European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - March 14, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse Wednesday March 14, 1990 the stars and stripes a a a Page 25racing Roundup victorious a new Senna serves notice Ayrton Senna served notice at the . Grand prix last sunday that he is the Man to beat in the run for the 1990 world driving championship. The brazilian drove a perfect race to win the season Nuener on the difficult Phoenix Street circuit and he a off to a Good Start in his quest for a second Crown. And if Vou watched the race on television you saw a More relaxed Senna in action. At least that is the impression we received. The qualifying times for the . Grand prix were set during the opening session on Friday because rain rare in Arizona at this time of year a fell throughout the final qualifying on saturday. So Senna who probably would have started on the front Row with his Mclaren Honda teammate Gerhard Berger of Austria started fifth instead. But when the Green Light came on he played it Cool with no attempt to Barge up front immediately. He had moved to second place by Lap 25 of the 75-Lap grand prix then closed steadily on the Leader the impressive newcomer Jean Alesi of France in his Tyr Rell Ford. On Lap 34, Senna got by Alesi but was immediately re passed by the Young Frenchman. Instead of charging Back wildly As he would have last season Senna waited out another Lap then got by for Good. His calculated Pursuit and passing of Alesi reminded us of Scotland a Jackie Stewart who was a master at this High pressure game. In a recent interview in Portugal Senna told reporters that Quot i am a Little bit More relaxed. My own feeling is that in a taking things a Little easier not so intensely As a so perhaps Senna has come of age after last years endless tribulations and if so he will be even harder to beat. We done to think this a coming of age will mean a less forceful or less motivated Senna a Only a More Crafty and artful Senna who will play it smart and stay out of trouble. In past seasons despite his Speed brilliance and Many victories his mental attitude resulted in too Many accidents and controversies. Senna a Victory in Phoenix by the Way was the 21st of his career and it moved him into sixth place and one win ahead of his countryman Nelson Piquet on total numbers of grand prix victories. Three time world Champion Alain Prost of France is tops there with 39 grand prix a a while one race does no to make a season its fairly obvious that Mclaren Honda has not lost its Edge Over the Winter and that Ferrari despite its successful testing May have a Long Way to was a Triumph for the Mclaren Honda team Senna winning and Berger with pole position. Berger lost out Early in the race when he hit a protective tire Barrier while running second. Ferrari meanwhile considered by about everyone to be Mclaren a main opposition this season was never m it. In fact the weekend was a disaster for the italian team and it can Only do better in the next race the brazilian grand prix at inter Lagos on March defending world Champion Alain Prost of France managed to qualify Only seventh in his Ferrari while englishman Nigel Mansell could Only Post 17th fastest or n ,1 a la let his Start on the Grid a Long Way a Hadnot rained on saturday Ferrari would Wralia Randy Barnett Ayrton Senna ii Jean Alesi doubtlessly have improved but not enough to worry the Mclaren hondas. In the race neither Prost nor Mansell was a Factor although both Drivers did Well with what they had. Prost making his Ferrari debut was out Early with engine failure while running fourth. Mansell meanwhile left the race in spectacular fashion at mid distance when his v12 engine exploded in a great Ball of flame. The englishman spun but brought the car around without hitting anything a a Fine piece of driving with some Luck thrown in. Mansell As always was charging hard and catching brazils Nelson Piquet Benetton Ford for fourth place when the engine a a the Frenchman Alesi who led for so Long at Phoenix and then finished second behind Senna is a rising Star in formula one racing and obviously a Man to watch. He qualified fourth at Phoenix and never put a wheel wrong during the entire race. The reigning International formula 5000 Champion Alesi joined the British Tyrrell team at mid season last year and surprised the formula one fraternity by scoring fourth place in his formula one debut at the French grand prix placing fifth in Italy then following with another fourth place in Spain. Although Alesi Only drove a half season he finished ninth in the world driving championship standings and was instrumental in helping the under financed Tyrrell team notch fifth place in the formula one constructors championship. So the once great Tyrrell team May be on the verge of greatness again As Tyrrell has made an engine Deal with Honda for 1991, and with it came the japanese Driver Satoru Nakajima who placed sixth in his Tyr Rell Ford last sunday in Phoenix. Tyrrell also has More financing this season a Marlboro is among its sponsors a so things Are at last looking up for the team that Jackie Stewart made a a among other leading teams Williams Renault did about As expected with belgian Driver Thierry Boutsen placing third and his teammate Ric Cardo matarese of Italy finishing ninth. The Williams Renault team will always be capable of taking Points this season but there is no Hope for an outright Victory unless a Mclaren Honda or a Ferrari Breaks Down. The same goes for Benetton Ford which has two top line Drivers in brazils three time world Champion Nelson Piquet and in Italy a Alessandro Naninni. In the Phoenix race Piquet looked motivated for a change after his disastrous two seasons with Lotus and he finished fourth. While the Benetton Ford team always appears to have the ingredients to become a real Leader nothing much Ever happens. Benetton also has Fords top engine but it never makes much difference. Perhaps things will go better for Benetton this year but if we use the Phoenix opener As a guide it will be the same Story As in 1989. For Lotus the debut of its new Lamborghini-v12 powered cars was an unmitigated shambles. The Veteran English Driver Derek Warwick could Only qualify 24th while the Ulster Man Martin Donnelly did a bit better at 19th. In the race things got worse. Despite a push Down the straight by five Lotus mechanics Donnelly a Lotus Lamborghini would not Start and he was finally pushed to the Side. Warwick meanwhile lasted All of six inglorious laps. Lamborghini has a lot of work ahead if it plans to become competitive. So the next Stop is the brazilian grand prix at Sao Paulo on March 25, As noted earlier and Ayrton Senna will go in As the big favorite before the Home crowd. Well have details next week plus information on grand prix coverage from Cable and satellite television. Where to go this weekend the Stuttgart motor sports club is staging a Day Long racing program at Bockenheim on saturday with races scheduled for cars of various categories. Both practice and racing will take place on the Short i.6-Milc course. The City of Bockenheim is located Southwest of Heidelberg and May be reached by autobahn a5 and a6. In Italy the first round in the italian touring car Sedan National championship series will be held sunday on the Monza circuit North of Milan with practice scheduled for saturday. Other races arc also on sundays program. Motorcycle racing a in Spain the opening round in the 1990 super Bike world championship will be staged sunday at the Jerez do la Frontera circuit. Along with the super Bike race Jerez is hosting the opening of the european Road racing championship with events for cycles in the 125 and 250cc classes. Practice is scheduled for Friday and saturday. Motocross a the super cup Motocross a tuneup for the coming world championship season will be held sunday in genk Belgium with Many of Europe Stop line Motocross riders entered. Americans will also be Riding these entrants including such top names As Bobby Moore Mike Healey and Billy Liles. The races will be run on a combined 125, 250 and 500cc basis. Practice goes All Day saturday and also from 9 . To noon on sunday. The Motocross races Start sunday shortly after practice. The City of genk is located just East of Hasselt. The stars and strips a gets Andy car race Iuster Bane Ausura a a to in Orp Niezers decided to ahead plans to hold an a race next March. A Caes and sate treasurer eith do Luy said tuesday his Ide Fin my Adu agreed to Price in i a ackin8 for the which we be held on a Dise 5ncu�?~-. Al surfers Par Ane Miles South of Bris w Ottic Quot i Hecheng Quot give it to be mrs cart Merica 0utside North Unser or. Tops indy entries. Up four time indy Champ Al Unser Indianapolis apr cars for four time indy Winner Al Unser sr., Veteran Roberto Guerrero and Rookie Eddie Cheever were entered monday for the Indianapolis 500 Auto race. The racing classic will be run May 27. Unser and Guererro were listed As the Drivers of four 1990 March cars entered by Patrick racing of Indianapolis which won the indy 500 last year with Driver Emerson Fittipaldi. Cheever a formula one Road racing Veteran was listed As Driver on three Penske Chevrolet entries for a new team headed by Chip Ganassi Patrick a former partner. Fittipaldi also left Patrick at the end of last season to join former winners Rick Mears and Danny Sullivan with the Penske racing team which has not yet submitted its entries for this years race. Unser 50, who won his fourth indy 500 while driving for Penske in 1987, will be seeking his 25th Start at the Indianapolis motor Speedway. He holds the indy record for laps led with 625 and is second in All time earnings at $2.68 million. Guerrero who finished Sec Ond to Mears in 1984 and to Unser in 1987, will be trying for his sixth Start at Indianapolis. Cheever 31, who was born in Phoenix but lives in Monte Carlo has driven in one indy car race at Miami in 1986, but has 132 career formula one starts since 1978. His Best finishes were second in the 1982 . Grand prix East and the 1983 Canadian grand prix. The seven entries raised the total received so far by the Speedway to 35. The entry deadline is Midnight april 2
