"Formula 1," wrote the newspaper, "is a sport that makes as many headlines off the track as on it. Races are rarely decided by audacious overtaking manoeuvres, rather by split second actions in the pits and strategies devised by men staring at computer screens. Key championship points have been decided in the courts, victims falling foul of ever-changing technical rules, deductions and disqualifications. It's a sport over which hovers a cloud of conspiracy, a constant suspicion of manipulation of rules and results to suit the hidden agendas of shadowy backstage figures. And yet in spite of this, it is regarded as the pinnacle of motor sport, a multi-million pound industry commanding a vast global audience. Reaching into so many homes and with so much money at stake, it's little wonder that Formula 1 has at times spread its tentacles into politics. One remembers the scandal of F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone's donations to the Labour Party and his blatant attempts to influence EU policy on tobacco advertising. So it's fitting to our delusions of grandeur that the Cyprus problem should make its appearance on the F1 roadshow, with Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat being plucked out of the hat by Istanbul race organisers to hand the trophy to the winner of Sunday's Turkish Grand Prix. It was an audacious stunt, but one that could now spectacularly backfire. The government quite rightly saw red and the sport's governing authority, the FIA, is investigating how the unrecognised "President" of a puppet state maintained by military occupation can have been allowed to grab the international limelight in such a way. "No compromise or violation of (our political) neutrality is acceptable," said the FIA, which is known to take a dim view of podium antics.

"The Turkish Cypriot side has bristled at the government's reaction, denouncing it as proof of the Greek Cypriots' unjust embargos and a petty response to a purely sporting event. Yet their initial glee at pulling off the stunt is evidence of the very political impact of such a gesture on an island where point scoring has replaced substance at the heart of the political dispute. The Turkish organisers have shown predictable immaturity in making such political capital out of a sporting event - proof if any were needed that we are as puerile as each other in our pathetic battle for international hearts and minds.

"Yet if they were to hijack any sport to promote their positions on the Cyprus problem, Formula 1 is perhaps strangely appropriate - a sport where competitors go round and round in circles, as compulsive to its addicts as it is bewildering to the non-initiate, a sport where the substance, the raw racing, has long given way to the self-interest of its organisers and participants, pulling arcane strings in an ultimately pointless yet strangely mesmerising ballet."

Food for thought in the corridors of power.

Fashioning the stuff from which legends are made, Formula One is witnessing the birth of a pride of new lions. Poised to take on the mantle of World Champion, these young pilots are talented, well-paid and — in the savage commercial world of today’s F1 — brave in an entirely new way.

Once again demonstrating that change is the essence of Formula One, today's F1 drivers are fashioning the stuff from which legends are made. From Villeneuve to Mika Hakkinen and former Irish bad boy Eddie Irvine (together with Giancarlo Fisichella, Ralf Schumacher and Alexander Wurz) these new lions were talented, well-paid and — in light of the savage commercialization of today's F1 — brave in an entirely new way as well.


Not that controversy and politics have been eliminated, however. They actually began in earnest again in 1994, where Michael Schumacher was stupidly shown the black flag at Silverstone for "overtaking" on the pre-race parade lap, and then slapped by FIA with a two-race suspension for allegedly ignoring the flag while Benetton's Flavio Briatore argued with the stewards. The shenanigans escalated at the Hungaroring that season, where Schumacher was disqualified on technical grounds after the wooden undertray plank on his Benetton was judged too thin under the regulations.

They peaked at Adelaide — the last gasp for a fun-filled Australian GP F1 venue — where Damon Hill, second in the race and the world championship, desperately dove for a small gap and Schumacher shut the door, breaking the Williams' front wishbone and securing the win and season title.
And controversy continued into 1995, where Hill, superficially appearing confident in the superior Williams FW17 of Patrick Head, collided into Schumacher at Silverstone, spun out while leading at Hockenheim, and made a general mess of things as Schumacher handily won his second title. (This included a fantastic victory in the 1995 European GP at a refurbished Nürburgring, where "Schumi" adroitly managed rain tyres and pit strategy to pass Jean Alesi with three laps to go to take the win, while Hill crashed once again attempting to catch the German.)

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Massa triumphed by 5.5sec for Ferrari from Renault's Alonso who had to fight off seven-times champion Schumacher several times over the last 15 laps to take a vital second place by just a car's length.


The Spaniard came home just fractions ahead of his Ferrari rival to increase his championship lead over the German to 12 points with four races left. Massa, who had started on pole for the first time, claimed his historic win in his 66th race and his first season with Ferrari.

"It's just fantastic. I've worked so hard my whole career for this moment," said a tearful Massa. "I'm full of emotion, like yesterday (when he took pole). This is my first time, it's like a dream come true."

Alonso admitted:

"Felipe was impossible to catch. We'll just need to do something for the next race."

Schumacher, meanwhile, paid tribute to his young team mate:

"Congratulations to Felipe - he did a superb job. There was quite a gap and he was consistent and drove superbly.

"That's what is good about our team - somebody might not have had a good weekend and the other makes up for it. It was a nice fight towards the end."

On the 25th anniversary of the National Drivers' soccer team, the Italian squad that competes in charity games and of which Michael is a part, will play in Greece for the first time. The game will kick off at 21.00 at the Stadio Karaiskaki and will be against a Greek all-star team. It will be 'a great premiere' as Michael stated.



From Thursday on the focus will shift to the next round of the Formula 1 Grand Prix championship.

"This is how things should be", he smiled. The German champion is looking forward to his latest challenge. "We have had a few days off and, naturally, I had a pleasant time. However, I could have done without it as it would have been better to go straight into the Grand Prix of Turkey after Hungary. The title challenge is so exciting that I cannot wait for the next race. The Istanbul weekend is finally about to get underway".

Graham Hill the father of World Champion Damon was my boyhood hero. He epitomized how a race driver should act and look. The only man to win Indianapolis, Le Mans and the F1 World Championship. The 5-Time winner of Monte Carlo drove during what many consider the golden years of F1 against such legends as Clark, Brabham, Surtees, and Gurney.
Hill was killed in an aircraft accident in November 1975.


Later, his son, Damon admitted that the pressure of having such a successful and famous father was almost unbearable at times. In truth, the son never quite came out of his father's shadow.

Vittorio Jano's P3 dominated the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa in 1925 after the local favorite, the Delage team, had retired all of their cars.
With the race now an Alfa-Romeo parade the fans began to make their displeasure known and Jano in response ordered his cars to pit.

While they were being refueled the cars were cleaned and buffed. During this pitstop he had a table placed in full view, whereupon he imperiously ate lunch, deaf to the howls of the spectators. The cars rejoined the race and won with ease.

Out of all of the billions of words written and spoken about Grand Prix, probably no one has ever heard or read:

"You know so-and-so? He reminds me of Niki Lauda."

Unimpressive in appearance even before his Nurburgring accident, Lauda nevertheless has a force of personality and Teutonic strength of will that in the '70s and '80s carried him to three Formula 1 championships spread over two careers, and success in the airline business. In the process he, more than any other Grand Prix driver, carved out his own personal niche in the history of sport.

Stirling Moss will always be known as the greatest driver never to have won the World Championship. This quintesential Englishman became almost the stereotype for the British stiff upper lip throughout his career. But if the measure of a man is more than just honors but the respect in which he was held by his peers then he was a champion many times over.
I will never forget his famous exploits during the 1955 Mille Miglia with Denis Jenkinson - absolutely breathtaking.

Alfred Neubauer struck an almost comic figure at Mercedes for decades. The former race car driver for Austro-Daimler, had his wife once tell him that he drove like "a night watchman.."
Whether this caused him, when he became a team manager for Mercedes, to exact any revenge on his drivers is unknown!

What is known is that this legendary figure was responsible for more innovations, along with some "crack-pot" ideas than any team manager in the history of the sport.

"He was an amazing character, who could have anybody snapping to attention if necessary, but would also show great thought and understanding, in relaxed moments he could have us all rolling about with laughter." - Stirling Moss

Tazio Nuvolari's legend is full of exploits of daring and almost unbelievable personal courage and will to win. He would continuously beat better equipped rivals and come back from numerous injuries only to compete in bandages.
In his entire career Tazio Nuvolari won almost two hundred major races and only came in second 17 times.

Ronnie Peterson or SuperSwede as he was called was a hopeless development driver. That being said his unworldly car control was a sight to behold. The image of Peterson coming through Woodcote absolutely on the limit with tires squealing and using just enough opposite lock and throttle to control his car has been described countless times. The people who paid witness knew that they were seeing something magical.








The middle driver in the trio of great Brazilian Champions Nelson Piquet built a reputation on guile and cunning often beating seemingly more spectacular drivers.
One of four championship winning drivers including Senna, Prost and Mansell who dominated Formula 1 in the 80's and early 90's.

The results amounted to three World Championships in 1981, 1983 and 1987 with 23 wins and a place in the Grand Prix Hall of Fame.
Piquet's final race was the Australian Grand Prix at Adelaide in 1991. He retired at the age of 39.








Alain Prost "The Professor" won 4 World Championships but because he could be so calculating people tended to overlook his outright speed.

When partnered with Niki Lauda his lap times left the Austrian in his exhaust.
Prost won more races than any other driver yet he was criticized for quitting a race because he thought the conditions were too dangerous.




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