CRAZY DESIRE

IN MAGAZINES specialized his first photos appeared when he was just 14 years old. Yet Riccardo Patrese was already an established kart driver and, moreover, with a spontaneous expression, it was clear that he felt at ease as a driver. In him one could see temperament and character, qualities that linked well with the real fever of speed that animated him. The years have passed, various events have helped the boy to mature but his initial characteristics have not changed at all. Riccardo. despite being only 32 years old, he is the dean among the Italian F1 drivers but his desire to emerge is still as clear as ten and more years ago. He confirmed this himself during a long and sincere chat.

The truth is that these eleven years do not even seem to me to have passed; it is a long period that has passed very quickly, so much so that it still seems to me to be in an interlocutory phase, in the launch phase. This is because I do not seem to have reaped based on all that I have sown in many years of career.

At the end of the 1970s, you passed for a very determined driver. Do you think anything has changed since then?

My driving has changed slightly in this sense: it adapts more to the situations and to the car: if I understand that I am driving a car that can give me something, I insist on an attack race, like the recent one in Adelaide, where I started 18th and then found myself 4th after a long series of overtaking. On other occasions I try to keep the car, trying to get into the points but without insisting too much if I see that it is useless. At one time, on the other hand, I was defending my position without considering the conditions of the vehicle, but it wasn't that I was too impetuous...

Was this change natural or was it rational?

Certainly partly also natural: when I arrived in F1 I was 22 years old; I am now 32 and there has been an obvious natural maturation. We come to think in a different way and on the other hand other aspects of my life have also changed.

However, your main opponents claim that you are one of the very few drivers with whom it is better to have nothing to do in the corners... 

Well, let's say my attitudes used to be more blatant; now I try to drive profitably again and, as it seems to be said, the drivers know that I do not intend to give much in the corners, but this attitude is less noticeable from the outside. Even in this it is a question of experience, due to a natural refinement.

Speaking of the "they say", it seems that you are a bit difficult with your teammates...

Here, this is a fact that I absolutely deny: I immediately challenge you to invite all those who have raced in the team with me to speak, I am sure that at ninety-nine percent, they would have nothing to complain about. I respect the needs of the occasional partner a lot, but I expect equal treatment from him too: if the situation remains balanced, there is absolutely no problem. Even the one with Piquet at Brabham was a happy coexistence, even if I was forced to suffer a little because Nelson had arrived before me. These are natural situations: the same happened to me when I was in Lancia.

However, speaking of the Lancia, when Alboreto was included in the team, not everything went smoothly...

Here is a legend to dispel: absolutely nothing happened, Alboreto and I always got along well throughout that period. We were rivals on the track but only because we were put on two different cars for greater competitiveness of the team aiming for the world championship. We were therefore divided by a tactical choice, not by particular disagreements: there have never been any problems with Alboreto in Lancia and on the other hand the atmosphere in that environment has always been optimal. Recently, I read an interview with Ghinzani, in which a complaint about my priority in terms of qualifying and qualifying times transpired. But I repeat, this depended on the fact that I had started the program earlier than the others.

It is clear that you have good memories of the Lancia period...

Very good ones. At the end of last year, I stopped because I wanted to concentrate more on the F1 program and I think I did well, apart from the fact that Lancia then chose a limited program but in any case it would have been a big problem to switch from a driving position like that of Brabham this year to a traditional position.

The ultra-low Brabham Bt55 notoriously has a recumbent and somewhat recollected position: therefore, is switching to a traditional car so difficult?

Of course. With the Brabham you have to drive too particular and the transition would not have been difficult from a psychological point of view but above all from a physical point of view. On the other hand, when I drove the "old" Brabham Bt54 at Brands Hatch, I then had problems adapting to the new Bt55 which in any case caused many driving difficulties for all the drivers who got behind the wheel of that car for the first time, to me first, to the point where one went so far as to say: this car is undriveable. Then came addiction but it was not easy due to the position of the neck and arms.

Let's go back to your relationship with your teammates: what do you remember of your time at Brabham with Piquet? In the first year you could have aimed for the world title, if they had left you the car with an aspirated engine...

With the 'ifs' it is not that certain doubts can be resolved even if when I got off the Brabham Bt49 I had more points than Rosberg who later became world champion. The team, however, made a choice thinking about the future which was clearly in favor of the turbo and on the other hand in that 1982 season the title should have been for Ferrari which was obviously turbo, and which was blocked by the incredible well-known events. The transition to the BMW turbo was natural and in fact the following year Piquet won the world championship.

Well, that season was not very happy for you: you won a Grand Prix but you didn't score many points...

It could have been more, but for one reason or another, the car always had several problems...

Does that mean you weren't on the same level as Piquet?

I do not know this. I am convinced that the material was valid but certainly the potential of the BMW at that time was not such as to allow the engines to always be treated with the same care. In turn, Piquet enjoyed that priority in Brabham I mentioned earlier, and he was also the one who started the program with BMW.

On the other hand, in practice you both got a pole position and five times you started in front of him anyway. In short, you got to know him "closely". Precisely for this reason, what is, in your opinion, the reason that led him to lose the '86 championship in such a daring way?

When a championship ends in that way, it is difficult to be able to contest anything to Piquet and Mansell, who have also lost. Whoever did not make mistakes or at least who made fewer mistakes won, but when two drivers win nine races together, what can you tell them? Of course, they made some mistakes, but these things happen.

In your opinion, who are the most formidable opponents?

It is difficult to answer precisely: I'm certainly not saying that all 26 drivers in a GP are on the same level but there are not a few very good ones. Except that the possibility of emerging depends a lot on the situation experienced by the individual in the context of the team. If a driver has good skills, he improves significantly when he is aware of the means available to him. With the support of the team, morale skyrockets while a driver can easily go below his average when he realizes that the car is not competitive and that there is nothing to be done. In short, we must consider the seasons, to determine who is the most fearful. This year I don't think Prost, Mansell and Piquet cared much about me; in the future, if I have the right car, I really hope the situation can reverse. In any case, there are two riders who are definitely very high up: they are Piquet and Prost, that is, the ones who have won a lot.

How is your relationship with the Italian fans now? Not always everything went smoothly, in the Veneto there is your stronghold, but in other areas you have been less "praised"...

They have improved and on the other hand I certainly cannot complain, since from a reliable statistic made last year, it turned out that in Italy I am the most popular driver. I am pleased and I believe that it also depends on a change in my character...

What exactly does it mean?

It means I've matured, it's simple. When someone is 22, he acts and thinks differently than when he is 32. But the reality is that I was shy, but now I have managed to establish a better relationship with everyone.

The famous "gesture" at Imola, made by that spectator who on the occasion of the 83 GP manifested blatantly his satisfaction to see you go off the track when you were in the lead, therefore did not leave its mark...

No, those are inexplicable gestures: why do people go to the stadium and then maybe destroy everything? The one in Imola was an unpleasant episode which has been pointed out as the greatest example of negativity: I think it also served to teach the fans something.

With the press, what are your relations instead? Some colleagues argue that, especially during GP practice, you are not among the "easiest" drivers...

In the meantime, I am always very concentrated, and it may be that sometimes I do not feel much like talking but we must distinguish. I believe that many journalists are inclined to make a comparison with Piquet who is always ready to joke and laugh. However, it is easy to act that way when things are always going well: I bet that if Piquet went through a bad period, he would change his character. It depends on the situations, in short, one must always evaluate with full objectivity but if they are able to do so; I always answer very willingly and, I want to underline it, always with great sincerity.

In fact, your straightforwardness has always been appreciated...

It's true: sometimes I may not have found myself in agreement with some journalists but, apart from the fact that we have always explained ourselves, they can at least say that I always say what I think. And maybe this has created problems for me: when you always deal with peak situations, you can create sensitivity in the person you are in front of, there are perhaps uncomfortable moments but in the long run sincerity is a gift that ends up being appreciated. It is then necessary to distinguish between the individual and the community, as indeed in the case of the Imola episode: together all the fans who were crowded at the “Acque Minerali” challenged me, individually they would not have done so. Thus, the "category of journalists" says: Patrese is a difficult one, sometimes he is also unpleasant. If I then question the individual individually, I am convinced that no one can emphasize that I am one with whom they cannot speak.

Ultimately, then, what is your character?

I think I'm a picky type, decided to the end. When I face an initiative, I always try to carry it out in the best way. Maybe it is a virtue but sometimes it is hard for not being a little accommodating, it is more difficult to live. At the beginning of my career, I always took it to the maximum even when the car stopped for reasons that did not depend on me: now I am extremely "bad" with myself if I stop because of my own fault, I am resigned otherwise.

In the racing environment, do you have any friends, or do you consider it just a work environment?

It is very difficult to make friends, especially among colleagues...

This is a very common statement among drivers: why?

It is difficult to explain it well; first, due to tension and stress, so much so that it is difficult to live in the paddock with “relaxed” feelings, we are always focused and committed to giving our best, it is difficult to establish relationships with those around us. Then it is an extremely individual sport... but above all, it must be said, there is a lot of mistrust because there are those who think they risk "having their shoes made" by their colleague or in any case that someone may act behind another's back. In some respects, the opponent remains such even off the track and, on the other hand, keeping his place in F1 is not easy because it does not depend only on skill. It depends on many little things. However, I currently have a beautiful friendship with Alessandro Nannini, which began when we were together on the Lancia. Even with the others there are no problems and above all with the Italians, starting with Michele (Alboreto, editor's note), with whom I have recently re-established a relationship...

Why, what happened?

Nothing. Except that at the time of the Lancia we had a certain feeling. Then he joined Ferrari and when one joins that team, in my opinion he ends up isolating himself for the fear of "moving" badly or acting worse, so he prefers to be alone. Now Michele seems more relaxed to me, that is, he has become accustomed to the role, so much so that it is easier to establish a relationship with him.

In your case, is Bernie Ecclestone an employer or a friend as well? He always said he respected you...

For me he is also a friend even if sometimes there are those who contest him. As for the esteem, I think it is true and he proved it by taking me a second time at Brabham without the slightest external influence: it was he who wanted me. I must add that he has always had a liking for me and I in turn have never had anything to complain about.

What kind of relationship did you have with the designer Gordon Murray? How was it on the track?

I believe that in the development of the car he can express the best qualities of him. In 82 and 83 I was amazed by the ability he showed in positively exploiting the information I provided. I came from Arrows where I was used to always working together with engineers to try to find technical solutions: at first, I was perplexed, because we just needed to talk and then Gordon thought about remedying the problem. At the time, I'm sure it was excellent in design and track work. This year, having returned to Brabham after two years, I found it still valid, but he was a little more distracted, less charged...

Perhaps because of that erroneous machine, the contested Bt55?

That was his idea, and he took full responsibility for it, but it didn't depend on the car. There were problems between him and Ecclestone, they no longer understood each other as they once did. In many years of living together, certain frictions may then emerge that lead to separation. At Mc Laren I am convinced that he can find new stimulus while at Brabham, after so many years he was in a certain sense sitting down.

In your opinion, how is the work with BMW instead? Are they only "aseptic" suppliers or is there a good collaboration?

Here's an interesting side: in '82 and '83, engineer Rosche integrated perfectly with Gordon Murray so much that Brabham won a championship. In the two years of my absence, I cannot say what the relationship was like: this year this link certainly failed, so much so that the two separate functions created a fracture that on the one hand contributed to giving us an inefficient machine, on the other hand, it allowed both parts to unload the blame.

But you have often pointed out that BMW's willingness to develop the car has always been greater...

I have said, and I confirm that if there has been progress, these are due to the engine thanks to various steps forward by BMW. On the other hand, we have a series of tests planned throughout the winter.

When you returned to Brabham last year, everyone was convinced that the revolutionary Bt55 could have afforded great successes: what was the great disappointment that this brought you?

Well, the fact is that it was a very short-lived illusion. From experience, I know that if a car is a winner, even at its debut on the track it manages to express itself around ninety percent and the rest comes as a result. With the BT55 when I got behind the wheel, I realized that “there was” yes and no for ten percent. In short, the machine was born on the wrong foot and was born late...

However, you did everything during the tests to improve it...

I did it well and I will do it again; in fact, I started with the conviction that I was doing well, and I never pulled back in the slightest.

On the other hand, it has always been your characteristic, even if when you were at Alfa Romeo, you admitted that you had been through "different" periods...

Yes, but it is always the same speech; the desire to emerge also derives from the environment that surrounds you while at Euroracing, in addition to major technical problems, there were also major human problems.

After some time can we better judge what went wrong in that story?

Well..., many things; technically, the eight-cylinder engine was a big handicap due to the regulation based on consumption, so much so that in the last year the four-cylinder was promised but never arrived. Then there were too many changes at the top, combined with many problems of coexistence between Euroracing and Alfa Romeo with continuous different points of view...

Who made the most mistakes between Euroracing and Alfa Romeo?

It is difficult to make a distinction. However, I am convinced that the operation presented itself with a mole from the beginning: there was no real charismatic leader who, for better or for worse, took responsibility and above all made decisions. On the other hand, with group work, among so many opinions, nothing comes of it.

From your point of view, has Pavanello been swallowed up by the characters of Alfa?

No, no. The issue is different, and I do not blame Alfa at all...

Why there was a disagreement with the engineer Chiti that still drags on?

No, luckily the engineer has softened up towards me. However, it went like this: when Eddie and I (Cheever, editor's note) arrived at Alfa at the end of '83, we obviously brought the previous experience: BMW and Renault. Various changes were planned, but at the beginning of the following season we realized that little had been done and that the engine's consumption problems were enormous. Perhaps Chiti had not been given the opportunity to act as he wanted; the fact is that we drivers could not claim that things were going well but, as far as I'm concerned, I only expressed technical opinions.

Someone at the time claimed that it was you who supported Tonti's arrival at Alfa in place of Chiti, since you knew him through the Lancia...

Which is not true. It was the Alfa that took that road. At most I can have given an opinion when they asked me what I thought about it.

At Alfa you were teamed with Cheever; between you two things didn't always go smoothly. This year Eddie only competed in the Detroit GP, yet for many laps you had a very good battle with him: in those moments was he an opponent like any other or was it Eddie Cheever, ex-Alfa Romeo?

Considering his value as a driver, Eddie should easily be in F1, there is no doubt about that. In Detroit he was a tough nut to crack; if he hasn't found a team this year, it means there are other problems.

Go through your '86 championship: where did you go wrong?

Two are to blame: Budapest and Mexico. In the first case, I went out because the track was dirty, in the second I was criticized a lot and in fact I dared a lot. But we need to consider the situation in general. I was sixth and if I had "survived" I could keep my position; instead, I realized that I could aim for fourth place and I worked hard, also considering that there was just a short distance to the end. I made a mistake but certainly not from the point of view of competition.

Did the tragic accident of Elio de Angelis affect your season or the team?

Certainly, it influenced a lot. It was a very bad time, at least for a month we were shocked. However, as always, we must also move forward with respect for those who are no longer there and for those who have dedicated their lives to racing. It is our sport; we must always continue...

When you got back into that car, what did you think?

I must say that at Spa, at the Belgian GP, I didn't really want to race, no, at Spa I just didn't want to... And this is not out of fear of the car because it hasn't been proven at all that Elio's accident occurred due to a technical problem and on the other hand nothing happened during the season. The car did not respond badly to the collision, the rescues were badly organized.

Counting the years of karting, it is truly a life that you have been on the racing fields: how long do you want to race?

As long as I am not tired, but I do not set limits because in terms of physical and psychological integrity I could go on a lot and on the other hand I have the intention.