There’s a saying that “If is F1 spelled backwards” and the sport affords many opportunities to ask “What if?” Since there are so many subjects in this realm, I am going to make this a recurring series. I’ll take a look at some of the “What ifs?” and speculate on alternative outcomes from historical events. To start off, I am going to feature Martin Donnelly.
Credit: Carlos Ghys
“What if Martin Donnelly hadn’t had his horrific crash at Jerez during qualifying for the 1990 Spanish Grand Prix?”
To set the stage, Martin Donnelly was driving for Team Lotus in 1990. He made his F1 debut at the French Grand Prix in 1989, driving for Arrows. Ironically it was the same race that Jean Alesi make his debut as well (for Tyrrell). He previously raced in International Formula 3000 for Eddie Jordan and was teammates with…Jean Alesi. Donnelly also ran three rounds of the Japanese Formula 3000 series during 1989. He was regarded as an up and coming driver with a lot of potential.
The reason for his reputation was his performance with the team. Lotus was struggling to remain a competitive team, but Donnelly was qualifying and racing far above expectations. While he didn’t score any points during 1990, his drives were impressive enough to warrant the attention of other teams. Just like his former teammate Jean Alesi, Martin Donnelly was regarded as a can’t miss prospect; meaning other teams were keen to sign him.
However, he decided to remain loyal to Lotus and signed a $5.6 million contract to drive for them for the 1991 and 1992 seasons. The team was going to switch from the heavy Lamborghini V12 to the lighter Judd V8 engines. A revised car (the 102B) was being prepared, and they had also signed a young F3 driver from Finland named Mika Hakkinen. They were putting the pieces together to get back up the grid. Martin was an important element in these plans.
In our alternate history, Donnelly’s car still suffers a suspension failure but the resulting crash is less severe and he only misses the Spanish Grand Prix. He returns to race for the team at Japan and Australia where he continues to drive well in an uncompetitive car. Despite not scoring any points during the season, his reputation as a driver increases. Donnelly’s fortunes would improve significantly during the following seasons though.
1991 finds the team struggling for points initially but then becomes more competitive and is able to score points. Both Hakkinen and Donnelly put in some fantastic performances and finish the season in 8th position in the Constructors Championship. While Hakkinen ends the season with more points and better finishes, the driver combination is considered the strongest of the mid-pack. With additional sponsorship, new Ford V8s, and new car (107) for the following season; the future looks even brighter.
1992 turns out even better than the previous season. Both Hakkinen and Donnelly are more competitive and able to score more points ; the team looks to be on it’s way up. Hakkinen becomes one of the hottest young drivers on the market and McLaren signs him for 1993 to drive alongside Ayrton Senna. Donnelly is somewhat overshadowed but with Hakkinen leaving, he is regarded as the foundation of a reemerging team and it’s lead driver. His hard work and loyalty are rewarded and is offered an extension for 1993.
For 1993, Donnelly puts in another fantastic season and keeps Team Lotus solidly established in the mid-field. He and new teammate Johnny Herbert suffer more than their share of DNFs but the car remains competitive despite the team’s modest budget. They score enough to retain 5th in the Constructors Championship, which is enough for Martin to receive an offer to join one of the other big teams.
Does he take the offer and move on in 1994 though, or does he remain loyal to Lotus and stay with them during their disastrous and final season in F1? My guess is that he moves on, but where does he land? One possibility is McLaren alongside former teammate Mika Hakkinen. Another is joining former boss Eddie Jordan with his team. The other two that I think are plausible are Tyrrell and Ligier. Regardless, Donnelly would likely race for some other team in 1994 and beyond.
I could see Donnelly winning a few races, getting some pole positions, and being competitive for about a decade. Not a championship challenger necessarily but a consistently fast driver. Think of him as a more rough and tumble David Coulthard or Gerhard Berger; an occasional winner whom the fans love for being able to extract the absolute most out of his car. He would probably retain his relatable and approachable character too, one that fans and teams are naturally attracted to.
Formula One produced a short yet powerful documentary on Martin’s brief time in Formula One. If you have a chance, watch it. It touches not only on Martin’s rise to Formula One, but also where he came from (Northern Ireland) and how that shaped him. His story is definitely a compelling one.
I remember the 1990 season for many reasons, Martin Donnelly’s rise and horrific accident was a part of that. While his crash was one of the sad aspects of that year, his recovery and continued involvement in motorsport was inspirational. For that, he deserves being remembered and considered one of the fascinating “what ifs” stories of Formula One.
If; it can be a poignant two-letter word.
