My F1 Career

I drove the McLaren F1 with the Alfa Romeo engine. It had the same problem that the Alfa Tipo 33 had…weight. With that car, we could have done well even with less power than the Cosworth, and very well with the same power except for the weight. When I drove the March with the Alfa Romeo engine, and even when I drove the Brabham F2 with an Alfa engine in 1969 and 1970, there was this problem with too much weight for a single-seat racing car. That was always the main problem at Alfa Romeo, not being able to get the engine light enough. Even with less power than the Cosworth—with the longer stroke, less square specifications of the Alfa—it was very good, especially at lower revs, and it was very well balanced.

At Monte Carlo in 1971 with the March, I drove in the first day’s practice and it was dry, but I had a problem with the fuel pump. They solved the problem, but on the second day of practice, even with less power, I was 6th quickest but it was raining. If it had been dry I would have qualified, maybe 14th or something like that. But in the wet, a lot of people were behind me, but that was the story…and it was often like that.