Conference oass::racers

Prost 		Ferrari
Nakajima	Tyrrell
Nannini		Benetton
Piquet		Benneton
Berger		McLaren
Boutsen		Arrows(?)

changes and/or corrections?

Dave

    Did Boutsen really sign with Arrows?  Today's USA Today had it a
    tossup as to whether Senna would stay with McHonda or go to Williams.
    
    I thought he was talking to Ferrari?

    re: Senna
    
    This morning's VOGON news reported a "rumor" that Camel has offered
    Senna $15M versus Marlboro's $10M. Now that Camel is moving from 
    Lotus to Williams, we could see Senna in a Williams...if the rumor
    has any truth to it.

During the Spa coverage they said that Senna had re-signed with McLaren
stating that he just wanted to get on with the racing and didn't want
contract negotiations to get in the way.

I thought they also said that Prost had not signed but that when he did
Mansell would file a law suit. Supposedly Mansell's contract said that he
would be the number 1 driver in '91. This from a man who is retiring?

 Senna stated on TV he has signed with McLaren for another year!!

    Senna had met people from Williams but never met anybody from Renault
    !!!
    It is very strange that a pilot like Senna who wants to go into a new
    team never meets the motor team !
    So one concludes that Senna uses the Williams proposal only to increase
    his salary in McHonda Team .
    Not bad, but Renault is not very happy !
    
    Bruno.

Frank would welcome him with open cheque book.
	Frank still reckons Nigel is one of the top three.

    Current situation (for 1991)
    
    Ferrari :  Prost
    McLaren :  Senna, Berger
    Camel   :  Piquet, Nannini
    
    Camel is the new name of what we know today as Benetton.

    
    
    
    	IS Prost a certain for Ferrari??  Last I heard he was not yet
    officially signed on.  It also seems Mansell is waiting until he
    does to file suit against Ferrari.  Apparently Mansells contract
    stipulates that he will be the #1 driver for the '91 season.  It
    also seems that Mansells retirement doesn't figure into that equation
    but then again Mansells retirement seems to be in question now.  Latest
    rumors I have read/heard are Alesi to Ferrari if he can free himself 
    from his current contract and Mansell speaking with Williams.
    
    
    Silly season indeed.... 
    
    
    
    							Rich P.
    

    Yes, Prost and Senna have signed (Ferrari & McLaren). Both signatures
    were a pre-requisite for the rest of the field, since 
    
    - if Senna signs with Ferrari, Prost goes
    - if Prost goes to Williams then Boutsen leaves ....
    
    What is new is : there is apparently agreement between Ferrari and
    McLaren (Fiorio and Dennis) not to fight each other for drivers.
    In this perspective the loser is - AGAIN - Williams.
    
    On the 2nd Ferrari driver issue : Fiorio and Prost have announced
    that it will be a BIG surprise to many. Remember last year, Fiorio
    said the same thing and it was ... Prost. Officially the 2nd Ferrari
    driver can be one of : Al�si, Capelli, Morbidelli, PL Martini.
                                                                  
    (my personal feeling is for Fiorio to sign with Al�si)

From the talk about Mansell having an offer in the U.S. the first thought
was an Indy car ride. Like someone said there are a lot of first rate
drivers who may be looking for a ride. What about a GTP ride? I haven't
followed IMSA for a few years but could Mansell have an offer to run a 
GTP Jaguar???

The comment during Monza seemed to hint that the offer was for a fair
amount of money. How much do Cart and GTP rides pay?

    Note 727.211 says Ferrari Signed Nannini
    
    Mark
    

       that was 727.281 but now .282 says Nannini to, saty with beneton
    
    

    
    Alesi signed for Ferrari !!!!
    Official !!! I heard it on french TV

	Mansell will not retire but will join Williams as No 1 driver
for '91 it was announce today in a Williams press conference.

    Warwick will drive Jaguar next year, so presumably gives up hope of F1.
    
    There's also a story that Benneton are chasing Boutsen. I'd have
    thought they'd be better off chasing a young up-and-comer rather than
    have two senior citizens - but I guess they're not asking my advice.

>>    There's also a story that Benneton are chasing Boutsen.

Well, that's the best news I've heard. I like Thierry and hate the thought
of him driving for some low bucks effort.

    This morning's VNS had a report that Michael Andretti will be the 
    backup driver for the McLaren-Honda F1 team for the '91 season.
    Interesting, considering the Senna is supposedly still in hiding
    in Brazil...

    Interesting.  If he does replace Senna (or Berger, if his performance
    doesn't improve), it would bring in an American at the top of F1, while
    opening a good seat in CART.  Are the threats against Senna THAT
    serious, that he would consider retiring?  

    Maybe McLaren is preparing for '92 by signing a top driver right away,
    them waiting for a seat to open with the regular withdrawl of Senna
    and/or Berger. 

    Maybe the Dwarf has pressured Oberstfuehrer Dennis to bring in an
    American to boost interest in F1 and take a rising star away from CART,
    in exchange for leniency for McLaren in FISA's new kangaroo court.  

    Maybe Honda is preparing an Indy program and is using the F1 testing
    contract to bring one of the best drivers into the family.  

    Maybe GM-Ilmor will supply engines to McLaren in '92 if the rumored
    Honda withdrawl materializes, and Michael was part of the deal.

    Maybe the 1987 rumors (not like we RACERS readers could look it up :-)) 
    of Mercedes-Benz entering F1 and Indy through McLaren beginning in '92
    were true, and Michael is getting experience with the McLaren system in
    preparation for leading the Silver Arrows back to the Brickyard.

    Or. maybe the guy just signed a testing contract, and is the new Allan
    McNish. 

    re: .19
    
    	...yeah, I'd like to know more, too. Leaves some interesting
    possibilities. Have to see if Autoweek has anything on it.

The teams had to name a reserve driver in case one of their 'stars' could not
race for whatever reason.  According to the rules, the reserve driver is the
only one that can race the car besides the two main drivers.
  
The reserve driver doesn't have to be their main test driver, but it might 
make sense to do it that way.

It also brings up an interesting point....  Does this mean Mike A has a Super 
License?  Didn't FIA just about disown CART over the Australian race?  Have
they made up ($$) that quickly?

Dave

.21>  It also brings up an interesting point....  Does this mean Mike A has a 
.21>  Super License?  Didn't FIA just about disown CART over the Australian 
.21>  race?  Have they made up ($$) that quickly?
    
    I think I remember seeing something about Micheal getting his Super
    licence last year, not really sure of exactly when but I'm pretty sure
    I did see it announced awhile ago.
    
    Sets up an interesting showdown situation over the Surfers Paradise
    race, or maybe makes an already interesting situation even more
    interesting.  FIA has made lots of threats about the sanctions against
    CART over the race in Oz but until the race happens they probably can't
    do anything about it.  Mike Andretti has done nothing the FIA can find
    fault with at this time, he still could sit out the Oz race even if it
    happens, so I don't see how even JMB could penalize him now.  The
    interesting part comes when (and if) the Surfers race happens and Mike
    runs there.  If FIA makes good on their threats, one of the victims
    will be their world champion Team McLaren (who lose their reserve
    driver as a consequence).  What political fallout results?  Would this
    make the sanctions more or less likely, or have no effect?  Who knows? 
    Who cares?  Who pays the bills?
    
    - Bruce (feeling cynical today)