As much as you have to admire their ability, Ferrari's continued success is endangering Formula One, writes Justin Hynes.
These are the words no Formula One fan wants to hear: "I’m never relaxed. It’s easy to say that nobody will beat us, but believe me, they are all crazy about how they will beat us, when they will beat us. But we are going to fight as much as we can to beat them still."
So said Ferrari boss Jean Todt after last weekend’s utterly crushing display of might by his Michael Schumacher-led team in Hungary. And it gets worse. "This has been a more historical year because Michael has just won his 12th race out of 13 this season, so that’s a record," Todt added.
"And Ferrari has become World Constructors’ champions for the sixth consecutive win, another record. Records give us pleasure. It’s easy to stay motivated because we continue to collect them."
In F1 terms it’s tantamount to hearing a small boy, when asked why he likes to pull the wings off flies, reply: "Because it’s fun." Except that unfortunately for Formula One, Ferrari is running out of flies to swat.
The Italian team’s mind-numbing command of the top steps of the podium is endangering not just the Formula One flies that buzz annoyingly around them but the entire Formula One species.
Twelve Schumacher victories from 13 races have sent already fragile TV figures tumbling, sponsors who may have once considered allying themselves with Formula One are fighting shy of a sport in which it is impossible to associate oneself with victory unless your branding is of a scarlet hue.
Despite the fact that we are witnessing possibly the greatest Formula One driver of all time setting about his work of rewriting every record in the sport’s annals, the response is one of shrugged shoulders and extreme ennui. Formula One, dominated by Schumacher and Ferrari, missing thrills and spills, run at anodyne circuits, bereft of battles (except the debilitating and PR unfriendly internal rows over cash and contracts) is boring. And unfortunately it’s not going to get better.
Much was made in May of FIA president Max Mosley’s introduction of a raft of new rules designed to make F1 interesting again. The possibility of a new engine formula, of standard brakes and ECUs, single FIA spec tyres and the banishment of all electronic aids, all were greeted with joy unconfined after Mosley had grumpily railroaded them through on the back of an internal paddock power struggle which leaned future control of the sport back towards his body and cohort Bernie Ecclestone’s FOM organisation.
The rules would, crucially, cut expenditure in Formula One, the one area where others have struggled against Ferrari. With a budget topping $200 (about €240) million per season, Ferrari throw more money at their racing problems than most of the smaller teams put together.
Even their closest rivals don’t come close to matching Ferrari’s R&D input. The Scuderia’s dominance is built not only around having the best people in Schumacher, Ross Brawn, designer Rory Byrne and engine man Paolo Martinelli, but also around financing them to explore any technical avenue they may wish to venture down.
The only team that comes close to matching their budget and workforce is Toyota, and the Japanese company has about 50 years of catching up to do before it understands F1 the way Ferrari does.
Levelling the financial playing field to some degree would benefit everyone, including fans who would likely get closer and better racing. Cut the costs and the small fry could at least move into the same timezone as the big fish.
Cut the costs and underperforming Williams, rudderless McLaren and learning curve teams like BAR and Renault could at least match Ferrari’s developmental pace if not their invention.
But while next year was supposed to see the introduction of a host of these rules, it is unlikely that they will now see the light of day, certainly not in the form Mosley intended.
After the meeting in Monaco in May when Mosley, like Neville Chamberlain, pronounced "peace in our time", it all went terribly quiet. Until the French GP when Mosley suddenly announced he was quitting, frustrated and annoyed at the intransigence of the F1 teams and of one team leader in particular.
He was persuaded to stay, but nothing has changed. Formula One’s Technical Working Group, the body of team designers which thrashes out the teams’ response to rule proposals, met last Sunday but agreed on nothing, with each team carefully protecting its own agenda.
The rules have to be decided before the FIA’s deadline of September 6th, but the teams, who have been in the process of designing their 2005 cars since March, will resist any changes tooth and nail.
Mosley may still push through his vision, regardless of the upset caused, but it is unlikely. Accommodations will be reached. The status quo in 2005 will not be changed as radically as we hoped.
Michael Schumacher admitted as much last week, saying the sport would always face protectionism from team bosses. "I think all of us have ideas how we can improve Formula One and all of us believe they are right. But you have to come to a conclusion and that’s difficult. If you have 10 people you have 10 ideas and that is why I think it's very important that you have the right groups to analyse and to make the right decisions to move forward."
At present, it would seem, Ferrari are moving forward at a greater pace than anyone else. In September it could all change but it’s unlikely. Next year may well be Schumacher, part eight. Unfortunately for Formula One, there may not be many around to see it.