1992. Formula 1: Cappellini, yet another folly

Formula 1: Cappellini, yet another folly

From Boats by Motor 1992, no. 9, October, pp. 38-39.

Unfortunate conclusion to the penultimate round of the world championship in Milan: Cappellini throws a sure victory to the wind: Bocca is stopped by the engine. Winning the title becomes problematic.

After eight years of waiting, the day of redemption seemed to have arrived. The signs of destiny were favorable: two Italians in the top two places of the Formula 1 world championship overall standings(Fabrizio Bocca, points 19 and Guido Cappellini, 15); the world championship round, in Holland, canceled due to bad weather; and the title closer, everything seemed to be arranged on purpose for the final celebration. The title being awarded in Milan in the penultimate race, which is run at home and can be decisive, on a stretch of water as extraordinarily familiar to Italian racers as that ofIdroscalo, is a nice advantage. All powerboating fans feel the magic of the moment and flock toIdroscalo to celebrate the long-awaited heir to Renato Molinari. It has been since 1984, since the day the great Renato decided (inexplicably for his fans) to retire from circuit speed racing, that powerboating Italy has been waiting for a champion. An unbearable fast for those who are accustomed every year to a glut of titles. The Formula 1 title is the most prestigious in all of inshore powerboating, and it is understandable that fans and federal officials die over it.

Time trials confirmed that Cappellini was faster than everyone (seven pole positions out of eight trials!), that Bocca (second) was in great mental and physical shape, and that his opponents did not know which way to turn. And here comes the fateful day of the race. It is September 13. The race immediately takes the most favorable course one could wish for: first Cappellini and second Bocca. The rainbow title is, at this point, a family affair; the two blues will play for it in Singapore. The important thing is that it comes back to Italy. But if Fortune is blind – says a popular saying – Misfortune sees very well. And Misfortune with a capital esse is targeting our drivers. It starts with Bocca: his engine gives out on lap 47, with eight laps to go. The epilogue is absurd and dramatic. Cappellini, who has led the entire race, lapping all his opponents except the Englishman Steve Kerton, is about to complete the last lap as a triumphant racer. Suddenly his catamaran capsizes. On impact with the water, the boat disintegrates. Cappellini is thrown from the cockpit, but, fortunately, the safety capsule protecting him withstands the impact and saves his life. Unconscious, the Laserline-Maserati Parfums team driver is rushed to San Raffaele Hospital. He gets off with a head injury associated with a concussive state. A triumph that was turning into tragedy. The race is won by Kerton, the only opponent who could take advantage of a double misstep by our drivers.

And he took advantage of this by overtaking them in the standings. Now, with one race to go in the world championship, he finds himself three points ahead of Bocca. Nothing irreparable, but a propitious opportunity like the one that happened atIdroscalo, when will it come again? It brings tears to one’s eyes to think about it. The dynamics of the accident, which appeared rather mysterious to everyone, was later explained to us by Cappellini himself: “The boat at the end of the race, after having consumed the full fuel, is very light and therefore more difficult to control. There were three competitors already lapped in front of me and I wanted to pass them before reaching the buoy. I didn’t want to risk getting tangled up in the tack, with the risk of losing a few hundred meters on Kerton. The thing is, I didn’t realize I was on the last lap. It was an unforgivable mistake. The boat caught the wake of a lapped boat and flew.” We didn’t have the courage to press the questions. We felt it was pure sadism. What to say. We are astonished. Cappellini lost the world title because he didn’t know that there was only one lap between him and this damn title. But no one on his team took care to point this out to him? This is crazy. Now there’s only hope that Cappellini and the other DAC Racing drivers, Chiappa and Zamparelli, will play into Bocca‘s hands, even if Cappellini, in an excess of optimism, believes he still has a chance. The numbers say: Kerton points 22, Hill 21, Bocca 19, Cappellini and Duggan 15. The points up for grabs are 9 for first place, 6 for second, 4 for third, 3 for fourth, 2 for fifth and 1 for sixth. Purely mathematical chances, then. It would be folly to believe it. Yet another folly.

by Riccardo Magrin

Do you want to know how that season ended, in which everything would be played out in the last round in Singapore? Click here

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