[Race] The GROAT - Round 2 - 1978 Scandinavian Raceway vs 2000 Suzuka

[crmalcolm]

1978 Scandinavian Raceway
Raceday arrived with another political cloud hanging over the F1 paddock, with Lotus leading a quintet of protests against the Brabham cars. Their protests were, however, to be waved away by the organisers without hesitation, meaning both Niki Lauda and John Watson would take the start. They duly lined up betwixt the two Loti of Mario Andretti and Ronnie Peterson, with the American racer awaiting the flash of the starter's lights from pole position.

Unfortunately for Watson his hopes of a victory were instantly destroyed, for a mix-up with his gear selection saw him limp away from the grid. The Ulsterman's poor getaway duly baulked Peterson, but did gift Lauda some space on the outside of the circuit to challenge Andretti around the outside of turn one. The American realised this and subsequently allowed his Lotus to run out wide, while Riccardo Patrese sneaked his Arrows into third as Watson got himself together.

The rest of the opening tour passed without issue, meaning Andretti still lead Lauda at the end of the first lap and a half at the Scandinavian Raceway, with a noticeable gap opening up between them down the straights, only to close to nothing through the corners. They already had a fair gap back to Watson, whom had smuggled his Brabham back into third, although Patrese and Peterson were hounding him relentlessly. A few yards behind them came Jody Scheckter leading the two Ferraris and Alan Jones, while the two McLarens were still running outside of the top ten.

Early on the second lap and Patrese slipped the Arrows back ahead of Watson's Brabham, the Ulsterman seeming to be lacking top end speed at the end of the straights. Peterson would also slip past the Brabham, with Watson ultimately running wide trying to respond and duly filled his radiator with gravel. That would hamper his attempts to get back into third, with Patrese and Peterson still fighting hard.

Indeed, all the action during the early laps would come from the three way tussle for third, for Andretti and Lauda at the head of the field had simply disappeared. Both the American and the Austrian were pushing as hard as they could to try and break the other's car and/or confidence, and were pulling almost a second a lap ahead of Patrese and co. with every tour of Anderstorp. The pair seemed to be evenly matched, with the Lotus seemingly superior in a straight line, while the Brabham was able to sweep back onto its tail through the longer.

Peterson, meanwhile, would eventually force his way ahead of Patrese, lunging past the Italian into turn one before trying to sprint clear. Unfortunately for the home fans, however, the Swede would pick up a puncture during his escape, and duly dropped to seventeenth as he had a new set of Goodyear tyres applied. He soon began to battle back through the field, while Patrese continued to defend third from Watson.

Elsewhere Jones was putting in a terrific display, battling past both Gilles Villeneuve and Carlos Reutemann to claim fifth once Peterson disappeared. The young Australian racer was soon out of reach from the two scarlet cars, leaving Reutemann and Villeneuve on their own. Behind them, Scheckter was steadily slipping down the field, while Vittorio Brambilla and Didier Pironi removed each other from the race by bouncing into one-another.

Scheckter soon dropped out of the race with his engine so hot it was literally melting its internal components, before one of the Brabhams suddenly went bouncing off the circuit. That BT46B proved to be that of Watson, whom managed to trash his "cooling system" as he ran onto the dirt attacking Patrese. The Ulsterman should have been able to keep going, but a lot of muck had managed to jam the throttle slides shut, leaving the #2 car without any power.

Out front, meanwhile, it seemed as if the Andretti/Lauda fight would go on until the chequered flag, with both in fine form. That was, until Andretti drifted wide through the re-shaped Norra curve, gifting the lead to Lauda on lap 37. The American ace tried hard to get back on terms with the Brabham, but his race was over just eight laps later as his Ford Cosworth expired in a dramatic cloud of smoke.

Lauda was therefore left on his own out front, while Patrese was running in a lonely second. That was, until Jones went charging past the Arrows, only for Patrese to nudge the back of the Williams on the brakes into turn one. That put Jones into a spin, with the Australian racer recovering just ahead of an interesting brawl for fourth.

Indeed, with the Ferraris making another double pitstop for fresh Michelin tyres, Patrick Tambay led a terrific fight involving six drivers. That number soon became five when Peterson scythed through the pack, the Lotus simply able to brake later and harder then those in the Tambay train. His subsequent disappearance left Tambay, Jacques Laffite, James Hunt, Clay Regazzoni and Emerson Fittipaldi all fighting for fifth as the race wore on.

Into the closing stages and Jones' impressive race had come to a premature end when the Williams suffered a wheel bearing failure, promoting Peterson to third. The Swede was rapidly closing in on Patrese, although Lauda looked imperious out front, trying hard not to look too quick. Unfortunately the true pace of Brabham was being highlighted by the track conditions, for an oil leak from one of the cars had left the second half of the circuit covered in oil. Everyone else therefore had to tip-toe through the slick to keep on track, while Lauda simply changed to a higher gear and pressed on unhindered.

The source of that oil was revealed to be Laffite, whom had fought to the front of the Tambay train, only for his Matra V12 to begin coughing with a handful of laps to go. That allowed Tambay, Regazzoni and Fittipaldi to sprint through, while Hunt got caught behind the hiccoughing Ligier. Indeed, the Brit had had his McLaren roughed up throughout the race, and was unable to seriously pressure Laffite into a mistake as the final laps ticked away.

With that the race was run, with Lauda sweeping home to claim one of the more controversial victories in F1 history. Patrese, meanwhile, would just managed to hold of Peterson across the line, the Swede having literally crawled all over the back of the Arrows as the pair came to complete the final lap. Those two were also the only drivers to remain unlapped by Lauda, as Tambay led Regazzoni, Fittipaldi, Laffite and Hunt across the line for fourth.


2000 Suzuka
The start saw Häkkinen, who had to finish ahead of Schumacher to keep his title hopes alive, make a strong start, sweeping across the nose of Schumacher to claim the lead. Schumacher was hence forced to settle for second, while Ralf Schumacher charged past teammate Jenson Button and Barrichello to claim fourth behind Coulthard.

Unsurprisingly Häkkinen and Michael Schumacher would be the class of the field during the early stages, sprinting away from Coulthard and co. as they set about deciding the World Championship. Indeed, Häkkinen was particularly impressive in the opening stages, dancing his McLaren-Mercedes around Suzuka in his bid to try and escape from Schumacher as well.

By lap twenty both Häkkinen and Schumacher, split by three seconds, had enough time in hand to pit and rejoin ahead of Ralf Schumacher in fourth, with the younger Schumacher coming in himself at that point. Häkkinen duly stayed out until lap 22, handing the lead to the elder Schumacher, before the #3 Ferrari peeled off to hand the lead to Coulthard.

Coulthard's stop a lap later restored Häkkinen to the lead ahead of Schumacher, while the Scot himself returned to a lonely third. It was at this point, however, that the race began to move to Schumacher's favour, with the German ace slowly creeping onto the back of Häkkinen.

Indeed, when Schumacher too a glancing blow from Ricardo Zonta without sustaining damage there was a certain air of inevitability that it was now his race to lose. Häkkinen would, however continue to lead through to his second stop, coming in on lap 37 to rejoin ahead of Coulthard in second.

With Häkkinen out of the way Schumacher made his bid for victory, upping his pace with a string of quick laps. Ultimately Schumacher's two lap burst in clear air proved decisive, with the German ace emerging from the pits four seconds clear of Häkkinen with thirteen laps to go.

Häkkinen threw everything he had at Schumacher in the closing stages, but ultimately ran out of time to catch his rival. Schumacher hence flashed across the line to claim victory and the World Championship with a race to spare, while Häkkinen had to console himself with second ahead of Coulthard.

Schumacher became the first driver to win the Championship for Ferrari since Jody Scheckter in 1979, ending a 21 year barren run for the Scuderia. Häkkinen, meanwhile, would officially be declared as runner-up for the campaign, although the Constructors Championship would have to be settled at the finale in Malaysia.

[Gerard C]

Had to play heads or tails for this one. The coin said Suzuka but I dont trust this coin!

[Adam43]

One is two great drivers a class apart. The other is an interesting technical aside in the history of the sport. They are difficult to compare.

[chunterer]

Originally Posted by Adam43

One is two great drivers a class apart. The other is an interesting technical aside in the history of the sport. They are difficult to compare.

Well put Adam

[S griffin]

A moment of technical genius vs a historic moment. I'll go with Suzuka