6 replies to this topic

[TomPrankerd]

Hi,

Several publications (Autocar, Motorsport, etc.) state that Stefan Bellof was suspended for the 1985 Brazilian GP by the Tyrrell team (with Johansson driving instead), but none of the ones I have explain why they suspended him - was it due to Maurer trying to sue Tyrrell for the 1984 disqualification? Or because Bellof was still taking on Endurance races? Or was there something else? Was anything ever officially announced? I vaguely remember someone telling me why about a decade ago when I was doing some homepage internet article on him, but whatever they told me never made the article and I've long forgotten (even if it was correct in the first place).

Also, as a sub-question, how reliable is the information that Bellof had signed for Ferrari shortly before his death? Was there a contract (presumably in the place of Johansson for 1986?) or is it just sensationalism?

Many thanks!

[Tim Murray]

Have a look at this earlier thread:

Stefan Bellof F1 season in 1985?

[sonar]

There was a dispute over advertising on Stefans racing overalls and helmet.
Tyrrell wanted Stefan to take the ICI stickers of his helmet because he wanted the space for Couthals.
And because Tyrrell needed the money from Elf he wanted Stefan to take the Shell-decoration of as well.

[TomPrankerd]

Ah, brilliant stuff regarding the suspension, many thanks! The idea that Bellof might have ended up in the 1985 Ferrari instead of Johansson had the sponsorship problem not been sorted out is an intriguing one too... Not that Johansson did a bad job - I always felt sorry for him being shoved out of the "Big Teams" and into a truly terrible Ligier in 1988, and when you consider the bad luck he'd already had with Spirit and Toleman he was due his break too.

I'm a bit unsure as to the netiquette for the next bit - whether to bump a six-month old topic or just carry on yammering here now I've doubled up already... I'll go with the latter, but someone hit me with something if that's wrong and I'll try to do better next time

I *think* that's the same source I've seen for the rumoured move to Ferrari in 1986, and it struck me a bit at the time of reading that someone just wanted it to be true... I'm slightly skeptical that Ferrari signed him so early in the season at a time when big drivers often weren't signed or re-signed until the closing few races of the year (at least, that's the impression I get from reading magazines of the period), and especially after Johansson had done pretty well. I can believe there was an offer on the table, but whether it was much more than juggling options (e.g. Ferrari covering themselves in case either of their drivers went elsewhere) I'm not sure.

For what it's worth regarding Bellof's ability, obviously I was about 4 when he died, but watching old footage of Zolder or Monaco '84 his car control is just phenomenal, great to watch.

Thanks!

[simonlewisbooks]

Rest assured Tom, your impression is correct, he was absolutely spellbinding in a Peterson/Rindt kind of way. A pure racer. Greatly missed.

I always thought this was one of the most far-reaching of 'recent' motor racing tragedies : If Stefan had lived then maybe a certain karting-kid in Germany wouldn't have found himself with quite so much backing and eye-closing 'tolerance' of his on-track behavior when he moved up the ladder?

In short Germany would have had it's F1 super-star already and the desperation to create one, at almost any cost, in the late 80s/early 90s probably would not have been there.
F1 might have been very different today.

[TomPrankerd]

It's interesting to think about, isn't it? Considering the backing that could be found for the likes of Danner I always found it a bit odd that he wasn't bolted into a BMW-powered car as soon as he left the works Porsche team. I suppose the flip-side is that it's difficult to see Bellof doing all that well in the 1986 Ferrari or indeed an Arrows or a dodgy second Brabham (though Piquet probably would have vetoed him as he did Senna and probably several others) if BMW had backed him earlier.

The back end of the 1980s is full of decent drivers (admittedly none quite on Bellof's level, IMHO) stuck in uncompetitive machinery as the number of competitive cars dwindle and more and more teams played it safe and even teams the size of Lotus had to take on 'politically chosen' drivers like Nakajima or #1-driver approved guys like Dumfries.

That said, there was more than a little of the guy in early Schumacher... While Schumacher was less than ethically perfect (to put it mildly), I always found it difficult to dislike him simply because he could be fantastic in the car, often in eras where it was a lot more difficult to express himself behind the wheel. It's just such a shame he can be so stupid under pressure. But right up until the end of his Ferrari days there were races where he's doing stuff the rest simply haven't thought of. But then I always liked Jos Verstappen just because he was rarely boring, so what do I know?

[ghinzani]

Good 'what if' Simon & Tom - I always wondered why Stefan was'nt in the second Arrows for 85 when all the discussion was around the Berger v Gartner fight for the seat. Imagine Stefan in a BMW powered Toleman in 86!!! Stand well back...