The Brazilian Connection

What attracts us to Formula 1? by Wilton Sturm

There are things we like and know exactly why. Others, we just like ....
Why does F1 have so many fans around the world? Probably every one may have one or more answer of their own.

Certainly, there are many attractive things about the category; firstly, it is important to remember that Formula 1 is the pinnacle in motor racing. There are the best drivers, best cars, teams, designers and the ultimate in technology.  And in any sport, fans want to see the best. This is what occours with the NBA basketball and the football World Cup.

Inside F1, perhaps the key word is beauty! Formula 1 offers beautiful objects, places and details to admire. Leaving the grid girls aside for a moment (not easy we know - Ed), I believe that perhaps the most beautiful things are the cars! True works of art ... (Indeed, The Design Museum in London displayed a Renault R26 F1 car and it’s components in “exploded form” in 2006 and has displayed a BMW F1 car in the tank outside along with other F1 cars, right next to the south bank of the River Thames by Tower Bridge - Ed)

Above: McLaren were succesful with the Silver Arrows livery thanks to Mika Hakkinen

Below: McLaren MP4-23 of 2008

The colours, the shapes, everything is wonderful! Some of the most memorable liveries I've seen in Formula 1 are the McLarens in the late '90s ("silver arrows") which were marvellous and it is impossible to not notice the red Ferrari. (I'd add to that the red and white of the Marlboro McLarens through the 1980s - Ed).

Above & Below: McLaren MP4-4 was the most successful F1 car of all time, winning 15 out of 16 races with Prost and Senna in 1988

Going further: Who does not remember the black and gold of the John Player Special Lotus? I always liked the designs of Brabham´s cars, during the Piquet era. Gordon Murray worked perfectly! The blue and white livery with sponsorship by Parmalat and FILA was so cool. And the Tyrrell six-wheeler?? Pretty or ugly? Remarkable certainly, like the front of the Williams from 2004.

Above: Lotus Renault F1 as driven by Ayrton Senna in 1985

Below: Tyrrell P34 6 wheeler. Williams also made a 6 wheeler, with 4 rear wheels and 2 fronts. It never raced, unlike the P34 which was very competitive and is even moreso now in Historic F1 races with modern tyres. March made a similar design to the Williams called the 2-4-0 which also never raced.

Above: Tyrrell P34 of Patrick Depailler

Below: Jacques Laffite at the wheel of a Ligier in its classic Gitanes livery

As if completing each car, there is a special contribution, from each driver in this world of colour: their crash helmet!! Today they are less visible because of the position of pilots within the car and the safety structure around the cockpit...worse, the drivers are changing the design or the colours for each race. But until very recently years, the drivers crash helmet was his trademark and there were some very cool designs.

In Brazil, even those that do not particularly like Formula 1 get thrilled in front of a replica of Senna's helmet! I think Piquet's helmet was beautiful and creative, with the red drops and the lines imitating a tennis ball. The helmet of Graham Hill was also very interesting (he used the colours of the London Rowing Club, and when his son Damon started racing he continued to use the colours of his father), like Stewart´s and Boutsen´s! Also I liked the helmets of Laffite, Pace and Patrese. One of my entertainment as a child was drawing and coloring helmets!

Above, left to right: Ayrton Senna, Graham Hill, Jackie Stewart

Below, left to right: Thierry Boutsen, Carlos Pace, Riccardo Patrese

We put it all this in motion and ... we have a race!! With overtaking, crashes, dynamics and uncertainty until the last lap ...

The circuits also deserve mention: the background to the spectacle of racing, some of them are sensational! The architecture and narrow streets of Monte-Carlo, the challenging curves of Spa-Francorchamps, the whole design of Monza and the long straights through the forest of the original Hockenheimring long circuit... the circuits are used like the set on a stage to illuminate the show!!!

Above: The priceless backdrop to the Monaco Grand Prix. Image: Brawn GP

Below: Eau Rouge Raidillon at Spa Francorchamps is one of F1s most challenging bend. Image: Spa Francorchamps Circuit

Above: Monza is set in parkland, with the unique Grand Prix and oval circuits overlapping like a Venn diagram.

Above: The Hockenheimring was once famed for it's unique challenge; the high speed straights out into the forest contrasted with the twisty stadium section and made it a tricky compromise in terms of race car set up. Image: Google Earth

Below: Nowadays the circuit just uses the stadium section, and the circuit has a totally dfifferent character. Image: Tilke

Here's another thing - I loved to draw as a kid! I spent a good time drawing straights and curves in my imaginary circuits. Perhaps there are many other amazing things, other reasons to like F1 or ... maybe there are none: the arguments complete each other, and trying to reason about a passion is almost impossible! Moreover, taste is not discussed! And for the truly crazy fans, Formula 1 is like madness, it needs no explanation! WS


Portuguese Version

Por qual razão gostamos de Fórmula 1

Existem coisas que gostamos e sabemos exatamente o por quê disso. Outras, simplesmente gostamos....
Por que Fórmula 1 tem tantos fãs ao redor do mundo?? Provavelmente cada um poderá ter uma ou várias respostas...

Certamente a categoria apresenta coisas bacanas, atraentes, mas antes de tudo é importante lembrar que a Fórmula 1 é o “top” em automobilismo, nela estão os melhores pilotos, os melhores carros, equipes, projetistas e o máximo em termos tecnologia.
E em qualquer esporte, os fãs querem ver o que há de melhor. É assim com o basquete da NBA e com a Copa do Mundo de Futebol.

Dentro da F1 a palavra chave talvez seja beleza!! A F1 oferece coisas bonitas... detalhes para se admirar.

Acredito que em primeiro lugar está a beleza dos carros!!! Verdadeiras obras de arte... As cores, as formas, tudo é muito lindo!!! As “flechas de prata” da McLaren do final dos anos 90 eram maravilhosas e é impossível não se notar vermelho da Ferrari.
Indo um pouco mais longe: Quem não se lembra da Lotus preta e dourada??? Eu sempre gostei dos desenhos dos carros da Brabham, que o Piquet dirigia. Gordon Murray fez trabalhos perfeitos!!
E o Tyrrell de seis rodas???? Bonito ou feio?? Marcante certamente, como o bico da Williams de 2004.

Como que completando cada automóvel, existe a contribuição especial, particular, de cada piloto nesse mundo de cores: os capacetes!!!! Hoje eles quase não aparecem pela posição dos pilotos no carro e pela estrutura de segurança dos automóveis... e para piorar tem piloto mudando o desenho ou as cores a cada corrida. Mas até bem pouco tempo atrás, os capacetes eram a marca registrada de cada piloto e existiram alguns muito legais.

No Brasil, mesmo as pessoas que não curtem Fórmula 1 se emocionam na frente de uma réplica do capacete do Senna! Eu acho belíssimo e criativo capacete do Piquet, com as gotas vermelhas e o contorno imitando uma bola de tênis.
O capacete de Graham Hill era também muito interessante, assim como o do Stewart e o do Boutsen!! Também achava bacana o do Laffite, o do Pace, do Patrese. Uma de minhas diversões quando criança era desenhar e colorir capacetes!!

Colocamos tudo isso em movimento e.... temos a corrida!!!! Com ultrapassagens, batidas (por que não?), a dinâmica e a incerteza até última volta...

Os circuitos também merecem destaque: pano de fundo, digamos, para o espetáculo das corridas, alguns deles são sensacionais! Os castelos e as ruas estreitas de Monte Carlo, as curvas desafiadoras de Spa-Francorchamps, todo o desenho de Monza e as retas no meio da floresta do antigo Hockenhein... os circuitos servem de palco para o espetáculo!!

Eis outra coisa que eu adorava desenhar quando moleque!! Passava bons momentos desenhando curvas e retas nos meus circuitos imaginários.

Talvez existam muitas outras coisas belas, muitas outras razões para se gostar de F1 ou...talvez não tenha nenhuma: as razões se completam, e raciocinar sobre uma paixão é praticamente impossível!!
Além disso, gosto não se discute!!
E para o verdadeiro “doente” por corridas, Fórmula 1 é como uma loucura!!! Dessas que não tem explicação!!!