Brazilian GP - Monday Morning Debrief - 23 OCT 2006
After an amazing race in Brazil, the team starts to realize
what has been achieved...
In Brazil 2005, Fernando Alonso took his first world championship
under cloudy skies, and the glittering silver confetti never
quite sparkled as it rained down onto the podium. But yesterday
afternoon in Sao Paulo the story was quite different, as the
sun beamed down on the young Spaniard who had just become
the youngest double world champion in history – and
the silver confetti glittered as it soared on the breeze.
The race proved a thrilling end to a compelling championship
– and here's the perspective from within the world champion
team, after the chequered flag fell…
Finishing it in style…
As Fernando closed his visor on the grid, ahead of the race
of his life, his race engineer Rod Nelson gave his usual words
of encouragement for the final time: "Muy Buena Suerte".
71 tense laps later and it was Fernando's turn to talk to
the team. "Thank you, merci à tous, you have done
a fantastic job," crackled the team radio as the R26
cruised back to the pits. "This is my last race with
you guys, this was the final race, and we have won both championships
again. Thank you for all these years, it has been a pleasure
for me to work with you and to have this success, and I wish
you the best for the future." It came from the heart,
and left its mark. And Fernando was hardly to know his day
was about to get even better. A 2-0 home win for Real Madrid
over arch rivals Barcelona meant the new world champion, a
fervent Real supporter, had truly enjoyed a perfect day!
One for the history books
As the 2006 season has demonstrated, Formula 1 is so much
more than a cold scientific discipline ruled by boffins with
computers. It contains human drama, and moments of real history
too. And perhaps it was fitting, on the day that Michael Schumacher
retired from the sport he has graced, that Fernando Alonso
and the Renault F1 Team became the newest members of a very
select group – those who have achieved the ‘double
double'. Winning one world championship is hard enough, two
is a real challenge – but two championships in consecutive
years, with the same drivers, has rarely been seen. Most recently,
it was achieved by Michael Schumacher and Ferrari in 2000/1/2/3/4;
before that, Ayrton Senna and McLaren in 1990/1; and the only
other example in the sport's history came in 1959/60 with
Jack Brabham and Cooper. The Renault team, and Fernando Alonso,
are now worthy of being mentioned in the same breath, an achievement
to be treasured by every one of the team's 800 members.
The V8 Symphony
They are a musical bunch at the Renault F1 Team's engine development
base in Viry-Châtillon, and their gift for song brought
a novel touch to the traditional end-of-season engine run
in the garage. Any championship winning Renault engine undergoes
the ordeal, which sees it fired up in the garage and revved
to its maximum, surrounded by a crowd of transfixed onlookers.
Sunday was no different, as colleagues from other teams piled
in to see the sight. And so Giancarlo's E-spec RS26 engine
was revved close to 20,000 rpm, its raucous tones screaming
into the Brazilian night. But there was another surprise in
store too, as first the Marseillaise, then the Marcha Real
followed by God Save the Queen rang out in tribute to the
team's international composition – and its newly crowned
double world champion.
Au revoir
Fernando was not the only long-standing member of the team
to be leaving after Sunday's race. The 2006 Brazilian Grand
Prix was Michelin's final race in this era of the French manufacturer's
F1 participation, and it was with great satisfaction that
its staff conquered two more world titles, to add to those
won with Renault last year. The emotion was reflected by the
company's F1 programme director Nick Shorrock, who stood quietly
with a tear in his eye as Fernando crossed the line. And Ferni
was quick to pay homage to their sterling work: "Michelin
have done a fantastic job all season. They knew they were
leaving, and they could have given up if they wanted to, but
they never did. And with Renault, they taught me another lesson
too: to always remain fair play." Michelin dedicated
its title wins to former CEO Edouard Michelin, who died during
the 2006 Monaco Grand Prix weekend. As Pat Symonds rightly
said, "they can leave Formula 1 with their heads held
high."
Number talk
As Flavio spoke immediately after the race, almost his first
words were for Ferrari – worthy rivals during one of
the most closely-fought championships in recent memory. The
numbers for this 2006 season bear that out. The Renault F1
Team scored 206 points compared to 191 in 2005 – which
is a scoring percentage of 64% compared to 56% one year ago.
What's more, the Renault F1 Team cars finished 32 times in
36 starts – a finishing record of 89%. Once again, the
numbers show how Renault raised its game for 2006, the figure
one year ago was 81% - 29 finishes in 36 starts. What's more,
there was one more noteworthy achievement among Fernando's
championship success. Almost uniquely in modern Formula 1,
it was achieved with just one car. Chassis R26-03 took to
the grid in Bahrain some seven months ago, and the same car
crossed the finishing line in Brazil. It did not miss a single
race – and probably has just become the most valuable
Renault in history!
Don't forget your roots
Up and down the pit-lane, the Renault F1 Team is known for
being both down to earth and approachable – no matter
which set of garages it occupies. And so, after the podium
celebrations, the team's mechanics collected a number of bottles
of champagne and made the long walk down the pit-lane to Super
Aguri. Why? Well, one year ago the team didn't exist –
and even earlier this year, many had written it off. But the
boys in the garage know a job well done when they see it –
and this was one. Aguri have held their heads high, and gone
about their racing with a dedication that demands respect.
And that respect found its expression today in the boys' congratulations
to their friends and some ex-colleagues at Aguri, as they
shared a celebratory glass of bubbly.
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