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Formula 1 is a team sport, part 2

08.08.2026 - If you haven't read part 1, click HERE.

In season 48, Pegaso was on the verge of collapse. Nearing red numbers, the team had been spending 18M in development every season, while being the 10th team on the grid, only to still finish P10 year after year. Spending was through the roof in terms of salaries as well, and my motivation was actually melting, because I felt we were isolated again. I spoke to Jordi about it and agreed that I would give only one more chance to the project. And then something happened.



For those who don't know, Petu_ (or Petu92) was Williams' (current B15) team manager for more than 20 seasons. I won't discuss his legacy today, but what I was sure of is that whatever knowledge he had, it would be useful for us. He had already lent me a hand when I started, and since then, we had just stayed in contact, but not for F1 purposes. I gave him some shares, assigned him as team assistant, and we started working. Needless to say, Petu is one of the reasons why I didn't quit.

Some of the measures we took involved downgrading some of our facilities, cutting wages, and tanking for three seasons, since a new engine and gearbox had to be developed. Therefore, the main target for the season 51-59 engine cycle was to handle our finances much better and to establish the foundations that would get Pegaso on the right track. In order to boost our income, we needed two decent drivers with a very high rating. This is when I approached JoeSpirit and Thisken.

One lesson every low-table F1 team manager knows for sure is that it is very difficult to convince good drivers to race for you when your team is tanking.

However, there is one thing tanking teams can still offer: experience. Boutsen and Neumann were JoeSpirit and Thisken's first drivers, so F1 would definitely be new to them.

Both of them liked the idea, as well as the chance to race for Pegaso in season 53, when everything should be solved, and with zero pressure, I began giving them some tools to work with. Results were terrible, but both of them seemed satisfied. We got into the world of experimentation for the first time, and I guess this is where things between Thisken and me started 'clicking'. He also wanted to start understanding how F1 worked and the team's situation, even when he made clear from the beginning that he didn't want to become a team manager. I also have to mention that we both share the Cruijffist mentality, so it was kind of an ideal fit.

Probably the one that we needed.

Part 3 is coming out tomorrow.