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2 - 1992 - F1 Mexico & Brazil
Next two races.
Round Two: XV Gran Premio de Mexico – 22 March 1992 – Hermanos Rodriguez
Before the teams were set to hop across the Atlantic for the first time in the season, Michael Schumacher was enjoying a pickup game of football in his hometown of Kerpen, keeping himself training while playing midfield and striker. Occasionally, his mind would lapse at thoughts of the following races, and he was pleased with where Benetton was putting him this season. With only one race completed, it was evident that at least for the next month or two, his team would have a slight advantage over McLaren, putting him in the catbird seat should both Williams’ drivers stumble. It was an odd place to be, so near to the front, yet so far away. There was little he could do in the face of the blue and yellow dominance, yet he could start to make it plain that eventually, he would start winning, not just a race or two, but several a season. Martin Brundle was a professional. His underrated talent pushed Michael hard through the winter months, and he likely would throughout the season. He too, may become a winner over the next few years, but Michael knew he himself could be during this one.
His focus coming back to the game, he started to push himself harder. With nothing at stake but pride and bragging rights, it didn’t matter. He was playing to keep in the finest shape possible, and would need the strength and speed if he were to make the most of his slim chances to stand atop the podium.
After a dull Williams domination at the first round, hopes were that the Mexican Grand Prix would be a closer race, with the McLarens having a more respectable showing. In qualifying, the mutterings across the paddock continued as the Williams’ advantages remained daunting for the rest of the grid. Senna took his second pole of the season, with Mansell locking out the front row for Williams-Renault. Benetton showed that their rise was at McLaren’s expense, with Schumacher and Brundle both ahead of either McLaren. Worst of all, the factory Ferrari team was edged out by both customer-engined Dallaras. The Maranello men were already starting to worry about falling further behind in the early part of the season, but they still hadn’t worked out the gremlins from their engine.
On race day, the Williams drivers tore off into the distance, adding nearly a second a lap ahead of the Benettons. Before the first round of stops, Berger and Brundle dueled for fourth, with Patrese ready to pounce in case either stumbled. Neither did, however the mechanical Grim Reaper claimed Berger’s gearbox at an inopportune time, and gave Brundle a two second advantage over the pursuing Patrese. Unfortunately, this wasn’t to last the race, as his engine failed twelve laps later.
Back at the front, the Williams duel intensified after the first round of stops, with Senna barely retaining the lead after everyone cycled through, with Schumacher fifteen seconds back in third. Mansell knew that with Senna out front, he could push himself into a mistake, but he himself would be ineffective at the pushing. However, the FW14B was not the McLarens Senna was used to driving, and increased his lead to three seconds after the second round of stops, with Schumacher static at twenty seconds back. That is how the top three would finish, followed by Patrese and the two Lotuses of Hakkinen and Herbert.
Round Three: Grande Prêmo do Brasil – 05 April 1992 – Interlagos
Jean Alesi was still kicking himself over his decision against signing with Williams for the start of the last season. He would be now in a serious fight with whoever the team kept on this year, but he could already see how far off pace his F92 was, and he knew it would be a long season, with more long seasons to go until things came together at Maranello. What is a man to do but do the best with what he has on hand? Privately, Ivan Capelli had taken him aside and said he’d be shocked if they could get twenty-five points out of the year, less than half the 1991 total, and nearly as much as Jean himself could pull in. Ivan had a point, though, as the design made it horrible to drive, and the reliability was so lacking that even twenty-five points may be generous. With Williams already at thirty-two, neither driver had hope. Still, if he didn’t press on, he might be out of a seat for next year, and then where would he be? Jordan? Tyrell again? Lotus? All teams either too young to contend or slipping into the grave. No, the only way out was to succeed.
For the first time in his Formula One career, Ayrton Senna came into his home race as the venue’s defending champion. The combination of this, and the number one on the nose of his car bode poorly for the rest of the field. He set pole with eight tenths of a second to spare over Mansell, and left the track to take the easy commute to his family’s mansion after meditating in the paddock. The burdens were off his shoulders here, so, with Frank Williams’ prior approval, he left the track only minutes after the session was complete.
Throughout the entire race from lights to checkered flag, Senna gave a performance like no other; there was no challenge from even Mansell. The Grand Slam was his 5th, tying Ascari, and was his first since the 1990 race at Monza. He finished at Interlagos a lap ahead of everyone but his teammate, and over half a lap ahead of Mansell himself. Again, Schumacher rounded out the podium, his third straight on the bottom step, and the lockout by himself, Senna, and Mansell continued into April, nearly a minute behind Mansell and nearly in danger of being lapped twice, but otherwise drove a quiet, uneventful race, staying several seconds ahead of his other rivals. Patrese won a well-fought duel with Ferrari’s Jean Alesi, a race Alesi pushed to the edge again and again, however Patrese’s experience paid off, with the McLaren keeping fresher tires longer into stints, whereas the Ferrari lost grip too soon to make a move stick. Despite falling two laps down, Gianni Morbidelli was content to find himself bringing a point home for Minardi at the end of the day, having the luck to stay ahead of Hakkinen after pit stops to hold on from the young, charging Finn.
In the post race interview, his hypnotic voice and cadence, long familiar to the motorsport press, wasn’t surprised to hear him say, “Everything came together today, all I saw was the track, and the cars. It didn’t matter how the car handled a particular corner, I just felt it and reacted, and kept going. The only time I really took my mind off that was when the radio came on. They know now not to call so much when I’m focused.” Both Mansell and Schumacher were not amused.
Points after three races:
Drivers’:
Senna – 26
Mansell – 22
Schumacher - 12
Patrese – 8
Berger – 3
Hakkinen & Alesi – 2
Capelli, Herbert & Morbidelli – 1
Constructors’:
Williams – 48
Benetton - 12
McLaren - 11
Lotus & Ferrari – 3
Minardi - 1
Round Two: XV Gran Premio de Mexico – 22 March 1992 – Hermanos Rodriguez
Before the teams were set to hop across the Atlantic for the first time in the season, Michael Schumacher was enjoying a pickup game of football in his hometown of Kerpen, keeping himself training while playing midfield and striker. Occasionally, his mind would lapse at thoughts of the following races, and he was pleased with where Benetton was putting him this season. With only one race completed, it was evident that at least for the next month or two, his team would have a slight advantage over McLaren, putting him in the catbird seat should both Williams’ drivers stumble. It was an odd place to be, so near to the front, yet so far away. There was little he could do in the face of the blue and yellow dominance, yet he could start to make it plain that eventually, he would start winning, not just a race or two, but several a season. Martin Brundle was a professional. His underrated talent pushed Michael hard through the winter months, and he likely would throughout the season. He too, may become a winner over the next few years, but Michael knew he himself could be during this one.
His focus coming back to the game, he started to push himself harder. With nothing at stake but pride and bragging rights, it didn’t matter. He was playing to keep in the finest shape possible, and would need the strength and speed if he were to make the most of his slim chances to stand atop the podium.
After a dull Williams domination at the first round, hopes were that the Mexican Grand Prix would be a closer race, with the McLarens having a more respectable showing. In qualifying, the mutterings across the paddock continued as the Williams’ advantages remained daunting for the rest of the grid. Senna took his second pole of the season, with Mansell locking out the front row for Williams-Renault. Benetton showed that their rise was at McLaren’s expense, with Schumacher and Brundle both ahead of either McLaren. Worst of all, the factory Ferrari team was edged out by both customer-engined Dallaras. The Maranello men were already starting to worry about falling further behind in the early part of the season, but they still hadn’t worked out the gremlins from their engine.
On race day, the Williams drivers tore off into the distance, adding nearly a second a lap ahead of the Benettons. Before the first round of stops, Berger and Brundle dueled for fourth, with Patrese ready to pounce in case either stumbled. Neither did, however the mechanical Grim Reaper claimed Berger’s gearbox at an inopportune time, and gave Brundle a two second advantage over the pursuing Patrese. Unfortunately, this wasn’t to last the race, as his engine failed twelve laps later.
Back at the front, the Williams duel intensified after the first round of stops, with Senna barely retaining the lead after everyone cycled through, with Schumacher fifteen seconds back in third. Mansell knew that with Senna out front, he could push himself into a mistake, but he himself would be ineffective at the pushing. However, the FW14B was not the McLarens Senna was used to driving, and increased his lead to three seconds after the second round of stops, with Schumacher static at twenty seconds back. That is how the top three would finish, followed by Patrese and the two Lotuses of Hakkinen and Herbert.
Round Three: Grande Prêmo do Brasil – 05 April 1992 – Interlagos
Jean Alesi was still kicking himself over his decision against signing with Williams for the start of the last season. He would be now in a serious fight with whoever the team kept on this year, but he could already see how far off pace his F92 was, and he knew it would be a long season, with more long seasons to go until things came together at Maranello. What is a man to do but do the best with what he has on hand? Privately, Ivan Capelli had taken him aside and said he’d be shocked if they could get twenty-five points out of the year, less than half the 1991 total, and nearly as much as Jean himself could pull in. Ivan had a point, though, as the design made it horrible to drive, and the reliability was so lacking that even twenty-five points may be generous. With Williams already at thirty-two, neither driver had hope. Still, if he didn’t press on, he might be out of a seat for next year, and then where would he be? Jordan? Tyrell again? Lotus? All teams either too young to contend or slipping into the grave. No, the only way out was to succeed.
For the first time in his Formula One career, Ayrton Senna came into his home race as the venue’s defending champion. The combination of this, and the number one on the nose of his car bode poorly for the rest of the field. He set pole with eight tenths of a second to spare over Mansell, and left the track to take the easy commute to his family’s mansion after meditating in the paddock. The burdens were off his shoulders here, so, with Frank Williams’ prior approval, he left the track only minutes after the session was complete.
Throughout the entire race from lights to checkered flag, Senna gave a performance like no other; there was no challenge from even Mansell. The Grand Slam was his 5th, tying Ascari, and was his first since the 1990 race at Monza. He finished at Interlagos a lap ahead of everyone but his teammate, and over half a lap ahead of Mansell himself. Again, Schumacher rounded out the podium, his third straight on the bottom step, and the lockout by himself, Senna, and Mansell continued into April, nearly a minute behind Mansell and nearly in danger of being lapped twice, but otherwise drove a quiet, uneventful race, staying several seconds ahead of his other rivals. Patrese won a well-fought duel with Ferrari’s Jean Alesi, a race Alesi pushed to the edge again and again, however Patrese’s experience paid off, with the McLaren keeping fresher tires longer into stints, whereas the Ferrari lost grip too soon to make a move stick. Despite falling two laps down, Gianni Morbidelli was content to find himself bringing a point home for Minardi at the end of the day, having the luck to stay ahead of Hakkinen after pit stops to hold on from the young, charging Finn.
In the post race interview, his hypnotic voice and cadence, long familiar to the motorsport press, wasn’t surprised to hear him say, “Everything came together today, all I saw was the track, and the cars. It didn’t matter how the car handled a particular corner, I just felt it and reacted, and kept going. The only time I really took my mind off that was when the radio came on. They know now not to call so much when I’m focused.” Both Mansell and Schumacher were not amused.
Points after three races:
Drivers’:
Senna – 26
Mansell – 22
Schumacher - 12
Patrese – 8
Berger – 3
Hakkinen & Alesi – 2
Capelli, Herbert & Morbidelli – 1
Constructors’:
Williams – 48
Benetton - 12
McLaren - 11
Lotus & Ferrari – 3
Minardi - 1
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