F1Weekly Podcast # 1107
Play Podcast: 08-11-25f1weekly1107.mp3
Going back 75 years in Formula 1 ® you run across a much tougher group of drivers. No crying to your mommy about feeling useless! This week’s Nasir Hameed corner; he goes all the way to Argentina to interview José Froilán González the driver that gave Enzo Ferrari his first Grand Prix victory! Brush up on your Español…Your gonna need it! Gracias.
José Froilán González:
Was the son of a Chevrolet dealer in a provincial town about three hours’ drive from Buenos Aires, he was a chubby baby who grew into a chubby man. Suprisingly, he was a keen athlete from an early age, a first- rate swimmer, a crack shot, a cyclist, a fair soccer player and a production car road racer just like Fangio.
Tagged ‘the Bull of the Pampas’ by the press, the name perfectly described the vast bulk of this unlikely looking racing driver. Enzo Ferrari once expressed a degree of wonderment as to how Gonzalez drove racing cars so effectively, considering the sweat into which the chubby Argentinean driver seemed to work himself. Affectionately called ‘El Cabezon’ (‘Fat Head’) by his compatriots, he was called Pepe by his friends, who knew him as a kind-hearted, good-natured soul, despite his sometimes fearsome facade.
His father set him up in the trucking business, and by 1949 he was ready to join Fangio on their first European tour together with a Maserati that Fangio had found for him. However…
results were rather thin on the ground, though he take second place in the Albi GP.
His breakthrough came in 1951 when Mercedes resurrected a trio of pre-war two-stage supercharged W163 cars and shipped them to Argentina for a couple of prestigious formule libre races. Gonzalez defeated them in both races at Buenos Aires in a Ferrari 166, and he began his proper Grand Prix career as a works driver for Ferrari. His style, hunched over the wheel, hard on the throttle, sliding the car to the limits of the track – and beyond on many occasions – was far from pretty, but no one could argue with his speed, and he soon gained immortality by defeating the works Alfa Romeos in the 1951 British GP, becoming the first driver to win a World Championship Grand Prix for the Scuderia.
Gonzalez also won the non-title Pescara GP before signing for Maserati for 1952, a season which saw him race in only one Grand Prix, although he also handled the brutish BRM V16, winning the Goodwood Trophy, and Vandervell’s Thinwall Ferrari, in which he took the Richmond Trophy. He continued with Maserati as Fangio’s team-mate in 1953, but was in the shadow of his great friend and rival before a crash in practice for a sports car race at Lisbon sidelined him for three months with a fractured vertebra.
Signed by Ferrari for 1954, Gonzalez enjoyed his finest season, taking his 625 to another glorious win for the team over the might of Mercedes, as well as claiming wins in the non-title International Trophy and Bari and Bordeaux GPs. His year also saw four wins in sports cars, including Le Mans, where he shared the winning Ferrari with Trintignant, before a practice crash in the Tourist Trophy left him with an injured arm. He returned home to Argentina and, apart from a visit to his beloved Silverstone to race the Vanwall in 1956 which ended with driveshaft failure at the start, mainly restricted his racing to home territory. His guest appearances in his home Grands Prix showed there was still considerable fire in his belly and he duelled with Ascari’s Lancia for the lead in 1955 before finishing second, but after the 1957 race he was content just to take part in his Chevrolet-engined Ferrari, turning his attention more to his motor business.
Indy NXT
Hauger Pads Points Lead with Dominant Portland Victory!
PORTLAND, Ore. (Sunday, Aug. 10, 2025) – Dennis Hauger gave himself some breathing room in the race for the INDY NXT by Firestone championship Sunday, beating rival Caio Collet to the finish to win the Grand Prix of Portland at Portland International Raceway.
Rookie Hauger expanded his lead in the INDYCAR development series to 54 points – essentially one race – over Collet with two races to go this season, both on ovals at Milwaukee (Aug. 24) and Nashville (Aug. 31). He drove his No. 28 Nammo car fielded by Andretti Global to victory over the No. 76 HMD Motorsports machine of Collet by .9353 of a second.
It was Hauger’s sixth win of the season but just his second since early June after he started the year by winning four of the first five races. Hauger clinched the series Rookie of the Year title with the victory, but his eyes are on a bigger prize.
“It’s a great day for the championship,” Hauger said. “An awesome day – back on top. Hopefully we can have a good weekend in Milwaukee and clinch the title there, as well.”
Myles Rowe finished third in the No. 99 Abel/Force Indy entry, his fifth podium result of the season. Teammate Callum Hedge placed fourth in the No. 17 Abel Motorsports machine.
Salvador de Alba rounded out the top five in the No. 27 Grupo Indi car of Andretti Global as the Andretti and Abel teams both welcomed two drivers in the top five.
As usual on the 12-turn, 1.964-mile PIR circuit, the tricky Turn 1-2 complex played a pivotal role in deciding the outcome.
Pole sitter Collet led the field to the start, with fellow front-row starter Rowe threatening him on the outside heading into Turn 1 after the green flag. Collet eased to the left to parry Rowe’s move, leaving an opening to the inside.
Hauger, who started third, pounced on that gap and was helped when both Collet and Rowe braked a bit too deeply into Turn 1 and ran wide. Hauger drove around Collet in Turn 2 for a lead he would never surrender, pacing all 35 laps.
“I was looking at Myles, and I think we both ended up a little bit deep (in Turn 1),” Collet said. “I didn’t see Dennis coming on the outside. I just misjudged it and gave Dennis the opportunity for a great move.
“I did a mistake at the most crucial part of the championship, so very frustrating for myself. But we’ll keep pushing.”
Hauger then managed the gap for the rest of the race under sunny Pacific Northwest skies, keeping Collet at bay ranging from one-half to nine-tenths of a second. Hauger also deftly used his Push to Pass power boost system to resist every charge by Collet.
The next race – and the penultimate race of the season – is INDY NXT by Firestone at the Milwaukee Mile on Sunday, Aug. 24. Hauger and Collet remain the only drivers eligible to win the season championship.
Indycar
Power Breaks Penske Drought at Portland; Palou Claims Fourth Season Title!
PORTLAND, Ore. (Sunday, Aug. 10, 2025) – Will Power staked his claim to continue with Team Penske while Alex Palou secured his spot among the legends of the INDYCAR SERIES after a scintillating BITNILE.COM Grand Prix of Portland presented by askROI on Sunday at Portland International Raceway.
Power earned his first victory of the season and the first this year for Team Penske – helping the legendary team avoid its first winless season since 1999 – in the No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet. Power, who does not have a contract with Team Penske next season, finished 1.5388 seconds ahead of NTT P1 Award winner Christian Lundgaard in the No. 7 Arrow McLaren Chevrolet. It was the 45th victory of Power’s legendary INDYCAR SERIES career.
“I think it’s just a big win for the whole team,” Power said. “We’ve had a rough year, and it’s not really because we’ve been off the pace. It’s just been unfortunate circumstances. It was a good, hard-fought win.
“Stoked. I’ve had a great career with Verizon and Penske, so I’ve really, really enjoyed winning for the guys and everyone I’ve worked with for a long time. It’s awesome.”
Palou finished third in the No. 10 DHL Chip Ganassi Racing Honda to clinch his fourth NTT INDYCAR SERIES championship and third straight series title, joining Ted Horn (1946-48), Sebastien Bourdais (2004-07) and Dario Franchitti (2009-11) as the only drivers to achieve a three-peat. Palou’s fourth Astor Challenge Cup in the last five seasons tied him with Mario Andretti, Bourdais and Franchitti for third on the all-time championship list, behind only A.J. Foyt (seven) and Scott Dixon (six).
It also was the 17th series championship for Chip Ganassi Racing, tying it with Team Penske for the most titles in INDYCAR SERIES history.
“It’s unbelievable; it’s crazy,” Palou said. “I couldn’t be happier right now. This has been an amazing season, an amazing five years with CGR. I have no words to describe how grateful I am to everybody at CGR. I cannot wait for more.”
Graham Rahal finished a season-best fourth in the No. 15 Hendrickson International Honda of Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, while Alexander Rossi rounded out the top five also with a season-best result in the No. 20 Java House ECR Chevrolet.
A race of divergent tire strategies in the first half converged into a spellbinding tussle between Power, Lundgaard and Palou over the last 30 laps after all three drivers made their final pit stops.
Power started the 110-lap race from the third starting spot on Firestone Firehawk alternate tires, while pole winner Lundgaard began in seventh – on Firestone primary tires – due to a six-grid spot penalty for an unapproved engine change. Palou also started on the harder, more durable Firestone primary tires from fifth on the grid.
Two-time series champion Power and Team Penske opted to use the softer, more grippy but less durable Firestone alternate tires for his first two fuel stints, choosing to try to run away from the 27-car field and hide before needing to run the primary tire – as required by series rules — and a used set of alternate tires to finish the race.
The strategy helped Power build a 20-second lead over Palou by Lap 51. But then Power pitted at the end of Lap 61 for the slower primary tires, and the chase was on for Lundgaard and Palou.
By Lap 74, Lundgaard had closed to within 1.1 seconds of Power. Palou was nine seconds back but fortified with nearly double the amount of Push to Pass overtake time as his two rivals up the track.
Lundgaard made his final stop at the end of Lap 79, taking on a fresh set of Firestone alternate tires. Power stopped for the last time a lap later, with used Firestone alternates fastened to his wheels. Palou made his final stop at the end of Lap 82, taking on fresh Firestone alternate tires like Lundgaard.
Rahal, on an alternate tire strategy, pitted from the lead at the end of Lap 84. That put Power, Lundgaard and Palou in the top three spots.
It was go time. Game on.
By Lap 96, just .851 of a second separated the top three as cars on the tail end of the lead lap created speed-sapping turbulence for leader Power. Palou briefly passed Lundgaard for second on Lap 97, but the Dane fought back to regain the spot quickly on the same lap.
On Lap 107, Palou went off course and into the grass surrounding the 12-turn, 1.964-mile circuit while trying again to pass Lundgaard for second and perhaps make a run at Power. That dustup let Power pull away, and he led by 1.8018 seconds after Lap 108 and maintained a gap to the checkered flag.
Power, 44, basked in the joy of returning to victory lane and reminding the NTT INDYCAR SERIES he thinks he’s more than good enough to merit a new contract from Team Penske or another team in the paddock.
“I won three races last year,” Power said. “If you’re a team, if you’re waiting on me to know if I’m good enough, I don’t know what you’re thinking.”
Pato O’Ward was the only driver who could have delayed Palou’s coronation, entering this race 121 points behind. O’Ward, who started from the pole, needed to close the gap to at least 107 points. But his chances ended on Lap 21 due to an electrical problem in his No. 5 Arrow McLaren that forced a lengthy repair in the pits. O’Ward finished 25th, 10 laps down.
Palou wasn’t the only season title winner today; Honda clinched the INDYCAR SERIES manufacturers’ championship.
There are two races left in the 2025 season, both on oval tracks. The next race is the Snap-on Milwaukee Mile 250 on Sunday, Aug. 24 in Milwaukee.