeth succumbs to injuries sustained after the pair’s Subaru Legacy struck a tree. Bourne escapes uninjured.
18:European F3000 series leader Olivier Panis visits Benetton, for a seat fitting. Panis is tipped to join the team for the final two Grands Prix of the season.
18:IndyCar qualifying at Nazareth is rained off. The grid for the penultimate round of the championship is decided by championship positions, thus giving Nigel Mansell pole. . .
19: . . . which he duly converts into victory, thereby securing the IndyCar title. He is the first man in the history of the sport to have won F1 and IndyCar titles back-to-back (though he’s the first to have attempted the feat). His winning race average is 158.686 mph, helped by a complete absence of yellow flag periods. During the weekend, Mansell announces that he has signed to continue with Newman Haas Racing for the next two seasons.
19:Joachim Winkelhock becomes the first foreign driver since Frank Gardner, in 1968, to win the British Touring Car Championship. As the Ford Mondeos of Paul Radisich and Andy Rouse chalk up a 1-2 in the final round at Silverstone, eighth place suffices for the German. His only remaining title rival, team-mate Steve Soper, finishes fifth. Radisich, whose season only started in August, winds up an impressive third in the final points table.
19:Despite rumours to the contrary, Andy Rouse says he will continue his dual role as BTCC engineer and driver in 1994.
19:The GTCC concludes at Hockenheim, where Alessandro Nannini takes a brace of victories for Alfa Romeo. Final F3 honours of the season fall to Roberto Colciago and Sascha MaaBen, as champion Jos Verstappen has a trying day.
19:Victory at Le Mans almost clinches the French Supertourisme title for Audi’s Frank Biela. The national F3 series is building to a dramatic finale, after Elton Julian allows team-mate Didier Cottaz through to win, and gives Cottaz a narrow points lead over Guillaume Gomez with just one race to go.
19:There’s no stopping Indy lights champion Bryan Herta, who takes another win at Nazareth. Briton Steve Robertson escapes uninjured after a 150 mph impact with the wall on lap one.
19:Rusty Wallace takes NASCAR honours at Dover, in a race slowed by no fewer than 16 caution periods.
19:Gianantonio Pacchioni scores his first F3 win since Monaco in the Italian Championship round at Magione.
19:Stephen Murphy/Michael Morrissey (Sierra Cosworth) win the Wexford Rally.
20:It is learned that former racer Tommy Sopwith will take over as acting chairman of the BRDC, following the resignation of John Handley.
20:Michael Bartels is forced to cede his F3000 seat at Pacific Racing, because of sponsorship troubles. Phil Andrews takes over.
20:Reynard says that it will only build an F3 car in 1994 if it strikes an exclusive engine supply deal with a major manufacturer. Negotiations with Renault, which is also thought to have a long-term eye on F3000, pending rule stability, are under way. .
20:Former world rally champion Carlos Sainz is tipped to be rejoining Toyota.
20:British champion Richard Burns could be elevated to the world stage. Subaru contemplates giving him a car for the San-remo Rally.
21:The Rally Australia concludes. Juha Kankkunen’s victory strengthens his position in the drivers’ championship and guarantees Toyota the manufacturers’ crown.
21:McLaren runs its Chrysler V12-powered test mule at Silverstone, and continues development the following day at Pembrey. Ayrton Senna and Mika Hakkinen both drive the car.
22:The ACO discloses its 1994 Le Mans regulations, which permit the use for the final time – of old Group C machinery.
22:Spedeworth announces plans to stage an indoor hot rod meeting at Earls Court, on December 11/12.
25:Alain Prost announces that he will retire from Formula One at the end of the season The Frenchman’s surprise decision paves the way for Ayrton Senna to partner Damon Hill at Williams in 1994. The Brazilian is believed to have signed a deal with the Didcot team two days after the Italian GP
25:Scuderia Italia confirms that it will rniss the last two F1 races of the season.
25:Victory on the Artemis Forest Stages Rally clinches the Mintex National Series for Dougie Watson-Clark
26:Second place behind Michael Schumacher is enough to secure a fourth World Championship for Alain Prost. In a Portuguese Grand Prix marked by several accidents but, happily, no injuries, pole-winner Damon Hill storms through to finish third, after being forced to start from the back when he stalls his Renault V10.
26:Off-track controversy mars the penultimate round of the British F2 Championship at Thruxton. Series leader Philippe Adams returns after a four-race absence, but former entrant Robert Synge tries to stop him running, after obtaining a court order confirming that the Belgian driver owed his team around £90,000. Synge’s initial complaint is ‘ referred to the RACMSA, and Adams is allowed to start. He goes on to win the race – whereupon he is promptly protested by Synge for alleged suspension irregularities. The stewards refer this to Reynard for verification . .
26:Events at Thruxton have nothing on those surrounding the French F3 finale, at Le Vigeant. Championship contenders Guillaume Gomez and Didier Cottaz tangle, as a result of which the former crashes out of the race. Cottaz goes on to take third, behind Christophe Tinseau and Elton Julian, which is enough to secure him the title. Afterwards, some of Gomez’s supporters wade into Cottaz’s pit wielding iron bars, and the new champion is attacked on his way to the podium.
26:Ross Cheever wins the Japanese F3000 race at Suzuka, and moves into a one-point series lead over second place finisher Eddie Irvine, who announces during the weekend that he will contest the final two Grands Prix of the season with the Jordan team. The supporting F3 race falls to outgoing champion Anthony Reid.
26:Ernie Irvan is Martinsville’s NASCAR victor.
26:Victory at the Nurburgring is enough to clinch the inaugural German GT crown for Johnny Cecotto.
26:The Formula Vauxhall Euroseries ends in chaos at Estoril. Belgian Vincent Radermecker takes the title, though the verdict could go to Italian Patrick Crinelli. The latter has appealed against the decision to re-run an earlier Zandvoort race, which was redflagged because of heavy rain, and there are also doubts about fuel samples taken in August at the Nurburgring . .
26:Steve Skitmore takes the European Hot Rod title at Wimbledon.
28:As several F1 teams stay on to test at Estoril, new faces in strange places include Gil de Ferran, Jos Verstappen and Christian Fittipaldi, all of whom test for Footwork. The latter is given special dispensation to do so by Minardi. Verstappen proves impressively quick before shunting the car heavily; de Ferran’s trial is halted prematurelv when he walks into an open door and cuts his head, requiring two stitches. Also present is Eddie Irvine (Jordan).
OCTOBER
2:Rumours that Alain Prost will buy into Ligier gather pace. There is one theory that the team will be renamed Prost GP, and serve as a Williams Junior Team . .
2:Formula 3000 teams and suppliers agree on a compromise deal to stabilise the formula, pending the FIA’s acceptance of new proposals. Contrary to an idea put forward at Spa, one month earlier, it is decided that new cars will be eligible in 1994.
2:John Roberts (Sierra Cosworth) wins the Cambrian Rally. Neil Freeman (Peugeot 205) is first Formula Two car home.
3:Martin Donnelly competes in a circuit race for the first time since his fearful accident at Jerez in 1990. Driving a Chamberlain Engineering Lotus Esprit, Martin finishes third in the GT event at Silverstone.
3:Franck Lagorce takes his first F3000 victory in tricky conditions at Magny-Cours. Erstwhile leader Emmanuel Collard escapes with concussion, after crashing at 150 mph. The Frenchman’s car is split in two by the impact.
3:The Penskes of Paul Tracy and Emerson Fittipaldi finish 1-2 in the IndyCar finale at Laguna Seca. Bryan Herta wins the supporting Indy Lights event. During the weekend, Mario Andretti confirms that he will do one more season with Newman/Haas before retiring.
3:Gabriele Tarquini (Alfa 155) and Fabrizio Giovanardi (Peugeot 405) win the ITCC heats at Mugello, but Roberto Ravaglia takes the title.
3:Victory at North Wilkesboro moves Rusty Wallace closer to Dale Earnhardt at the head of the NASCAR points table.
3:Michael Krumm beats the Italian F3 regulars at Vallelunga.
3:PJ Jones wins the IMSA finale at Phoenix, beating Toyota team-mate Juan-Manuel Fangio II.
3:Laurent Aiello wins the penultimate round of the Supertourisme series at Montlhery, but Frank Biela’s sixth place is enough to secure the title.
3:Nascent GP team Pacific confirms that it will also carry on in F3000 in 1994.
3:The radical Ralt 93C F3 chassis debuts at Silverstone. In Jeremy Cotterill’s hands, it finishes 16th. Further up the road, Kelvin Burt takes his eighth win of the season. Debutant Jan Magnussen is an impressive fourth
3:Larry Perkins/Gregg Hansford (Holden Commodore) win the Tooheys 1000 at Bathurst. After the race, Win Percy announces his retirement as a racing driver.
3:Jean-Luc Pailler clinches the European Rallycross Championship for Citroen, by finishing second to Per Eklund’s Subaru at Estering, Germany.
4:Jordan recruits Steve Nichols as chief designer.
4:Tyrrell signs up for a three-year technical collaboration with Fondmetal Industries.
4:Rumour suggests that Louise Aitken-Walker may be tempted out of retirement to drive a Mini on the 1994 Monte-Carlo Rally. Paddy Hopkirk may also form part of a three-strong team.
5:Luca Badoer, said to be close to a deal with Benetton for 1994, tests a B193B at Silverstone.
5:Footwork counters Japanese newspaper stories that it is to pull out of F1.
6:A technical commission excludes Philippe Adams from the Thruxton F2 race, for suspension irregularities. Adams appeals
7:Penske confirms that Al Unser Jnr will drive its third IndyCar entry in 1994.
8:Peugeot announces that it will enter F1 with McLaren, which leaves Chrysler- who had been hoping that the Woking team would use its V12 in the final two GPs of the season – out in the cold.
9:Team Lotus confirms that Pedro Lamy will race full-time in 1994. Johnny Herbert is expected to lead the team, though that has still to be confirmed.
9:Renault BTCC driver Alain Menu fractures his right leg during qualifying for a one-off French touring car race at Nogaro.
9:Jason Elliott steps uninjured from Weylock’s Reynard 91D, after vaulting the retaining wall during British F2 qualifying at Donington Park.
9:Jose Luis di Palma wins the final British F2 round, but Mikke van Hool’s position as champion is strictly provisional, pending the outcome of Philippe Adams’ appeal against his Thruxton disqualification, and a protest by Adams’ entrant, Argo, against van Hool’s car at Donington. Consequently, any of the three could take the title.
10:Despite being punted off on lap two at Nogaro, Olivier Panis is confirmed as the ninth European F3000 champion. Panis’s rivals Pedro Lamy and David Coulthard also strike trouble early in the race. Franck Lagorce takes, his second consecutive victory in an event monopolised by the host nation’s drivers.
10:Kelvin Burt takes another F3 win at Thruxton in the British Championship finale. Oliver Gavin and the impressive Ian Magnussen are next home. F3 debutant Piers Hunnisett wins class B.
10:Audi clinches the manufacturers’ title as Frank Biela takes Supertourisme honours at Nogaro.
10:Ernie Irvan dominates Charlotte’s NASCAR race.
10:Michael Krumm, ineligible for points, wins his second consecutive Italian F3 race, at Imola. Second place on the road gives Christian Pescatori nine points, and the title.
11:Williams confirms that Ayrton Senna will partner Damon Hill in 1994.
11:Derek Warwick will join Nigel Mansell in the TOCA Shoot Out at Donington. Warwick will drive a Park Lane Toyota Carina. Mansell, previously confirmed in a Ford Mondeo, will also race a TVR Tuscan!
11:British F3 runner-up Oliver Gavin tests for the TOM’S GB F3000 team at Nogaro