DA SILVA IMPRESSES FRANK WILLIAMS

1983 - "Senna was very impressive, I must say," was the comment of Frank Williams following the Brazilian Formula 3 star's Donnington test in an FW08C last week.

"What impressed me most," Frank went on, "was that he got into the rhythm very speedily, and quickly got down to a good time. It didn't seem too difficult for him..."

Ayrton used the Silverstone spare car for his test, and was on "B" compound Goodyears throughout. "His best time was 60.90s," said Frank, "and he did it several times. There were no spins in the course of 83 laps. I saw him get up on the kerb once, and that was it.

"Another thing is that he was was very uncomfortable in the car, he was using Jacques Lafitte's scat, and he's quite a bit bigger than Jacques. He'd never driven anything as quick as an F1 car, but you would never have thought so".

Frank was quick to stress, however, that this did not indicate the imminent arrival of Senna in the Williams team. "No, I'm looking upon it as a kind of longterm investiment in the future.

There's no way we can handle him next year because of out current situation. And I think Bernie Ecclestone's going to offer him a deal. But the came to see me a while ago, asking for advice, saying that everyone was offering him 400 year deals and so on, the usual stuff. I told him that I couldn't really advise him, but that if it would help him to get the feel of the thing, he could have a run in one of our cars whenever it suited him.

"Now, I wasn't acting philanthropically, but I hope in the future that he'll remember we treated him fairly."

HAPPY BIRTHDAY FRANK WILLIAMS

1973 - Depois dos treinos de sábado, pilotos, chefes de equipe e mecânicos se reuniram para uma corrida, a pé, de duas voltas pelo Circuito Júnior de Monza.

Entre pilotos e chefes de equipe, o primeiro prêmio era nada mais nada menos do que mil libras em dinheiro vivo, o que corresponde a cerca de quinze mil cruzeiros. Para os mecânicos, o prêmio era um relógio, como se, nesse caso, eles fossem se dedicar menos à corrida.

Antes da largada, todo mundo já sabia quem iria ganhar: Frank Williams. Isso porque, antigamente, Frank Williams tinha se dedicado ao atletismo e era corredor. Atualmente, sempre que chega em uma pista, seu exercício é dar uma volta, de manhã, pela pista. Correndo a pé, é claro.

Não se sabe se ele já tentou a proeza em Nurburgring, com mais de vinte quilômetros.

Assim, como era esperado, Frank já passou disparado na dianteira, na primeira volta, e ganhou fácil a corrida. Em segundo chegou James Hunt, enquanto que Jackie Stewart foi o sexto. Dos brasileiros, o único que participou da prova foi Wilson Fittipaldi Jr. Antes da prova estava todo eufórico: "Estou treinando a quatro dias e estou muito afim de chegar lá na frente".

Wilsinho se perdeu lá por trás e quando chegou estava meio morto, como também estava Jacky Ickx. Pela cara do belga, nota-se que, por pouco, não teve uma parada cardíaca.