CONTENTS / september 2012

Racing

COVER STORY

40

76

62

86

FIRST SECTOR: the reGuLars

8 PARAdES: THE bEST IMAgES FRoM THE HuNgARoRINg 14 SToP ANd go: JoIN uS FoR SoME FERNANdo FEVER 17 INbox: A HElPINg HANd FRoM FoRCE INdIA 18 PITPASS: NEWS, oPINIoN ANd ANAlySIS 31 PAT SyMoNdS’ TECH MASTERClASS: CARboN FIbRE 33 JACquES VIllENEuVE: KEEP FElIPE AT FERRARI 34 MuRRAy WAlKER: lET’S STICK To oNE TyRE SuPPlIER 37 NoW that WAS A CAR: THE FERRARI F2004 38 THE bEST RACE I’VE bEEN To: youR gP MEMoRIES 100 WAy bACK WHEN: F1 AS IT WAS 19, 42 ANd 52 yEARS Ago 102 SubSCRIbE To F1 racing ANd gET THREE ISSuES FoR £1 122 ANd FINAlly... KAMuI KobAyASHI oN FISH WRANglINg

SECOND SECTOR: the features alONSO SpECIal

40 you ask the questions Fernando won’t reveal his favourite magic trick, but he will reveal that he has no intention of ever switching teams

54

With the current grid so close, does Vettel have a realistic chance at a third title in 2012?

46 is alonso f1’s fastest driver? We ask a panel of experts, as well as Fernando’s fellow drivers, to analyse and rate the Ferrari racer’s performance

54 third time lucky Can Vettel do the impossible and win a third successive crown? We ask Christian Horner and Adrian Newey

40

alONSO The driver known as ’the best’ answers your questions

60 our guide to cockpit protection We look at the area in an F1 car that surrounds the driver and is always at the forefront of safety developments

62 f1 mid-term report As we move past the halfway point of the season, Peter Windsor analyses the intra-team battles between drivers

54

VETTEl Can the Red Bull ace make it three championships in a row?

74 a conversation with franz tost We catch up with the Toro Rosso boss, to get his opinion on tyres, cost-cutting… and why EJ rates him so highly

76 where have the italians gone? Since Jarno Trulli departed F1 last year there have been no Italian racers in the sport. We find out why… 82 heikki: the drive of his life Catching up with Heikki Kovalainen on the golf course, we discover why he’s finally ready for a return to the fast lane

92

Maurice admires Jody Scheckter’s car collection… in the grounds of an organic farm

62

2012 as F1 passes the halfway point of the season, we analyse the grid

86 lauda vs hunt Alan Henry looks back at the incredible rivalry and friendship between two great racers during the battle for the 1976 title 92 when maurice met jody Maurice Hamilton visits Jody Scheckter’s organic farm in Hampshire and finds out how the South African champion made an unlikely move from fast cars to ethical sausages

ThIRD SECTOR: fINIshING straIGht

86

lauDa VS huNT The rivalry between friends that’s the subject of a new film

106 gERMAN gP dEbRIEF WIN NuMbER THREE FoR AloNSo 110 HuNgARIAN gP dEbRIEF ANd NuMbER TWo FoR lEWIS 114 RACE PREVIEW bElgIAN gRANd PRIx 116 RACE PREVIEW ITAlIAN gRANd PRIx 119 FRANK WIllIAMS WHy TEAMS NEEd A SuMMER bREAK 121 AlAN HENRy THE SAgA oF lEWIS’S TRoPHIES 82

heikki Kovalainen’s driving is improving – out on track as well as on the golf course

86

It’s 1976 and two men are fighting for the championship: James hunt and Niki lauda

62

We rate every intra-team battle as F1 enters the second half of the season alONSO SpECIal 40

he’s constantly rated as the best current driver in f1. We investigate why…