The GSOH - Round Two - 1985 vs 2014

[crmalcolm]

The next match of the GSOH bracket puts 1985 up against 2014.

Summaries from Wikipedia:

1985 - The 1985 Formula One season saw continued success for the McLaren-TAG team. After losing the Drivers' Championship by two points to Nelson Piquet in 1983, and by just half a point the previous year to teammate Niki Lauda, Alain Prost would ultimately secure his first of four titles by a 23-point margin. The Formula One writer Koen Vergeer remarked that "It was about time, everyone knew he was the best", reflecting a general feeling that Prost had been unlucky to finish runner-up in the previous two years, even though he had won more races than Piquet in 1983 and Lauda in 1984.

The reigning Drivers' Champion Lauda competed in his final season of Formula One, but he was unable to match Prost for results; he won only a single race, at Zandvoort. McLaren team boss Ron Dennis tried to persuade him to continue driving, but Lauda announced his decision to retire for good at the season's end in a press conference before practice for his home Grand Prix in Austria.

For most of the season, the points table was headed by Ferrari's Michele Alboreto, who enjoyed his best season in F1. He won the Canadian and German Grands Prix, and was on the podium eight times. However, Ferrari's results faded badly in the second half of the season as other emerging drivers took the fight to Prost.

Among these were Ayrton Senna and Nigel Mansell, both of whom scored their first victories in 1985. Lotus team manager Peter Warr had replaced Mansell with Senna going into the season, a decision which seemed justified when Senna took his debut win in the wet in Portugal in Round 2. Despite only scoring seven championship points up until Round 13 in Belgium, Mansell fought back the Williams-Honda, and chalked up two victories near the season's end, including his breakthrough win in the European Grand Prix at Brands Hatch. After Mansell had crashed his Lotus 95T out of the lead in the wet 1984 Monaco Grand Prix, Warr had said that he would "never win a Grand Prix as long as I have a hole in my arse". Mansell went on to mount a serious title challenge in 1986.

Mansell's teammate Keke Rosberg in the other Williams used the powerful Honda engine to set a new lap record around Silverstone in qualifying for the British Grand Prix and becoming the first man to lap at an average speed of more than 160 mph (257 km/h). He finished third in the standings after wins on the street circuits of Detroit and Adelaide, but he lacked the reliability to overcome Prost.

1.5-litre turbocharged engines had become universal during 1985, heralding the extinction of the 3.0-litre naturally aspirated Ford Cosworth DFY engine. Between 1985 and 1986, Formula One engines would achieve the highest levels of power ever seen in the sport. The specially-built Renault qualifying engine reportedly put out more than 1,150 bhp (858 kW; 1,166 PS) by the end of 1985, before serious restrictions and their phasing out began in 1987.

The power output of the engines was controlled in racing conditions by means of a strict fuel limit; however, in qualifying trim teams were commonly able to increase the boost of their engines for optimum power while the use of special qualifying tyres also saw speeds increase. This fuel economy was key to successful race strategy in 1985; Nigel Mansell recalled the added interest of planning his fuel use in his autobiography. It also proved costly for Ayrton Senna, who lost victory just four laps from home at Imola when he ran out of fuel. After Prost was disqualified for an underweight McLaren (2 kg), victory fell to Senna's Lotus teammate Elio de Angelis in what would prove to be his second and last Grand Prix win.

Michelin withdrew from Formula One for the 1985 season, leaving Goodyear and Pirelli as tyre suppliers. The top four teams in the Constructors' Championship used Goodyear tyres.

1985 also saw a return to the calendar of the Spa-Francorchamps circuit in Belgium after the Belgian Grand Prix had been held at Zolder in 1984. Although shortened from its dangerous 14 km form of 1947–1970, it remained a fast, flowing circuit and was popular with the drivers. It also caused one of the few cancellations of Grands Prix in the sport's history, when the new all-weather track surface laid down in the months before the race melted during the summer conditions in practice. The race was originally scheduled in early June between Monaco and Canada, and extensive repairs were needed and the race was rescheduled for September; on a semi-wet track, Senna was the winner, with Prost finishing on the podium again to take a big step towards his first championship.

The Dutch Grand Prix was the last Grand Prix for German driver Stefan Bellof, who died on 1 September 1985 in the World Sports Car Championship (now WEC) race at Spa at the high speed Eau Rouge corner. Bellof had won the 1984 World Endurance Championship driving for the factory Rothmans Porsche team, but decided against driving for the factory in 1985 to concentrate on Formula One. He nevertheless still drove in various WEC races for the private Brun team in a Porsche 956. Until his death, Bellof was considered one of the rising stars in racing and was rumored to have an offer to drive for Ferrari in 1986. Manfred Winkelhock was also killed in a WEC race. Winkelhock, who drove for the Skoal Bandit Formula 1 Team, died at Mosport Park in Canada when his Kremer Racing Porsche 962C crashed head on into the turn 2 wall at high speed. His co-driver for that race had been Brabham's Marc Surer.

The Australian Grand Prix, which was one of the world's oldest Grands Prix having first run in 1928, was added to the Formula One World Championship for the first time in 1985. The race was held in Adelaide, South Australia on a street circuit on 3 November as the last race of the season. The Adelaide Street Circuit was praised by the Formula One fraternity. The circuit featured a 900-metre long straight where the faster cars reached over 200 mph (322 km/h). The 50th running of the Australian Grand Prix won the Formula One Promotional Trophy for Race Promoter as the best race meeting of the year. Formula One Constructors Association (FOCA) boss and Brabham team owner Bernie Ecclestone said that Adelaide had raised the standards of what would be expected in the future and that several tracks in Europe already on the calendar, or hoping to be, would have to lift their own games in order to match it.

The 1985 season saw the first championship win out of four for Prost, the first two race wins (out of 31) for Mansell, and the first two race wins (out of 41) for Senna. Keke Rosberg's win in Adelaide was his final race for Williams as he was moving to McLaren in 1986 for what would be his final season in F1, and would prove to be the final win of his career.

This season was also the last full season for Alfa Romeo as a factory effort. It was also the last for Renault as a factory effort until 2002, and the last to include a Dutch Grand Prix until 2021. It also saw the last race at the original Kyalami and Zandvoort circuits, and the last South African Grand Prix until 1992 due to political pressure over South Africa's Apartheid laws. 1985 also saw the last race at the full Paul Ricard Circuit with its 1.8 km long Mistral Straight, the longest straight on the calendar, with the much shorter "Club" version of the circuit used from 1986 following the death of Elio de Angelis in a testing accident. The full circuit was used again in 2018. The season also saw the last European Grand Prix to be held at Brands Hatch, the last race with Monaco's dog leg corner and the last British Grand Prix at Silverstone with the Woodcote chicane, and the last win of 25 for Niki Lauda in his final season in Formula One.



2014 - Mercedes won their first World Constructors' Championship after taking a 1–2 finish in Russia. Lewis Hamilton won his second World Drivers' Championship after a season-long battle with teammate Nico Rosberg. Rosberg won the Australian and Monaco Grands Prix, and Hamilton the races in Malaysia, Bahrain, China and Spain after retiring in Australia. The Mercedes team's run of victories ended in Canada where Rosberg and Hamilton were simultaneously hit with a power unit failure that put additional strain on their brakes. Hamilton was forced out of the race and while Rosberg was able to continue, his performance deteriorated and he ultimately finished second. Mercedes returned to the top of the podium in Austria, with Rosberg leading Hamilton across the finish line for his third victory of the season. Hamilton reclaimed ground in the championship standings in Britain winning after Rosberg was forced out with gearbox issues. Rosberg claimed the win in Germany, while Hamilton recovered to third after an accident in qualifying saw him start from twentieth place. Hamilton finished third in Hungary after starting from pit lane, ahead of Rosberg. Rosberg had to settle for second place in Belgium after contact with Hamilton early in the race, which ultimately prompted Mercedes to retire Hamilton's car. Hamilton went on to claim his sixth win of the season in Italy, ahead of Rosberg. Hamilton reclaimed the championship lead with a win in Singapore, while Rosberg was retired with a broken wiring loom. Hamilton claimed the win in rain- and accident-shortened Japan, ahead of Rosberg. Hamilton won the inaugural race in Russia, once again ahead of Rosberg. The result was enough for Mercedes to secure their first World Constructors' Championship. Hamilton took his fifth consecutive win – for the first time in his career – in the United States, again ahead of Rosberg. Rosberg took his fifth win of the season in Brazil, with Hamilton finishing in second. Hamilton carried a seventeen-point advantage into the title-deciding Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and went on to win the race while Rosberg struggled with electrical problems and finished outside the points. With eleven pole positions to his name, Rosberg won the inaugural FIA Pole Trophy.

Red Bull Racing finished second overall, after suffering a difficult start to the season when Sebastian Vettel retired and Daniel Ricciardo was disqualified from the Australian Grand Prix. Red Bull appealed the disqualification, but the result was upheld by the International Court of Appeal. Vettel went on to finish third in Malaysia, while Ricciardo retired, and both drivers scored points in Bahrain and China. Ricciardo recorded his first podium finish with a third place in Spain, while Vettel recovered to fourth place after technical problems and a penalty for a gearbox change saw him start the race from fifteenth position. Ricciardo finished in third place in Monaco, while Vettel retired due to an issue with his power unit. Ricciardo took advantage of the Mercedes team's difficulties in Canada to claim his maiden Grand Prix victory—and Renault's first with a turbocharged engine since the 1986 Detroit Grand Prix—while Vettel finished third. The team struggled in their home race in Austria, with Vettel retiring early with yet another engine issue and Ricciardo finishing eighth. Ricciardo returned to the podium in Britain, while Vettel finished fifth after a protracted battle with Alonso. Vettel and Ricciardo were fourth and sixth respectively in Germany. Ricciardo scored his second career win in Hungary, while Vettel finished seventh after a spin. Ricciardo scored his third career victory in Belgium while Vettel took fifth. In Italy, Ricciardo took fifth place, ahead of Vettel. Both drivers recorded podium finishes in Singapore. Vettel took to the podium with third place in Japan, ahead of Ricciardo. Ricciardo took seventh place in Russia, ahead of Vettel. Ricciardo returned to the podium in the United States, while Vettel finished in seventh after starting from pit lane following a complete change of his power unit. Vettel finished fifth in Brazil while Ricciardo retired when his front-left upright suspension was broken. Both drivers were thrown out of qualifying in Abu Dhabi after their cars failed scrutineering, and they started from the pit lane. Vettel came home 8th and Ricciardo got 4th place.

Williams were third, having started the season strongly when Valtteri Bottas scored more points in the opening race than the Williams team did during the 2013 season. Bottas and teammate Felipe Massa went on to record points finishes in Malaysia and Bahrain. The team recorded another minor points finish in China, before Bottas showed enough pace to challenge Ricciardo for a podium position early in the Spanish Grand Prix, but eventually finished fifth after being overtaken by Vettel late in the race. Massa finished seventh in Monaco, while Bottas retired. In Canada, Massa showed good enough pace to challenge for the lead in the late stages of the race until he collided with Sergio Pérez on the final lap. Williams managed to lock out the front row when Mercedes struggled in qualifying, with Massa qualifying on pole, his first since the 2008 Brazilian Grand Prix, and he went on to finish in fourth while Bottas scored the first podium of his career, crossing the finish line in third place. Bottas secured back-to-back podium finishes by scoring second place in Britain and soon after claimed his third consecutive podium finish after finishing in second place in Germany, while Massa retired on the opening lap in both Britain and Germany. In Hungary, Massa and Bottas were fifth and eighth, respectively. Bottas returned to the podium in Belgium, while Massa was outside the points. Massa took his first podium since the 2013 Spanish Grand Prix in Italy, ahead of Bottas. Massa took fifth place in Singapore, while Bottas finished outside the points due to a loss of grip in the late stages. In Japan, Bottas and Massa were sixth and seventh, respectively. Bottas took the fifth podium of his career with a third place in Russia, while Massa finished outside the points. At the next round in the United States, Massa and Bottas finished fourth and fifth respectively. In Brazil, Massa took his second podium of the season and his fifth podium on his home soil in third place, while Bottas finished tenth. In the last race of the season in Abu Dhabi, both drivers stepped on the podium with Massa finishing second and Bottas third.

Ferrari finished fourth, with Fernando Alonso and Kimi Räikkönen scoring a mixed run of results throughout the season. Alonso took his first podium of the season with his third-place finish in China, while Räikkönen had a string of relatively low-placed results, the best of which was fourth place in Belgium. Both drivers recorded minor points in Canada and again in Austria. Alonso had to be content with sixth place in Britain after a rain-affected qualifying saw him start from sixteenth place, while Räikkönen crashed heavily on the opening lap, forcing the temporary stoppage of the race. Alonso finished in fifth place in Germany, while Räikkönen was outside the points. Alonso managed to get the team's best result with second place in Hungary, while Räikkönen returned to the points in sixth place. Räikkönen took fourth place in Belgium, while Alonso finished eighth but was promoted to seventh after Magnussen's penalty. In Italy, Alonso was retired with an ERS failure, while Räikkönen finished in tenth, but was promoted to ninth after Magnussen's penalty. Alonso took fourth place in Singapore, while Räikkönen took eighth. In Japan, neither Alonso nor Räikkönen scored points, as Alonso retired when his power unit failed due to an electrical problem, while Räikkönen ended up in twelfth, ending Ferrari's run of eighty-one consecutive points finishes—the longest run in Formula One history. Alonso took sixth place in Russia, while Räikkönen came home in ninth. Alonso repeated the result in the United States, while Räikkönen finished outside the points. In Brazil, Alonso finished sixth, ahead of Räikkönen. Both drivers recorded minor points in Abu Dhabi. It was the first time since 1993 that Ferrari failed to win a race in a season.

McLaren secured fifth place. Following their first season without a podium finish in 2013, the team saw Kevin Magnussen and Jenson Button finish second and third in Australia. Both drivers recorded points finishes in Malaysia, but were forced out of the Bahrain Grand Prix with clutch issues, and failed to score points in China and again in Spain. The team managed to recover in Monaco, with Button finishing sixth and Magnussen tenth after contact with Räikkönen. Button finished fourth in Canada after a string of late-race retirements helped him move up the order. Magnussen used his recent knowledge of the circuit to finish seventh in Austria, while Button's attempt at a different strategy failed, leaving him in eleventh. Button and Magnussen were fourth and seventh respectively in Britain. Button finished eighth in Germany, ahead of Magnussen, who was involved in a first-lap altercation with Massa. Button finished tenth in Hungary, while Magnussen was outside the points. In Belgium, Magnussen finished sixth ahead of Button, but was given a twenty-second time penalty after the race, demoting him to twelfth. In Italy, Magnussen and Button originally finished seventh and ninth respectively, but Magnussen received another time penalty—this time for five seconds—demoting him to tenth, while Button promoted to eighth. Magnussen took the final point in Singapore, while Button was forced out when his engine shut down. Button finished fifth in Japan, while Magnussen was outside the points. The team took fourth and fifth place in Russia, with Button finishing in front of Magnussen. Magnussen took eighth in the United States, while Button failed to score points. Button finished fourth in Brazil whilst Magnussen finished ninth. In Abu Dhabi, Button finished fifth, while Magnussen finished outside the points.

Force India were classified sixth overall. In Bahrain, the team scored their first podium finish since the 2009 Belgian Grand Prix; Sergio Pérez, who finished third for the team in Bahrain, was on target to score another podium in Canada, but was rear-ended by Felipe Massa late in the race and both retired. Pérez briefly held the lead in Austria, but gradually fell back to sixth, and recorded the fastest lap, whilst Nico Hülkenberg battled Räikkönen for ninth. Hülkenberg finished eighth in Britain, while Pérez was outside the points. Both drivers scored minor points in Germany. Force India suffered their first double retirement of the season in Hungary as both drivers crashed out of the race. Pérez finished ninth in Belgium, while Hülkenberg was outside the points. Both drivers however were later promoted to eighth and tenth respectively after Kevin Magnussen was issued a time penalty shortly after the race. Pérez originally finished eighth in Italy, but was promoted to seventh after Magnussen's penalty, while Hülkenberg was outside the points. Hülkenberg finished ninth in Singapore, while Pérez recovered to seventh place after being forced to make an unscheduled pit stop following contact with Adrian Sutil. Hülkenberg and Pérez were eighth and tenth respectively in Japan. Pérez took the final points-scoring position in Russia, while Hülkenberg was outside the points. The team had another double retirement in United States, as Pérez collided with both Räikkönen and Sutil, forcing both himself and Sutil into retirement, while Hülkenberg ground to a halt later in the race with mechanical issues. Hülkenberg finished eighth in Brazil whilst Pérez finished outside the points. Hülkenberg and Pérez fared slightly better in Abu Dhabi, finishing sixth and seventh respectively.

Scuderia Toro Rosso were seventh overall, with Russian rookie Daniil Kvyat becoming the youngest driver to score points in Formula One, having finished ninth in Australia. Jean-Éric Vergne finished eighth in Canada, while Kvyat retired with a mechanical failure. Both drivers retired in Austria: Kvyat after suffering a rear suspension failure, and Vergne with brake issues. Both drivers recorded points in Britain. Vergne finished ninth in Hungary, while Kvyat missed the points. Kvyat finished ninth in Belgium, while Vergne was outside the points. Vergne recorded the team's best result of the season with sixth place in Singapore. Vergne took ninth in Japan, while Kvyat qualified a career-best fifth in Russia, but fell down the order with fuel consumption problems. Vergne originally took ninth in the United States, but was demoted to tenth after he incurred a five-second penalty following contact in an incident with Grosjean. Kvyat finished outside the points after taking a ten-place grid penalty for an engine change. Both Toro Rossos finished outside the points in Brazil and Abu Dhabi, bringing a disappointing end to both drivers' careers with the team.

After missing the first test of pre-season, Lotus finished the season in eighth position, with Romain Grosjean finishing eighth in both Spain and Monaco, while Pastor Maldonado remained scoreless until he picked up two points for ninth place in the United States.

Marussia were classified ninth, owing to Jules Bianchi scoring points in Monaco as he finished the race in ninth place, but both drivers collided on the opening lap of the Canadian Grand Prix, bringing about an end to Max Chilton's run of twenty-five consecutive classified race finishes. Bianchi managed to score the team's best ever qualifying result with twelfth in Britain. He was later critically injured in an accident in the closing stages of the Japanese Grand Prix and succumbed to his injuries on 17 July 2015. The team later elected to sit out the United States round altogether before the team closed down ahead of the Brazilian Grand Prix.

Sauber and Caterham finished tenth and eleventh overall, with both teams having failed to score a point in 2014. Sauber suffered a string of retirements for both drivers while struggling with a car that was too heavy. Sutil took the team's best result by qualifying in ninth in the United States, but his performance was short-lived, as he was hit from behind by Sergio Pérez, and the team ultimately endured their first pointless season in their twenty-two-year history. Caterham spent the early races trading places with Marussia, but fell behind once Bianchi scored points for Marussia in Monaco, despite an eleventh-place finish for Marcus Ericsson in the same race. In Belgium, Caterham opted to replace current driver Kobayashi with three time Le Mans winner and current FIA World Endurance Championship champion André Lotterer; however after out-qualifying Ericsson, he was forced to retire after a single lap when his power unit cut out. Team principal Tony Fernandes sold the team in July, but the transaction was never finalised and the team was put into administration following the Russian Grand Prix. As a result, Caterham was forced to miss the United States and Brazilian Grands Prix. They returned in time for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, entering Kamui Kobayashi alongside debutant Will Stevens. Kobayashi retired from the race, while Stevens was the final classified driver in 17th place.

[S griffin]

1985. Would be 18 years before we had another season with more than six different winners