This is the original post from two and half years called Top Six F1 Engine partnerships that went Wrong. So this means another top Six Formula 1 Engine partnership that went Wrong. With the only rules any Formula 1 engine deal that didn't survived over a season, that the team didn't win or scored a podium in that season.
Starting with Number 6:
Number 6: 1991 Lotus, Judd and Izuzu (Lotus 102B/Lotus 102C)
Story: The Lotus 102B was powered by the 3.5 litre V8 Judd engine in 1991 instead of the 3.5 litre V12 Lamborghini engine they used in 1990. After a terrible 1990 F1 season, Team Lotus return to Judd power only ever intended as a stopgap though for 1991, just like 1990 the Lotus 102B (an evolution from last seasons 102) managed to score just 3 points in 1990, with best results from Mika Hakkinen with a fifth place finished at Imola, while nine times they did not qualify for the races to give Lotus a ninth place finish in the constructors' championship in 1991.
Meanwhile, during the 1991 season that Isuzu was secretly developing a V12 F1 engine and when team boss of Lotus found out, Lotus tested an Izuzu V12 3.5 engine (Lotus 102C) with the option to race the engine in 1992, in testing the car was six seconds off the pace due to problems that could resolve such as the engine wasn’t filled with racing fuel, 80Kg heavier than 102B, due to the extra batteries that were needed. Nevertheless the potential was there with the engine with investment from Izuzu. However, Izuzu higher management refused to give investment to the F1 project meant Izuzu F1 project was cancelled. Meaning, Lotus use 1991 Ford V8 engines for 1992.
Number 5: 1992 Minardi and Lamborghini (Minardi M192)
Story: After a decent season in 1991 with M191. Minardi team opted not to use Ferrari year old 3.5 litre V12 engines due to how expensive they were. Instead Minardi signed a contract to run the 3.5 litre V12 Lamborghini engines instead, which was much cheaper to run as powerful than the Ferrari engines. 1992 was a total nightmare for Minardi. The team struggled with reliability issues from the Lamborghini V12 engine, both Gianni Morbidelli, Alessandro Zanardi and Christian Fittipaldi failed to finish in eleven Grand Prixs', while Christian Fittipaldi and Alessandro Zanardi did not qualified in six of those. In the end Minardi M192 failed to score a point until the fifteenth race of the season in Japan, when Fittipaldi finished in sixth place. Overall, the Minardi M192 give Minardi only one point and twelfth place in the constructors standings in 1992. Next season, Minardi use customer supply of Ford 3.5 litre V8 engines that went much better.
Number 4: 1999 British American Racing and Supertec (BAR 01)
Story: After British American Tobacco (BAT) purchased the Tyrrell team in 1998, British American Racing opted for a new engine partner in a customer supply of 3 litre V10 Supertec (Renault) engines, Reynard designing the BAR 01 and 1997 F1 World Champion Jacques Villeneuve as one of their drivers meant the team should be challenging the likes of McLaren and Ferrari in 1999. Sadly, that didn't happen the Supertec engines was reliable throughout 1999, it was BAR 01 that Reyard design was unreliable, retiring twenty out of thirty-two times, did not qualify once with best results from Mika Salo with a seventh place finished at Imola, to give British American Racing a eleventh place finish in the constructors' championship in 1999 behind the likes of Minardi and Arrows. Next season, British American Racing use 3 litre V10 Honda works engines for 2000.
Number 3: 1983 Ligier and Cosworth (Ligier JS21)
Story: After Talbot-badged Matra pulled out of F1 at the end of 1982 season. Ligier return to Cosworth for 1983 with the 3 litre Cosworth DFV V8 engine. However, most of the other teams were using much powerful turbo engines in 1983 and the team lost long-term driver Jacques Laffite to Williams, resulting the team failed to score any points in 1983 managing two seventh place finishes and two times they failed to qualified in 1983. Next season, Ligier use 1.5. litre V6 Turbo Renault engines for 1984.
Number 2: 1994 Pacific and Ilmor (Pacific PR01)
Story: F3000 team Pacific Racing step up to Formula 1 in 1994 with the Pacific PR01, designed for the 1993 season. However, due to financial problems, it did not race until 1994. Powered by 1993 spec 3.5 litre V10 engine from Ilmor, the car was underpowered by 1994 standards; it was not upgraded nor the PR01 either due to the team was underfunded and unreliable. Resulting PR01 qualifying seven out of thirty-two attempts for Paul Belmondo and Bertrand Gachot. For 1995 Pacific team used customer 3 litre V8 engines from Ford instead.
Number 1: 1989 Zakspeed and Yamaha (Zakspeed 891)
Story: For 1989, Zakspeed had secured a deal to run 3.5 litre V8 Yamaha engines for 1989 replacing Zakspeed own 1.5 litre Straight 4 turbo engines had in 1988. However, the 3.5 litre Yamaha V8 engines in the Zakspeed 891 was underpowered and unreliable. Yamaha V8 was producing only 560 bhp compare to Honda V10 that was producing 690 bhp in 1989. Meant the Zakspeed 891 qualified twice in thirty-two attempts for Bernd Schneider and thirty times did not pre qualified for both Bernd Schneider and Aguri Suzuki. The 891 was the last Formula One car to be produced by Zakspeed as the team pulled out of Grand Prix racing following the 1989 season. Yamaha also pulled out of Formula One at the end of the year, but would return with the Brabham team in 1991 with a new V12 engine.
To give the Zakspeed and Yamaha deal that was another worse F1 Engine partnerships that went Wrong!
It was confirmed on Thursday (26/3/20), this seasons 104th running of the Indianapolis 500 has been postponed to August 23 due to the Coronavirus pandemic.
Originally the race was set for May 24th. This is the first time the Indy 500 will take place outside of the month of May; the race has only seen previous disruptions due to both World Wars.
While the MotoGP round at Jerez is postponed as-well without a new date.
Coronavirus, officially named Covid-19, that has killed over 27,000 people, with closed to 600,000 cases reported.
It was confirmed on Monday (23/3/20), this seasons Azerbaijan Grand Prix has been postponed indefinitely due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The first seven races in Australia, Bahrain, Vietnam, China, Holland, Spain and Monaco had already been called off due to the pandemic.
FIA hoped the race can be rescheduled later in the year.
The Azerbaijan Grand Prix was set to be the eighth round of the season, on June 7th. Meaning the first round of the season could be the Canadian Grand Prix scheduled for 14th June (looks set to be postponed too). My guess the first round of the season could be the French Grand Prix in late June.
Coronavirus, officially named Covid-19, that has killed over 16,000 people, with closed to 400,000 cases reported.
It was confirmed on Thursday (19/3/20), both this seasons Dutch and Spanish Grand Prix are both postponed indefinitely due to the coronavirus pandemic, while the Monaco Grand Prix has been cancelled altogether.
The first four races in Australia, Bahrain, Vietnam and China had already been called off due to the pandemic.
The sport's governing body, the FIA, says it expects the 2020 season to begin "as soon as it is safe to do so after May".
Monaco organisers said it was "not possible" to rearrange a date, means the Monaco Grand Prix is not on a F1 Calender since 1954.
It is still hoped the other two races can be rescheduled later in the year.
The Dutch Grand Prix was set to be the fifth round of the season, on May 3rd, while Spanish Grand Prix was schedule for 10th May, with Monaco on the 24th May. Meaning the first round of the season could be the Azerbaijan Grand Prix scheduled for 7th June.
Meanwhile, WEC round at Spa scheduled for 25th April 2020, has been postponed indefinitely, while the 24 Hours of Le Mans schedule for 13-14th June has been postponed till September 19-20th.
Coronavirus, officially named Covid-19, that has killed over 10,000 people, with over 250,000 cases reported.
Recap of the last round of WRC from last weekends Round three of Rally Mexico.
Last weekends was the third round of the World Rally Championship at at the Rally Mexico (12th-15th March) that was won by Sébastien Ogier in his works Toyota Yaris WRC.
While, Current WRC champion Ott Tänak finished second in his works Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC. Tänak was thirty seconds behind Ogier at the end of the rally. Meanwhile, Teemu Suninen finished third in his works works Ford Fiesta WRC, Suninen was forty seconds behind Ogier at the end of the rally.
Meanwhile in WRC-2 class (Manufacturer entries competing in cars built to Group R5 specifications), that was won by Toksport WRT driver Pontus Tidemand in his Škoda Fabia R5 Evo. Pontus Tidemand finished in sixth place overall, he was eleven minutes behind Ogier at the end of the rally.
While in WRC-3 class (Open to privately-entered cars; Group R5, R4, Super 2000 and Group N4 spec cars), that was won by Marco Bulacia Wilkinson in his own backed Citroën C3 R5. Marco Bulacia Wilkinson finished in eighth place overall, he was fourteen minutes behind Ogier at the end of the rally.
Next stop, Round Four of the 2020 WRC season for Rally de Portugal in ten weeks time.
It was confirmed on Friday (13/3/20), both this seasons Bahrain and Vietnamese Grand Prix are both postponed indefinitely due to the coronavirus pandemic, follows the news that this weekend’s Australian Grand Prix will not go ahead.
The Bahrain Grand Prix was set to be the second round of the season, on March 22nd, while Vietnamese Grand Prix was schedule for 5th April, but officials said that both rounds not go ahead as scheduled. Meaning the first round of the season could be the Dutch Grand Prix scheduled for 3rd May.
Coronavirus, officially named Covid-19, that has killed nearly 5,500 people, with over 145,000 cases reported.
Like it or not this is the right decision. Like I said yesterday, my guess the first few rounds of the European season (Holland, Spain and Monaco) my also be postponed. My guess the first round of the season could start as late as the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in mid June.
It was confirmed on Friday (13/3/20), this seasons Australian Grand Prix has been officially cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The event was set to be the first round of the season, on March 15th, but officials said that it will not go ahead as organisers, Formula 1 and the FIA have all agreed to cancel the season opener
Just hours after McLaren withdrew from the race following one of its staff members being confirmed as having coronavirus, F1 team bosses got together to discuss next steps.
Coronavirus, officially named Covid-19, that has killed nearly 5,000 people, with over 144,000 cases reported.
Like it or not it was right decision. So what next for Formula 1, I doubt the Bahrain Grand Prix next week will happen while the third round the Vietnamese Grand Prix may be postponed, my guess the first few rounds of the European season (Holland, Spain and Monaco) my also be postponed. My guess the first round of the season could start as late as the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in mid June.
Meanwhile, WEC round at Sebring scheduled for 20th March 2020, has been cancelled due to a travel ban to the U.S. from mainland Europe. While both MotoGP rounds at Austin and Argentina are both postponed till the end of the season.
Today post is a 2020 F1 preview, all the teams and drivers. Also, predicting this seasons Drivers' and Constructors' Championships ahead for 2020. Starting of with last seasons Constructors' Champions Mercedes:
Mercedes: The team to beat for the Drivers' and Constructors' Championship this year. F1 W11 EQ Power+ looks fast in testing (fastest in testing). Lewis Hamilton looks to retain his title. While, Valtteri Bottas retains for another season.
Ferrari: Sebastian Vettel and Charles Leclerc are retain for another season. SF1000 looks fast and reliable in testing. Challenging for both championships is a must for Ferrari.
Red Bull: Max Verstappen and Alexander Albon are retain for another season. RB16 looks fast in testing, If the RB16 is on the right track Red Bull will shine. Verstappen fighting for the Drivers' title is a must. Also, top two in the constructors' standings must be their target at Red Bull this season.
McLaren: Carlos Sainz, Jr and Lando Norris are retain for another season. Last season with Renault before returning to Mercedes power in 2021. McL35 looks fast in testing. McLaren will be a contender for podiums, fourth in the Constructors' standings once again might be the realistic target for McLaren this season.
Renault: Out goes Nico Hulkenberg in comes Esteban Ocon alongside Daniel Ricciardo for another season. R.S.20 look fast in testing. A few podiums may happen this season and fourth in the Constructors' standings might be the realistic target for Renault this season.
Alpha Tauri: Out goes both Toro Rosso name, in comes Alpha Tauri. Pierre Gasly and Daniil Kvyat are retain for another season. Fifth in the Constructors' standings might be the realistic target for Alpha Tauri this season.
Racing Point: Sergio Pérez and Lance Stroll are retain for another season. Last season with the Racing Point name before Aston Martin name in 2021. RP20(if not similar looking to last seasons Mercedes) looks fast in testing, and possible for Racing Point to finish inside the top five of the constructors' standings this season.
Alfa Romeo: Antonio Giovinazzi and Kimi Raikkonen are retain for another season. Sixth in the Constructors' standings might be the realistic target for Alfa Romeo this season.
Haas: Kevin Magnussen and Romain Grosjean are retain for another season. Sixth in the Constructors' standings might be the realistic target for Haas this season.
Williams: Out goes Robert Kubica in comes Nicholas Latifi alongside George Russell for another season. FW43 looks much faster than last seasons car FW42, not finishing last in the constructors' standings must be their target this season at Williams which won't be easy, although it can't be worse than 2019 season only scoring one point.
So predictions time, who's going to win the World Drivers' Championship this season for 2020? My prediction is Lewis Hamilton for his seventh World Drivers' Championships this season because of performance and reliability in testing. The improvements from Mercedes might be enough for Hamilton to win this seasons title.
But, if Hamilton doesn't step up Max Verstappen could take his first World Drivers' Title if things goes his way. Don't count out either Valtteri Bottas, Charles Leclerc and Sebastian Vettel as the dark horses for this season title if both Hamilton and Verstappen struggle. It could be close drivers' championship in my opinion, despite Mercedes look fast in testing.
My top three prediction for the Drivers' Championship are:
1st Lewis Hamilton
2nd Max Verstappen
3rd Charles Leclerc
Constructors' Championship: I will predict that Mercedes will win the constructors championships. And don't forget Ferrari and Red Bull, they will be certainly be challenging the constructors championship as-well.
My top three prediction for the Constructors' Championship are:
1st Mercedes
2nd Red Bull
3rd Ferrari
Predictions for this weekends Australian Grand Prix in the next post, for now, Bye.
Review of the first round of the 2020 MotoGP season at Losail, Doha in Qatar for MotoGP's only night race of the season. And for the season ahead, all MotoGP classes are reviewed (MotoGP, Moto2, Moto3 and MotoE).
The MotoGP race was cancelled early in the week, over fears for the Covid-19 epidemic in Italy where some of the works teams are based (Yamaha, Ducati and Aprilia) could not travel to the venue.
In the Moto2 race (Inline-three 765cc four-stroke class), that race was won by Red Bull KTM Ajo rider Tetsuta Nagashima on the Kalex. Second was Flexbox HP40 rider Lorenzo Baldassarri on the Kalex, he was thirteen tenths of a second behind Nagashima at the end of the race. While, third was Italtrans Racing Team rider Enea Bastianini on the Kalex, he was fourteen tenths of a second behind Nagashima at the end of the race.
While in the Moto3 race (single-cylinder 250 cc four-stroke class), that race was won by Aspar Team rider Albert Arenas on the KTM. Second was Petronas Sprinta Racing rider John McPhee on the Honda, he was five hundredths of a second behind Arenas at the end of the race. While, third was Honda Team Asia rider Ai Ogura on the Honda, he was three tenths of a second behind Arenas at the end of the race.
With two months before Formula 1 returns to Zandvoort for the first time for the Dutch Grand Prix since 1985. The circuit was officially open last week after few months of refurbishing work, the track was christened by Red Bull's own Max Verstappen, driving 2012 Red Bull RB8.
It was confirmed on Monday (2/3/20), this seasons MotoGP Thailand Grand Prix has been postponed indefinitely due to the outbreak of the Covid-19 coronavirus.
The event was set to be the second round of the season, on March 22nd, but officials said that it will not go ahead as scheduled.
FOM will attempt to re-schedule the Grand Prix later in the season, though no date has been outlined. Meanwhile, Qatar MotoGP premier race has been cancelled over fears for the Covid-19 epidemic in Italy where some of the works teams are based (Yamaha, Ducati and Aprilia), while the Moto2 and Moto3 contests will go ahead in Qatar (due to their equipment and personnel are already present following a recent test).
China has been at the epicentre of an outbreak of a strain of a coronavirus, which on Monday was officially named Covid-19, that has killed over 3,000 people, with 90,000 cases reported.
Review of Round Four of the 2019-20 Formula E season held on the Circuit International Automobile Moulay El Hassan in Marrakech, Morocco.
The race was won by DS Techeetah driver António Félix da Costa in his Spark-DS. Second was BMW i Andretti Motorsport driver Maximilian Günther in his Spark-BMW, he was eleven seconds behind da Costa in the end. Meanwhile, third was DS Techeetah driver and Current Formula E Champion Jean-Éric Vergne in his Spark-DS, he was twelve seconds behind da Costa in the end.
Highlights of the race below, enjoy.
Next stop, Round Five of the 2018-20 Formula E season at the Circuito Cittadino dell'EUR for the Rome ePrix in five weeks time.
