Prost and Ferrari
Discussion
Some, as usual when Alain talks openly, fascinating stuff on his recent pod with Tom Clarkson.
Two things
One, that within weeks of ending it in 91, Luca was talking to him about getting together again after the whole thing was changed and Luca came back into he fold, possibly would have been disastrous considering how bad the 92 car was,
But even more interesting Alain actually talked to Jean Todt about partnering Michael in 96 solely as a number 2 driver to help the team. A lot of people have a picture painted of Prost/Ferrari, the truck comment etc, but he loved being at Ferrari and this was a genuine discussion as they knew it was going to take a lot of work to get Ferrari to the level needed.
I do not doubt for a minute there were selfish reasons behind the talk, but in the interview Prost is clear this was about helping the team, he could see what was going to happen there in the future and wanted to s help the get there, he was out of the sport for years admitted in the piece he was never going to try and beat Micheal, he was not that driver anymore, this was about helping Ferrari and maybe in his own mind repairing the damage done by both in 91.
He also says it was Todt and no doubt Weber/Michael that took it no further!
Two things
One, that within weeks of ending it in 91, Luca was talking to him about getting together again after the whole thing was changed and Luca came back into he fold, possibly would have been disastrous considering how bad the 92 car was,
But even more interesting Alain actually talked to Jean Todt about partnering Michael in 96 solely as a number 2 driver to help the team. A lot of people have a picture painted of Prost/Ferrari, the truck comment etc, but he loved being at Ferrari and this was a genuine discussion as they knew it was going to take a lot of work to get Ferrari to the level needed.
I do not doubt for a minute there were selfish reasons behind the talk, but in the interview Prost is clear this was about helping the team, he could see what was going to happen there in the future and wanted to s help the get there, he was out of the sport for years admitted in the piece he was never going to try and beat Micheal, he was not that driver anymore, this was about helping Ferrari and maybe in his own mind repairing the damage done by both in 91.
He also says it was Todt and no doubt Weber/Michael that took it no further!
I would imagine Patrese had similar comments about the 1992 car, a car which in the interview Prost said he found to his liking far more than the 93 car.
What this piece shows is that Williams were not a massively friendly team, both Ayrton and Alain came from long stints at McLaren and said broadly similar things in that it was all about being a driver nothing more.
What this piece shows is that Williams were not a massively friendly team, both Ayrton and Alain came from long stints at McLaren and said broadly similar things in that it was all about being a driver nothing more.
Indeed, the more I,listen to Alain the more I realise he is vastly under rated, yes he was a politician, but so many others were, Piquet, Senna, Stewart, Scheckter, Pironi, they all were good at it. Prost just did it very well and the media all thought it was collusion with Balestre, I am sure the daft bugger favoured Alain but I would hope Alain did not curry favour with him.
I get the impression that environment was key for Alain and he never felt happy at Wiliams, no doubt mainly due to them and Renault constantly favouring Senna. I think if I could take a year off and be paid countless millions for doing sod all after 4 world titles I would too, fair play to him!
I get the impression that environment was key for Alain and he never felt happy at Wiliams, no doubt mainly due to them and Renault constantly favouring Senna. I think if I could take a year off and be paid countless millions for doing sod all after 4 world titles I would too, fair play to him!
Because Renault and Williams even in early 93 were trying to get Prost to agree to Senna coming in 94, Alain had specifically added to his contract that any team mate was fine part from Ayrton as he feared a repeat, quite rightly of 89. He was in a position to do this and Frank reneged on it thereby forcing him to pay Alain full salary with no driving in 94. Alain may be politriocal but he was also very stubborn, he know what would happen, Renault, Williams, everyone would start to favour Ayrton, the same stuff would happen again, hence the contract amendment.
I understand the haters, but unless you were in that position, I do not think you can condemn a man who built an empire at McLaren only to see it brought down by himself, Honda and Senna, he saw the likely result at Wiliams and quit early on full pay. I do not blame him.
I understand the haters, but unless you were in that position, I do not think you can condemn a man who built an empire at McLaren only to see it brought down by himself, Honda and Senna, he saw the likely result at Wiliams and quit early on full pay. I do not blame him.
I disagree, Frank had a major love affair with Senna over many years and you know what would have happened if he went there. Prost was right to make this a part of his contract, he probably expected them to court him. Hence why he did it. He was asked about it in previous interviews and Frank was asking about Senna joining after only a few races, hence why he did not like this year so much.
I am not sure Mansell was unable to sign, i think was more Nigel asking stupid, ridiculous money than anything else, Williams and sponsors had to pay Alain let's remember, so quite where they ever thought they would be able to afford Alain after a title and Senna I do not know, it was never going to work.
I am not sure Mansell was unable to sign, i think was more Nigel asking stupid, ridiculous money than anything else, Williams and sponsors had to pay Alain let's remember, so quite where they ever thought they would be able to afford Alain after a title and Senna I do not know, it was never going to work.
Piblo
if you have nothing worthwhile to ad, why bother? Oh I know, figures.
I am not seeing your point entropy/ Frank TOLD Alain he was trying to sign Ayrton for 94 early in the 93 season, he was asked if he would change his arrangement, and obviously Alain said no. Prost has said on numerous occasions he never asked for no1 status in a team, not Renault, McLaren, ferrari. it just became that way. He even suggested Senna to Ron for 88!
But in this chat, it is clear all this behind the scenes stuff made him realise Wiliams was not for him, and also made it a lot easier to not drive in 94.
if you have nothing worthwhile to ad, why bother? Oh I know, figures.
I am not seeing your point entropy/ Frank TOLD Alain he was trying to sign Ayrton for 94 early in the 93 season, he was asked if he would change his arrangement, and obviously Alain said no. Prost has said on numerous occasions he never asked for no1 status in a team, not Renault, McLaren, ferrari. it just became that way. He even suggested Senna to Ron for 88!
But in this chat, it is clear all this behind the scenes stuff made him realise Wiliams was not for him, and also made it a lot easier to not drive in 94.
Exactly, it was never going to work, but Senna was probably arrogant enough to think he would beat Alain anyway hence started the process.
The sad thing is, the forgotten man in all this is Damon, who did all the damn work anyway, and Mark Blundell before that. They get forgotten here as they basically did all the work to make this car and the 92 car as good as it was, as Mansell was hopeless at testing preferring to play golf!
And Alain always talks about the last race of 93 when all the hate went away, imagine if Alain was staying, it certainly would not have been the same!
They were both difficult men in their own ways, but for Frank to even think it was possible to have them in a team again was silly, he was playing on the best car thing, and even Ayrton could probably see that in 93 Benetton were getting close as was he in a car with an inferior engine, so Frank was playing the advantages based on 92 and early 93.
The sad thing is, the forgotten man in all this is Damon, who did all the damn work anyway, and Mark Blundell before that. They get forgotten here as they basically did all the work to make this car and the 92 car as good as it was, as Mansell was hopeless at testing preferring to play golf!
And Alain always talks about the last race of 93 when all the hate went away, imagine if Alain was staying, it certainly would not have been the same!
They were both difficult men in their own ways, but for Frank to even think it was possible to have them in a team again was silly, he was playing on the best car thing, and even Ayrton could probably see that in 93 Benetton were getting close as was he in a car with an inferior engine, so Frank was playing the advantages based on 92 and early 93.
I would not say Mansell was THAT much faster than either, but he was faster.
I have read a fair about that era and basically Nigel was able to get the most out of the tricks they built into the car, Patrese was fine in 91, often quicker in fact, but not as good on the race and not as ruthless, but also a bit unlucky as No2 drivers always seem to be.
But in 92 he could not get on with the car, Nigel was able to sort of detach the brain and find the way to drive the active car, which was somewhat different to 91. Prost found this also difficult in 1993, but interestingly found the 92 car great when he tried it before the new car came out.
I have read a fair about that era and basically Nigel was able to get the most out of the tricks they built into the car, Patrese was fine in 91, often quicker in fact, but not as good on the race and not as ruthless, but also a bit unlucky as No2 drivers always seem to be.
But in 92 he could not get on with the car, Nigel was able to sort of detach the brain and find the way to drive the active car, which was somewhat different to 91. Prost found this also difficult in 1993, but interestingly found the 92 car great when he tried it before the new car came out.
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