A1-Ring - 26/08/2001   That Austrian Again   The Austrian weather's friendly face is smirking devillishly today - think "Norman Bates on Mothers' Day". The whole country is getting microwaved. In this heat, every movement becomes a four-letter-word affair: "...D-O-N-T W-A-N-T to H-I-K-E up that H-I-L-L..." But the FIA GTs don't stop by every weekend. Trivia time: not one of the 1998 winning drivers here is on the entry list for today - they are now active in the ALMS, TransAm, the V8STAR series, or have retired altogether, along with the GT1 category. "Morning warm-up" - is there anything that needs to be warmed up? A "chill-out" would be more appropriate. A first-timer to a motor racing paddock may get the impression today that all people involved in racing are Italian and have long, wavy hair. The F360s seem to be lacking the necessary 'oomph' up the hill - they have the handling where they would need the power. The FIA GT grid is a glorious sight, even though it would be nice to have some TVRs or Corvettes, or - heaven forbid - a Saleen in the running as well. Maybe next year? And away they go. For a few minutes everything is calm, then the Neat & Tidy Driving Academy is closed for the day, and the cars kick up the dust in the turns. Incidentally, there is a driver training facility located down in the infield, complete with a skidpad that can be flooded. The water must be lovely. And courses are being held today! These people must really feel stupid, crawling round the handling course in first gear - "Slowly round the turn now! Easy does it!" - while a few feet away, a bunch of mean looking race cars are powersliding through the turns, slipstreaming, doorhandling... - only the Proton Pirates probably make them feel a little better. The Carsport team have exited Route 66 and gone Seven Up. This is their second change of livery this year, which can't be bad for the merchandising business. - You may have observed that Vipers with racing stripes are faster than non-striped Vipers. Larbre (stripes) have wrapped up the Championship and won Spa, Belmondo and Racing Box (non-stripes) haven't done so well. Carsport have changed from non-stripes to stripes, and look at them today: they are easily the fastest of their breed. They should have made that change earlier in the season. Hello American Viperacing, what you need is lots of STRIPES! The Team Spirit Award goes to the Racing Box team: Cappellari (or is it Matteuzzi?) hands the Viper over to Matteuzzi (or is it Cappellari?), and then seems to ask the mechanics, "Anything else I can do?" - They hand him a rag, and he cleans the windshield. I have found a way of hiding my sun-burned forearms from the relentless sun in my own shadow. If I don't move I'll be all right. The marshals' post at turn 6 has its own little fish pond. The F550 leads it, Tom Coronel is giving chase. Until he slows the #1 Lister right down and flashes his lights at the marshals. What's going on? The car erupts in a ball of flames - that might explain it. TC bails out double quick (and nearly gets run over by his own car!), the fire is put out, and the Lister is hauled away on a tow truck. The calm after the Storm. The Schumi fans have managed to miss the entire incident (which happened right in front of the grandstand...); now they want to know which car has caught fire. I tell them, it's Michael's car, and they roll up their flags and leave. Just kidding. With just about 30 mins. to go and with a lead of almost a lap over the N-GT competition in hand, Luca Riccitelli parks the RWS Porsche. His popularity ratings drop rapidly towards the vendetta level. He should just hide somewhere until after sun-down, then make a mad dash for the border. So, history is made as Prodrive take their first GT win ever, and the first GT win Ferrari this side of the Middle Ages (or at least since the last time the F40 won anything). The Prodrive F550 is every bit as fast as it looks - it was never really challenged today except by the Lister - and will be available for customers, so I reckon that a couple of Vipers will be on the market soon! Must sell, make offer. It is a most impressive Ferrari clean sweep as JMB are one-two in N-GT - who needs 'oomph' anyway? The Schumacher fans are ecstatic, if a little disappointed, that their hero isn't on the podium. Hermann Maier breaks a leg, Dieter Quester's team mate 'breaks' their 996, no Austrian on the podium, the Schumi fans are happy (!) - this weekend will go down in history as "oh forget it". Yes, there were touring car races as well: Nicola Larini manages to lead not just one, but both ST races, and win neither of them. Gabriele Tarquini takes home maximum points. In the second race, Larini starts from pole, Tarquini starts from last, Tarquini wins it. What is the Italian word for 'humiliation'? In the Super Prods, Peter Kox tries to repeat his GT win, and - fails. He has to call it a day with a puncture after a bit of robust touring car-style overtaking. Polesitter Tommy Rustad gets a stop & go for an alleged jump start (from pole??), and when Duncan "I am leading the Championship" Huisman buries his BMW in the gravel bed, what looked like an entertaining race is practically over. Rustad works his way back up to third (with a last corner pass round the outside that is reminiscent of his rallycross days), but the whispering BMWs take a one-two (Norman Simon from Gianni Morbidelli). Veteran 'newcomer' J.-M. Martin comes home fifth in another BMWhispercar. As I leave the A1-Ring, a black helicopter appears out of nowhere. I should have known - you do not make fun of Michael Schumacher... Cy Bersdorf Copyright ©2000-©2023 TotalMotorSport