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writingshushf1 · 2 years

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Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A man after midnight)

Summary: The one where you are Sebastian Vettel’s engineer through out the years, never realized that maybe, the older man - now newly divorced, had developed feelings for you.

Rating: +16

Warnings: mentions of sex, masturbation, adult (sorta) language, daddy issues.

Word count: 3.5k

Note: since I started this new blog, I’ll post all my ao3 f1 fanfics here! So this is also available in my ao3. btw: this one-shot is inspired on a tik tok by read_between.the_wines (she has really good prompts and I’ll use them a lot!)

masterlist

Sebastian Vettel. Four-time world champion. Has raced for BMW Sauber, Toro Rosso, Red Bull, Ferrari and now, Aston Martin. German. Simple family. Reserved. And now, recently divorced.

That news hit the websites, just the way he didn't want it. They had not been together for a few months, but he had not commented for the safety of Hanna and her children. However, the media always managed to take little pieces of his privacy and spread them to the world.

His closest friends already knew and so did his team, but they all kept quiet about it, they knew him.

A couple of curious eyes were looking for the German at the Aston Martin hospitality. They were friends, the girl might be 7 years younger than him, but they always got along great, especially when she needed to adjust his car. Sebastian was always her safe harbour, since when she joined Ferrari in 2019, only 25 years old and with an impressive knowledge about what he was doing, so when he decided to switch teams, she didn't even hesitate to go for it. The German, on the other hand, he's always had a different take on her - of course, at first it was a platonic feeling, a friendship he never thought he could find, until the day he found himself falling for her. Perhaps, it was the girl who - unknowingly - ended up ending the couple's relationship.

Unfortunately, he knew very well that she felt nothing for him beyond a sweet friendship.

When the woman found him, her expression of curiosity turned bittersweet; she was worried about his condition, sitting on the floor of his driver's room with his hands on his head. She took a few steps and crouched in front of him, touching his arm lightly. At first, the man flinched, but as he smelled the sweet scent of peach perfume, he accepted the caress, letting out a tearful sigh.

"Hey..." She whispered as soon as he lifted his face. He was red, hair messy and beard longer than usual.

"It's public. I'm officially a divorced man."

"They shouldn't have done that. It's cruel. Even more so that you have the girls and the little one." She said quietly. "Did you talk to Hanna after the news came out?"

"Yes... She knows it wasn't our fault." The girl cracked a smile.

"So, if she knows-let's go. Wipe your face and lift your chin. You're too good to succumb to what the media does." She stood, holding out her hand for him to take.

"What would I do without you, liebling?" he laughed, slipping his arm over her shoulder.

"I have no idea. I'm the best friend you could ever have."

…..............................................

She was sitting on top of a large metal box, Vettel beside her, looking at the tools that were on a shelf. It was Saturday after qualifying and they were fixing some technical errors with the car. Their legs wobbled as she listened to him talk about the possible problems, writing them down. As curious eyes lifted to pay attention to their driver, a guy in an Alpine t-shirt walked past them, waving at her and within seconds a silly grin was on his face.

"Someone's got a crush." Sebastian said, in his strong accent.

"Shut up!" She kicked and lightly kicked his leg. "You know I only have eyes for you." She pouted.

"Ahem, I know."

"Come on Seb!"

He only shook his head in denial, cracking a smile. Suddenly, his mobile phone started ringing frantically and he answered it without even seeing who it was, they both knew only one person had that ringtone. His voice was soft yet firm; she didn't understand German, but it sounded like they were disagreeing on something, especially that he pressed his temples with his fingers, taking a deep breath. He hung up, throwing his head back, groaning loudly.

"The little one is sick. My parents can't take the girls and neither can Hanna's parents. I'll need to bring them to the Paddock tomorrow, which I hate because people will be taking pictures."

"Britta can sort it out, can't she? She always does."

"She will. I just think it's going to be a bit weird without Hanna being here with them."

"It'll be fine. I can help you, you know I love the girls and they know I'm the coolest auntie!" She waited for him to come closer to give little slaps of encouragement on his shoulders.

…......................................................

Early Sunday morning, she had arrived and as soon as she entered the Aston Martin hospitality, she felt arms grab her legs. She cracked a smile and looked down, seeing two blonde girls with long smiles, she ran her hand over the hair of both of them, ducking down and being bombarded with love. They ran over each other's words, the sweet girls speaking a German mixed with English that could confuse anyone, however the engineer listened to them intently, with a smile on her face.

Soon, she found the father of these cuties, Vettel was playing ping-pong with Stroll for a video. The three waited away from the cameras for the German, who cracked a warm smile at the sight of them. Even though the girls were not so little anymore, he took one in each arm, walking to his garage. Soon they were distracted by other people on the team, who were loving having two adorable children there.

"They look really cute wearing those Aston clothes." The woman said, nudging him with her elbow.

"They insisted. And I can't always say no."

"So... We'll get a good result today. For them, okay?"

"Okay."

He started in P12 and until halfway through the race, he had not entered the scoring zone, which made the engineer upset. She wanted the kids to see their father happy and in a high position. They did the tyre change a bit too early, which could ruin the strategy, especially as he dropped to P15. However, he was still on a two-lap tyre when several teams started to call for a change, so he moved up positions as he felt confident enough to overtake other drivers. The girls screamed in happiness every time the number 5 car was shown on the various TVs inside the pit lane. He finished in P5 on that cold April afternoon - the girls were self-conscious about how it worked, that their father hadn't won the race, but for them, him finishing fifth where there were 20 other racers was amazing. The three of them ran to the rail, with her holding them so they could see his car very close passing by the finish line.

Meanwhile, Sebastian was conflicted, seeing her with her daughters, having fun and such a natural way, so easy and affectionate. He was trying to push that thought away, but the truth is: he had been thinking about her for a long time.

From the day she first set foot in the Ferrari, the girl hiding behind a cap bigger than her head and red polo shirt twice her size - they didn't have her dress size that week - intrigued him, from the sharp voice, ready to destroy someone in seconds, on another hand, someone so sweet it gave you cavities on just thinking about her. They hit it off at first, the feeling of finding someone who understood your craziness, who stayed late inside the garage studying, tinkering with the car, someone who spoke the language of motoring. Of course, everything was always platonic, he was a married man; she even had a long and painful crush on him, but she moved on, it was too risky to go after a committed man. She just didn't know Sebastian couldn't stop thinking about her, he had loved every bit of her since the day they ran away from the end of the season Ferrari’s party, ending up in some random bar in Maranello, laughing their drunk asses off.

He did not look at his wife the way he looked at her . Several nights, lying in his hotel bed, he would stare at the ceiling and think of calling her, hoping that she would come running and snuggle into his arms, that she would kiss his lips sweetly and spend the night by his side, that he could wake up in the morning with her naked body covered only by a thin blanket. He would touch himself thinking of her. The worst is that she couldn't do that, it wasn't even because of the age difference, she was a grown woman, but he was afraid of compromising the position of both of them - but mainly hers, within the team, it wasn't as if some didn't doubt her real ability normally.

After his interviews and PR duties, he appeared in the garage, seeing from afar the door to his driver's room open and them sleeping on the couch, covered with a duvet. In one corner, the engineer was giving a soft laugh and the older man brought his gaze to her. The girl was leaning against the wall, with a few locks of hair curled in her fingers, her face was flushed and her pupils dilated, in front of her, a tall, dark haired man wearing an Alpine t-shirt. The same man who had waved to her the night before. Internally, he was burning with jealousy, but on the outside, he just took a deep breath and cracked a smile, walking calmly over to them. The German gently touched her shoulder, giving it a squeeze, which made her turn her face away immediately.

"Seb!"

"Hey lieb, are you still going to want a ride back to the hotel? I'll just pick up the girls and be on my way." His tone was low in the hope that the other wouldn't hear.

"Sorry- I'm going out with Matheo. He's dropping me off at the hotel later." She left a kiss on his cheek. "See you tomorrow for breakfast?"

"Sure. See you tomorrow."

He waved to them both as he walked out with the two sleepy little girls. As soon as he turned his face, he closed his eyes and took a deep breath, biting his lower lip.

The engineer left with the Alpine strategist shortly after her interaction with Vettel. Matheo quickly took her hand in his, as if to show the others who were leaving that she was his, at first she didn't mind, she was a person who liked to be touched. They were in his car, going to some restaurant she didn't know about - and he didn't make a point of telling her.

"So... You and Vettel?" His voice was soft, yet accusatory.

"We are friends. He's basically a big brother to me, when I got into Ferrari he was always my guide and listened to me, even if I wasn't one hundred percent right." She smiles as she recalls the memories. "I had a side job babysitting the girls when Seb and Hanna wanted to be romantic, at least I didn't spend it alone at the hotel."

"I get it... I thought you might have something, by the way he looks at you ."

"What? No! Seb is very concerned and he has this dad vibe that is so cute. It's not what you're thinking."

He shrugged, parking the car for them to have their supposed romantic evening.

And it was a good one. He bought her a nice dinner, then drove her to her hotel room and kissed her at the door. She brought him into the room and they had sex that night. He wasn't the best she'd ever had, but he definitely made her scream a few times - which wasn't the best idea, since Sebastian's room was next door to hers, at least the girls were going to stay with his parents. On the other side of the wall, the blond couldn't sleep properly, the noises from her room wouldn't let him be at peace. He felt anger, envy, sadness. He was the one who was supposed to leave you like that.

He hadn't slept at all. Then early in the morning he was already drinking coffee when he saw her coming downstairs, her face still a little smeared with makeup.

"Good morning!" She said as she sat down in front of him and received a tired groan in response. "What?"

"It's not easy trying to sleep when the person in the next room is loud." In the same second, she widened her eyes, quickly running her hand over her face, embarrassed that he had heard her groan.

"Sorry! It wasn't intentional. I just... I wanted to please him."

"You mean it wasn't good?" He arched an eyebrow.

"It was! It was good, but not... The best. "

"Wow." He laughed low. "So he really missed something."

"Yeah..." Her face was entirely red. "He was so nice to me all night that I didn't have the courage to tell him that I didn't.... You know, he came pretty close." She mumbled it all out.

"So no second date?"

"First, we've been going out for a few weeks and second, he may not be a knight in shining armour, but he has the potential to be someone good. And I don't want to waste that."

"'I can fix him' syndrome?" he took a sip of his tea. "So... 2000s romance movie. Or daddy issues."

"Vettel!" She couldn't hold back her laughter, putting both hands over her face, hiding it. "Blame my father for abandoning me."

The two of them couldn't control their laughter, drawing attention from a few people around.

….....................................

The engineer was in her loft, lying on the couch with some TV program on. It was half past midnight, a glass of wine in her hand. She hated spending her evenings completely alone, knowing that she couldn't just walk in the next door and her colleagues or Sebastian ready to answer it. The wind whipped against the window, it was so depressing, not a soul there to lift her out of her boredom. Until her doorbell rings. Matheo was there, with flowers. She answered in surprise and he said that refusing her request for him to come to her loft was ridiculous and he could spend even half an hour in busy London for her.

They had had a fight, he had gone out with another girl, and she thought they were exclusive - clearly a miscommunication. And the night at her apartment was post "reconciliation", only he said he wouldn't go, he couldn't stand London. She called Sebastian crying, saying that the strategist didn't care about her and that she wanted so much a hug from the older man, but he was so far away. His heart ached to hear her so destroyed, but he was even angrier when he read the message that appeared almost at one o'clock in the morning, saying that the blessed man had shown up with flowers and that despite everything, he was a good person.

Matheo and she had sex again, not as amazing as the first time - and each time the quality decreased until this time. She blamed the tension of having him again, it was nothing, she could teach him. He left early Sunday morning, saying he needed to get back to see his family.

In the second week of vacation, she received a very important visit. Sebastian Vettel was knocking on her door, with a crate of beer and German sausage.

"You're no good." She said when she saw him, going into his arms in a warm hug.

Again, it was half past midnight, they were drunk. Vettel was making bratkartoffeln, while she was sitting on one of the kitchen benches, drinking beer.

"I know he was an asshole to me, but he tried to fix it. I can give it at least one more chance..."

"But what about the sex?" He looked at her.

"Still bad, but I can change that ." She cracked a damned smile.

"I bet even I could do better than him." He grumbled.

"And how can you be sure?" She asked in a suggestive tone, taking another sip of her beer.

" Because I know you. And I know what you like. " He cracked a smile, focusing on the potatoes in the pan.

"Silly." She slapped his shoulder. "But it's serious. He's good, you know? He doesn't talk about our jobs when we're together, he likes to play video games, and no, he wouldn't steal information from our car even because his team is better than ours."

"You can steal information." He said jokingly, but he was starting to get annoyed with the situation. Was it jealousy? Of course.

"It's serious, Seb. I really think I'll make it official."

"Even though you cried for two hours on the phone with me?"

"I can fix him!" She put her arms up in surrender, repeating the same thing he said to her at the hotel weeks ago.

"Daddy issues."

"You can't say anything if you're single."

"Divorced."

"Same thing."

"Depends on the perspective, lieb."

"How? I don't think so. It's only because you want to get out of the argument."

"Maybe."

"Conflit advoidance."

"Emotional needness."

"Shit." She shrugged, getting down from the countertop and putting the bottle in the trash, soon grabbing another from the fridge. As Sebastian finished the early morning snack for them, she rolled her eyes and spoke again. "But seriously, he looks like a person to introduce himself to his parents! Good job, handsome, nice, takes me to nice places.... The sex is something to improve on, but we know that's only with practice." She laughed.

Suddenly, Vettel closed his eyes and said under his breath. "Can you shut up about him?"

"Um, excuse me?" She turned her face to him, with an annoyed expression.

"Oh-oh! Nothing." He fumbles and almost knocks the sauteed bacon to the floor. "Never mind. Just-just forget it, please." He closes his eyes for a few seconds. "I'm just tired, I'm sorry."

"No! You're not tired." She drops the unopened beer bottle into the sink. "Tell me what you really think about him."

"I... I just not-" She finished putting all the food in, sighing low and leaning his lower back against the counter. "I don't want to hear about him. I don't."

"Why?"

They exchanged glances for a few seconds, in complete silence. Something clicked in the engineer’s mind, making her slowly open her lips.

"Oh my God. Are you jealous?"

He looks away from hers, fiddling with the ends of his blond strands.

"Stop! Are you-are you jealous?" Her voice was slightly shaky.

"Please." He closed his eyes, running his hand over his temples. "Please just shut up about it. Just keep it between us. Just shut up." He muttered, completely embarrassed.

He didn't realise when they got so close, but when he felt her lips almost brushing against his lobe, his breath failed him.

"Make me."

In a single motion, he put his hands on her waist, pressing her against the countertop, and then his body was against her as well. One hand went up to her face and their lips touched. At first, she didn’t kiss back, her head was processing what just happened between them. Sebastian pulled away after a few seconds, she didn’t reciprocate, ‘of course she wouldn’t, she’s in love with that Alpine douche bag’ the older man thought. Her head was full, all the suppressed feelings for him, the need to find other men to endlessly satisfy her and yet she was never satisfied, because they weren’t him. Matheo wasn’t Vettel, he never could be even one percent of what the German was.

When the blond was loosening the touch around her, the engineer finally woke from her trance, grabbing his shirt with both of her hands, pulling him back against her, connecting their lips. It was a sloppy kiss, deep and passionate, it looked like they waited years to share it - in fact, it did. Her hands were on his chest, while he embraced her waist, pulling her closer. Their lips fit perfectly, their rhythm was like no other and their tongues passed each other’s, enjoying the bitter taste of beer. It started to become sloppier, with her leg going up his waist and his body adjusting in the middle of her legs, small moans and lip bites were exchanged - maybe too many times, but they weren’t sober enough to care. The engineer’s lips lowered to his jaw and soon they were along his neck, biting, licking and nibbling spots that would be very visible next morning. Vettel threw his head back at the action, groaning her name, lowering both of his hands to her ass cheeks, squeezing it.

“Bed… Bedroom.” He said, breathless.

She smiled and walked out from him, going up the mezzanine’s stairs and waiting for him. As soon as he reached her, he threw her on the bed, with a naughty smile.

“Show me… How much you know me.”

“Of course, lieb.” He kneeled on the bed, holding her shirt hem.

#sebastian vettel x reader #sebastian vettel x you #sebastian vettel fanfic #f1 x y/n #f1 x you #sebastian vettel imagine #sv5 #sebastian vettel one shot #f1 imagine #f1 one shot

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redsnowdrop · 5 months

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Carlos Sainz x Sportweek interview -Translated in: English, Spanish and Italian-

Hi guys, sorry it took so long. I wasn’t expecting such a long work. I apologise if I have wrote something wrong, I have smoke coming out of my ears and here you can also find my F1 Masterlist for more! Enjoy and let me know what do you think!

xoxo

English 🇬🇧

There will be no room for him in Ferrari next year.

But the Spaniard doesn't argue, he wins when he can and in the meantime he looks ahead. «It's my style, that's how they educated me. The Cavallino showed me what passion is and I helped it grow. Leaving is not my choice, but maybe there will be better things to come."

text by: GIANLUCA GASPARINI

photo by: MATTIA GUOLO

styling by: GIANLUCA ZAPPOLI

He was born in Madrid and will join Ferrari from 2021

The Spanish Ferrari driver, Carlos Sainz, 29 years old. He has been racing with the Red team since 2021 and has won three GPs in Formula 1, the last of which was a month ago in Australia.

"I smile at the future

And I want to be the best."

A man's style, because at almost thirty you are a finished man, is measured in moments of adversity. Carlos Sainz comes from an elegant Madrid family, he can boast a father who not only wrote a few pages of motoring history in rallies, but in his adventure in F.1 he never found a downhill road ahead of him. Less than three months ago Ferrari let him know that there will no longer be a place for him in 2025. He could react badly, fall into victimhood, lose himself, exaggerate to impress everyone. He did the exact opposite. Starting from the words spoken then, in February. «Hamilton in Maranello was a hard blow, I didn't expect it. I was pretty sure that I would renew the contract with the Rossa. But it will be my last year with the team and I just want to think about doing my best for the Cavallino." Honest, sincere. With style, indeed. «Style is not something you choose - he says -, it is something that largely derives from the education your family gives you, from the values you have cultivated. And that then translates into how you behave and how you do things. But I can't say I have my own particular or studied style. I just try to be natural."

What a start!

Excellent start to the season for the Spaniard in 2024, with the victory in Melbourne and two third places in Bahrain and Japan.

At the moment you are going faster than your teammate Charles Leclerc, and this has also given rise to some doubts and regrets among the Red fans. Do you think you still have room for growth as a driver?

«For me, all the years in F.1 can offer the opportunity to progress. With each season that passes I feel like a better rider and it's also clear that over time you have experiences that make you grow as a rider and as a person, let's say that I continually make progress on both fronts."

For next year you are in the sights of several top teams, starting with Mercedes. But there was also talk of Red Bull. Does this interest make you feel good, after a difficult and delicate season's eve?

"Yes I'd like that. In reality, I am already part of a top team like Ferrari, and doing well here as I am actually doing makes the others keep an eye on you. In the end it's what I've always wanted as a driver, that is, to be considered a good name to occupy the best seats in F.1. And frankly I hope it goes like this for many years to come."

Identikit Carlos Sainz

Family tradition, he races in F.1 since 2015

Carlos Sainz Vázquez de Castro was born in Madrid (Spa) on September 1st 1994. Son of the two-time rally world champion Carlos Sr, he grew up in karting before moving on to Formula BMW, then Renault and GP3. His debut in Formula 1 was in 2015, in Australia, with Toro Rosso, where he remained until October 2017, when he moved to Renault. The 2019-2020 two-year period was at McLaren, where he achieved the first two podiums of his career: third in Brazil in the first season and second in Monza in the following one.

Since 2021 he has been at Ferrari. In red he scored his first pole and his first victory at Silverstone in 2022. The other two successes came in Singapore last year and in Australia a month ago. For him, overall 21 podiums in 187 Grands Prix.

«For 2025, seeing how I'm going, I would like a competitive single-seater. I'm happy to be in the crosshairs of several top team"

Finding an agreement with a new team could take a long time: is it a thought? Can it affect your performance in any way?

«All options are open, but it takes time to reach similar decisions. Little has happened in recent weeks, from this point of view, but this doesn't affect the way I race, my work on the track. Choosing takes time for everyone. They often ask me whether it is better to think about next year or the long term when deciding. I think it depends on what they offer you. As a driver you always look at the option that the fastest single-seater presents to you, because you think that in that way you can achieve podiums and victories like I'm doing this year. But the possibilities in the medium term are also interesting, considering the change in regulations in 2026. Each side of the coin has pluses and minuses, but the best thing is that today all options remain open."

You don’t seem worried

"No. I smile thinking about the future even if what will happen does not depend solely on me. I just have to wait for it and do my job well. If it takes time, that's fine. Also because, in light of the regulatory change in 2026, it is almost impossible to know who will go fastest. And so the decisions also depend on what the teams "sell" you, but no one has a real idea. For 2025, given how I'm going, I would like a competitive single-seater... in any case the situation doesn't disturb me: I know how to keep the track and the questions from journalists and fans about the future divided. When you run, run. I've been in F.1 for 10 years, I know how to manage my weekends."

How much has competing for Ferrari changed you, on a human level?

«He introduced me to the passion that people can have for a team, and you only see this if you race with the Cavallino and are surrounded by the Red fans. You don't feel a warmth like this in other teams. Humanly I was involved and this affects you, it has an influence on you. I heard it."

Hamilton and Leclerc are great fashion lovers. Do you like it also?

«Fashion is not something that occupies my mind in my free time, it depends a bit on how I feel day by day or on the phase I go through in my life. With the change in age I adapt in the way I dress, but it doesn't come naturally to me to think and research what I wear. I understand those who make it a passion, but it doesn't change my life."

What style do you follow in dressing? Do you buy what you wear or do you have someone who makes it for you? And when you were a boy did you choose on your own or did your mother take care of it? Have you ever argued about how you dressed?

«I almost never buy. When it happens it's because I go with my girlfriend (Rebecca Donaldson, Scottish model; ed.), my sisters (she has two, Ana and Blanca; ed.) or my mother. It has never happened to me that I am somewhere, in a hotel or at home, ® telling myself: "Now I'm going shopping". The idea never comes to me. It always has to come from someone else and this already shows that it is not my priority. Then I get dressed too, of course. And the style I like to follow is classic, elegant and traditional.

I feel comfortable and at ease. Until I was 20-25, all my clothes were bought by my mother, sisters or girlfriends of the time. And I never argued about it because I accepted everything they said, I didn't have an opinion...".

You are very close to his father, whom you have always admired but without avoiding some clashes: what relationship do you have now and how much does it matter for your career?

«When we are young, we all have moments of disagreement with our parents. It is part of the normal dynamic between father and son and there is an age in which you continually express a different opinion regardless, for bias, there is a period of your life when it seems like you do it on purpose. That age has now passed, but I remember that I liked arguing with him, even clashing, but with education and respect.

There was never a really bad moment when we called each other bad words. Dad always raised me to respect everyone. Now we have an incredible, very beautiful relationship. He taught me everything I know in life, in the end I feel privileged to be able to enjoy such a strong bond with him and to be able to have such an important person in my life close to me."

Who inspired you while growing up? Both in the sporting world and outside of sport.

«My father always used it as a reference

Rafa Nadal. And I really like it too, for the competitive spirit and the respect with which he does things. With clarity and a shape that says everything about him. In turn, I want to be the best on the track but also off it." What do you like to do away from the circuits?

«I am a very sporty person, my hobbies are mainly linked to that. I have always practiced golf, padel, skiing, now a lot of cycling, for training but also because I enjoy it. And in my free time I follow a lot of sports on TV."

«Nadal has always been my father's legend and he has become mine»

Hobby? Only sport: golf, skiing, padel and lots of cycling, for training and because I enjoy it"

Madrid, your city, is full of beautiful museums. Do you go there every now and then? Do you like art?

«I'm honest: no, I'm not going. I made all the visits when I was 13,014 years old with school and practically my attendance at museums ended there. But if someone sits down to explain it to me, even better: art interests me. But going alone to watch an exhibition, I don't do that. And it's curious because if someone talks to me about a work of art, why it's made that way, about its history, I like it and I enjoy it."

And in Ferrari from 2021, leaving at the end of the year will not be easy.

«I have mixed feelings. The three seasons spent in Maranello, of hard work, living there, with time spent in the factory, helped the team progress. Now we are starting to see the growth of the project, the single-seater is better and I have confidence in driving it after it has "implemented" all the indications given in the past. It makes me feel happy for this year and at the same time sad that we won't continue the journey together. Somehow we have recently taken the right path for the future, and it shows on the track. But it's life, it's the way life decided it should go. It wasn't my decision, but maybe there will be better things to come. When I look at the past, at the choices I made by leaving Toro Rosso, Renault, McLaren, I see that everything makes sense. Maybe in a little while I'll look back and figure out whether to leave paid".

There are still 20 GPs to go: what do you dream will happen for you and for Ferrari between now and the end of the season?

“More victories, more podiums and see where it takes us.”

Italiano 🇮🇹

In Ferrari non ci sarà più spazio per lui il prossimo anno.

Ma lo spagnolo non polemizza, quando può vince e intanto guarda avanti. «E il mio stile, così mi hanno educato. Il Cavallino mi ha fatto conoscere cos'è la passione e io l'ho aiutato a crescere. Andare via non è una mia scelta, ma magari ci sarà di meglio in arrivo»

testo di: GIANLUCA GASPARINI

foto di: MATTIA GUOLO

styling di: GIANLUCA ZAPPOLI

E nato a Madrid, dal 2021 in Ferrari

Il pilota spagnolo della Ferrari, Carlos Sainz, 29 anni. Corre con la Rossa dal 2021 e in Formula 1 ha vinto tre GP, l'ultimo dei quali un mese fa, in Australia.

"Sorrido al futuro

E voglio essere il migliore”

Lo stile di un uomo, perché a quasi trent'anni sei un uomo fatto e finito, si misura nei momenti di avversità. Carlos Sainz viene da una famiglia madrilena elegante, può vantare un padre che nei rally e non solo ha scritto qualche pagina di storia dell'automobilismo, ma nella sua avventura in F.1 non ha mai trovato davanti a sé la strada in discesa. Meno di tre mesi fa la Ferrari gli ha fatto sapere che nel 2025 per lui non ci sarà più posto. Poteva reagire male, cadere nel vittimismo, perdersi, esagerare per impressionare tutti. Ha fatto l'esatto contrario. A partire dalle parole pronunciate allora, a febbraio. «Hamilton a Maranello è stato un duro colpo, non me lo aspettavo. Ero abbastanza sicuro che avrei rinnovato il contratto con la Rossa. Ma sarà il mio ultimo anno con la squadra e voglio solo pensare a fare il massimo per il Cavallino». Onesto, sincero. Con stile, appunto. «Lo stile non è qualcosa che scegli - racconta -, è qualcosa che deriva per gran parte dall'educazione che ti da la famiglia, dai valori che hai coltivato. E quello si traduce poi nel modo in cui ti comporti e in come fai le cose. Ma non posso dire di avere uno stile mio, particolare o studiato. Cerco solo di essere naturale».

Che inizio!

Per lo spagnolo eccellente partenza di stagione, in questo 2024, con la vittoria di Melbourne e due terzi posti, in Bahrain e in Giappone.

In questo momento sta andando più forte del suo compagno Charles Leclerc, e la cosa ha fatto nascere anche qualche dubbio e rimpianto nei tifosi della Rossa. Pensa di avere ancora margini di crescita come pilota?

«Per me tutti gli anni in F.1 possono offrire la possibilità di progredire. Ad ogni stagione che passa mi sento un pilota migliore e in più è chiaro che con il tempo vivi esperienze che ti fanno crescere come pilota e come persona, diciamo che faccio continui passi avanti su entrambi i fronti».

Per l'anno prossimo è nel mirino di diversi top team, a partire dalla Mercedes. Ma si è parlato anche di Red Bull. La fa star bene questo interesse, dopo una vigilia di stagione difficile e delicata?

«Sì, mi fa piacere. In realtà sono già parte di un team di vertice come la Ferrari, e far bene qui come in effetti sto facendo porta gli altri a tenerti d'occhio. Alla fine è quello che come pilota ho sempre desiderato, cioè essere considerato un nome buono per occupare i sedili migliori in F.1. E francamente spero che vada così per tanti anni ancora».

Identikit: Carlos Sainz

Figlio d'arte, corre in F.1 dal 2015

Carlos Sainz Vázquez de Castro è nato a Madrid (Spa) l'1 settembre 1994. Figlio del due volte iridato rally Carlos Sr, cresce nei kart prima di passare in Formula Bmw, quindi Renault e GP3. Il debutto in Formula 1 è del 2015, in Australia, con la Toro Rosso, dove resta fino all'ottobre 2017, quando passa in Renault. Il biennio 2019-2020 è in McLaren, dove conquista i primi due podi in carriera: terzo in Brasile nella prima stagionee secondo a Monza in quella successiva. Dal 2021 è alla Ferrari. In rosso centra a prima pole e la prima vittoria a Silverstone, nel 2022. Gli altri due successi sono arrivati a Singapore l'anno scorso e in Australia, un mese fa. Per lui, complessivamente 21 podi in 187 Gran Premi.

«Per il 2025, visto come sto andando,

vorrei una monoposto competitiva.

Sono felice di essere nel mirino di diversi

top team»

Trovare l'accordo con una nuova squadra potrebbe andare per le lunghe: è un pensiero? Può condizionare le sue prestazioni in qualche modo?

«Tutte le opzioni sono aperte, ma serve tempo per arrivare a prendere decisioni simili. Nelle ultime settimane è successo poco, da questo punto di vista, ma questo non incide sul modo in cui corro, sul mio lavoro in pista. Scegliere richiede tempo per tutti. Spesso mi chiedono se nel decidere sia meglio pensare all'anno prossimo o al lungo periodo. Credo dipenda da cosa ti offrono. Come pilota guardi sempre all'opzione che ti presenta la monoposto più velo-ce, perché pensi che in quel modo puoi conquistare podi e vittorie come sto facendo quest'anno. Ma sono interessanti anche le possibilità nel medio periodo, considerato il cambio di regolamenti del 2026. Ogni faccia della medaglia ha dei più e dei meno, ma la cosa migliore è che oggi come oggi tutte le opzioni restano aperte».

Quarto in classifica

In classifica, Sainz e quarto con 69 punt preceduto dal compagno Charles Leclerc (76) Primo è Verstappen (110), secondo Perez (85)

Non sembra preoccupato

«No. Sorrido pensando al futuro anche se cosa succederà non dipende unicamente da me. Io devo solo aspettaree far bene il mio mestiere. Se poi servirà tempo, va comunque bene. Anche perché, alla luce del cambio regolamenta re nel 2026, è quasi impossibile sapere chi andrà più forte. E così le decisioni dipendono anche da cosa ti "vendono" le squadre, ma nessuno ha un'idea ve-ra. Per il 2025, visto come sto andando, vorrei una monoposto competitiva... n ogni caso la situazione non mi distur-ba: so come tenere divise la pista e le domande dei giornalisti e dei tifosi sul futuro. Quando corri, corri. Sono da 10 anni in F.1, so come gestire i miei fine settimana».

«La moda mi interessa poco, non compro quasi mai nulla, ci hanno sempre pensato mia mamma, le mie sorelle, la fidanzata. Amo la comodità»

Quanto l'ha cambiata, umanamente, gareggiare per la Ferrari?

«Mi ha fatto conoscere la passione che può avere la gente per una scuderia, e questo lo vedi solo se corri con il Cavallino e sei circondato dai tifosi della Rossa.

Un calore così non lo senti in altre squa-dre. Umanamente sono rimasto coinvolto e questo ti tocca, ha influenza su di te. Io l'ho sentito».

Hamilton e Leclerc sono grandi amanti della moda. A lei piace?

«La moda non è qualcosa che occupa la mia mente nel tempo libero, dipende un po' da come mi sento giorno per giorno o dalla fase che attraverso nella mia vita. Con il cambiamento di età mi adatto nel modo di vestire, ma non mi Viene naturale pensare e ricercare cosa indosso. Capisco quelli che ne fanno una passione, ma a me non cambia la vita».

Che stile segue nel vestire? Compra lei quello che indossa o ha qualcuno che lo fa per lei? E quando era ragazzo sce glieva da solo o ci pensava sua mamma?Avete mai litigato per come si vestiva?

«Comprare non compro quasi mai. Quando succede è perché vado con la mia ragazza (Rebecca Donaldson, modella scozzese; ndr), le mie sorelle (ne ha due, Ana e Blanca; ndr) o mia madre. Non mi è mai successo di essere da qualche parte, in un hotel o a casa, ® dirmi: "Adesso vado a fare shopping"

L'idea non viene mai da me. Deve sempre arrivare da qualcun altro e già questo dimostra che non è una mia priorità. Poi mi vesto anch'io, certo. E lo stile che mi piace seguire è classico, elegante e tradizionale. Mi sento comodo e a mio agio. Fino a 20-25 anni tutti i miei vestiti li compravano mamma, le sorelle o le fidanzate del periodo. E non ci ho mai litigato perché accettavo tutto quello che dicevano, non avevo un'opinione...».

È molto legato a suo padre, che ha sempre ammirato ma senza evitare qualche scontro: che rapporto avete adesso e quanto conta per la sua carriera?

«Tutti, quando siamo giovani, abbiamo momenti di disaccordo con i genitori.Fa parte della normale dinamica tra padre e figlio e c'è un'età in cui esprimi continuamente un'opinione diversa a prescindere, per partito preso, c'è un periodo della tua vita in cui sembra tu lo faccia apposta. Quell'età adesso è passata, ma ricordo che mi piaceva discutere con lui, anche scontrarmi, però con educazione e rispetto. Non c'è mai stato un momento davvero brutto in cui ci siamo presi a male parole Papà mi ha sempre educato a rispettare tutti. Adesso abbiamo un rapporto incredibile, molto bello. Mi ha insegnato tutto quello che so nella vita, alla fine mi sento privilegiato nel poter godere di un legame così forte con lui e poter avere vicino una persona così importante nella vita».

Chi l'ha ispirata mentre cresceva? Sia nel mondo sportivo sia fuori dallo sport.

«Mio padre ha sempre utilizzato come riferimento Rafa Nadal. E anche a me piace molto, per lo spirito competitivo e per il rispetto con cui fa le cose. Con chiarezza e una forma che dice tutto di lui. A mia volta, voglio essere il migliore in pista ma anche fuori».

Cosa le piace fare lontano dai circuiti?

«Sono una persona molto sportiva, i miei hobby sono legati soprattutto a quello. Pratico da sempre golf, padel, sci, adesso tanta bicicletta, per allenamento ma anche perché mi diverte. E nel tempo libero seguo un sacco di sport in tv».

«Nadal è sempre stato il mito di mio padre ed è diventato il mio.

Hobby? Solo sport: golf, sci, padel e tanta bici, per allenamento e perché mi diverte»

Madrid, la sua città, è piena di musei bellissimi. Ci va ogni tanto? L’arte le piace?

«Sono sincero: no, non ci vado. Tutte le visite le ho fatte quando avevo 13 014 anni con la scuola e praticamente la mia frequentazione di musei è finita li. Però se qualcuno si siede a spiegarmela, me-glio: l'arte mi interessa. Ma andare io da solo, a guardare una mostra, questo non lo faccio. Ed è curioso perché se poi uno mi parla di un'opera d'arte, del perché è fatta in quel modo, della sua storia, mi piace e mi diverte».

È in Ferrari dal 2021, andarsene a fine anno non sarà facile.

«Provo sentimenti contrastanti. Le tre stagioni passate a Maranello, di duro lavoro, vivendo lì, con il tempo speso in fabbrica, hanno aiutato il team a progredire. Adesso inizia a vedersi la crescita del progetto, la monoposto è migliore e mi fido nel guidarla dopo che ha "recepito" tutte le indicazioni date in passato. Mi fa sentire felice per quest'anno e allo stesso tempo triste perché non continueremo il viaggio insieme. In qualche modo abbiamo imboccato da poco la strada giusta per il futuro, e in pista si vede. Ma è la vita, è il modo in cui la vita ha deciso che doveva andare. Non è stata una mia decisione, ma magari ci sarà di meglio in arrivo. Quando guardo al passato, alle scelte che ho fatto andando via dalla Toro Rosso, dalla Renault, dalla McLaren, vedo che tutto ha un senso. Magari tra un po' di tempo mi girerò indietro e capirò se andarsene ha pagato».

Ci sono ancora 20 GP da correre: cosa sogna che succeda, per lei e per la Fer-rari, da qui a fine stagione?

«Più vittorie, più podi e vedere dove ci porta».

Español 🇪🇸

No habrá lugar para él en Ferrari el año que viene.

Pero el español no discute, gana cuando puede y mientras tanto mira hacia adelante. «Es mi estilo, así me educaron. El Cavallino me mostró lo que es la pasión y la ayudé a crecer. Irme no es mi elección, pero tal vez vengan cosas mejores".

texto de: GIANLUCA GASPARINI

foto de: MATTIA GUOLO

Diseño de: GIANLUCA ZAPPOLI

nacido en Madrid, desde 2021 en Ferrari

El piloto español de Ferrari, Carlos Sainz, 29 años. Corre con el equipo Rojo desde 2021 y ha ganado tres Grandes Premios de Fórmula 1, el último de ellos hace un mes en Australia.

"Le sonrío al futuro

Y quiero ser el mejor".

El estilo de un hombre, porque con casi treinta años eres un hombre acabado, se mide en los momentos de adversidad. Carlos Sainz proviene de una elegante familia madrileña, puede presumir de un padre que no sólo escribió algunas páginas de historia del motor en los rallyes, sino que en su aventura en la F.1 nunca encontró un camino cuesta abajo por delante. Hace menos de tres meses Ferrari le hizo saber que ya no habrá plaza para él en 2025. Podría reaccionar mal, caer en el victimismo, perderse, exagerar para impresionar a todos. Hizo exactamente lo contrario. A partir de las palabras pronunciadas entonces, en febrero. «Hamilton en Maranello fue un golpe duro, no me lo esperaba. Estaba bastante seguro de que renovaría el contrato con la Rossa. Pero será mi último año con el equipo y sólo quiero pensar en dar lo mejor de mí para el Cavallino". Honesto, sincero. Con estilo, por cierto. «El estilo no es algo que eliges - afirma -, es algo que deriva en gran medida de la educación que te da tu familia, de los valores que has cultivado. Y eso luego se traduce en cómo te comportas y cómo haces las cosas. Pero no puedo decir que tenga un estilo propio, particular o estudiado. Sólo trato de ser natural"

¡Qué comienzo!

Excelente inicio de temporada para el español en 2024, con la victoria en Melbourne y dos terceros puestos en Bahréin y Japón.

De momento va más rápido que su compañero Charles Leclerc, y esto también generó algunas dudas y lamentos entre la afición roja. ¿Cree que todavía tiene margen de crecimiento como impulsor?

«Para mí, todos los años en la F.1 pueden ofrecer la oportunidad de progresar. Cada temporada que pasa me siento mejor piloto y también está claro que con el tiempo vas teniendo experiencias que te hacen crecer como piloto y como persona, digamos que continuamente avanzo en ambos frentes”.

Para el próximo año está en la mira de varios equipos top, empezando por Mercedes. Pero también se habló de Red Bull. ¿Este interés te hace sentir bien, después de un final de temporada difícil y delicado?

"Sí, me gustaría eso. En realidad, ya formo parte de un equipo de primer nivel como Ferrari, y hacerlo bien aquí como lo estoy haciendo realmente hace que los demás te vigilen. Al final es lo que siempre he querido como piloto, es decir, ser considerado un buen nombre para ocupar los mejores asientos de la F.1. Y, francamente, espero que siga así durante muchos años más".

Identikit Carlos Sainz

Tradición familiar, él corre en F.1 desde 2015

Carlos Sainz Vázquez de Castro Nació en Madrid (Spa) el 1 de septiembre. 1994. Hijo del dos veces campeón del mundo de rallyes Carlos Sr, creció en el karting antes de pasar a la Fórmula BMW, luego a Renault y a la GP3. Su debut en la Fórmula 1 fue en 2015, en Australia, con Toro Rosso, donde permaneció hasta octubre 2017, cuando se mudó a Renault. El bienio 2019-2020 fue en McLaren, donde logró los dos primeros podios de su carrera: tercero en Brasil en la primera temporada y segundo en Monza en la siguiente. Desde 2021 está en Ferrari. De rojo consiguió su primera pole y su primera victoria en Silverstone en 2022. Los otros dos éxitos llegaron en Singapur el año pasado y en Australia hace un mes. Para él, en general 21 podios en 187 Grandes Premios.

«Para 2025, viendo cómo voy, Me gustaría un monoplaza competitivo. Estoy feliz de estar en la mira de varios el mejor equipo"

Llegar a un acuerdo con un nuevo equipo podría llevar mucho tiempo: ¿es una idea? ¿Puede afectar su desempeño de alguna manera?

«Todas las opciones están abiertas, pero se necesita tiempo para llegar a decisiones similares. Desde este punto de vista, poco ha sucedido en las últimas semanas, pero esto no afecta mi forma de correr, mi trabajo en la pista. Elegir requiere tiempo para todos. A menudo me preguntan si es mejor pensar en el año que viene o en el largo plazo a la hora de decidir.

Creo que depende de lo que te ofrezcan. Como piloto siempre miras la opción que te presenta el monoplaza más rápido, porque piensas que así puedes conseguir podios y victorias como estoy haciendo yo este año. Pero las posibilidades a medio plazo también son interesantes, dado el cambio de normativa 2026. Cada cara de la moneda tiene más y menos, pero lo mejor es que hoy todas las opciones siguen abiertas."

No parece preocupado

"No. Sonrío pensando en el futuro aunque lo que pasará no dependa únicamente de mí. Sólo tengo que esperar y hacer bien mi trabajo. Si lleva tiempo, está bien. También porque, ante el cambio regulatorio de 2026, es casi imposible saber quién irá más rápido. Y entonces las decisiones también dependen de lo que te "venden" los equipos, pero nadie tiene una idea real. Para 2025, tal como voy, me gustaría un monoplaza competitivo... en cualquier caso la situación no me inquieta: sé mantener divididas la pista y las preguntas de periodistas y aficionados sobre el futuro. . Cuando corras, corre. Llevo 10 años en la F.1 y sé cómo gestionar mis fines de semana".

«La moda me interesa poco, no compro casi nunca nada, mi madre, mis hermanas, mi novia siempre se encargaban de ello. Amo la comodidad"

¿Cuánto te ha cambiado a nivel humano competir para Ferrari?

«Él me presentó la pasión que la gente puede tener por un equipo, y esto sólo se ve si corres con el Cavallino y estás rodeado de la afición Roja. No se siente una calidez así en otros equipos. Humanamente estuve involucrado y esto te afecta, te influye. Lo escuché."

Hamilton y Leclerc son grandes amantes de la moda. ¿A usted le gusta?

«La moda no es algo que ocupe mi mente en mi tiempo libre, depende un poco de cómo me siento día a día o de la etapa que atravieso en mi vida. Con el cambio de edad me adapto en mi forma de vestir, pero no me resulta natural pensar e investigar qué me pongo. Entiendo a quienes hacen de esto una pasión, pero eso no cambia mi vida".

¿Qué estilo sigues al vestir? ¿Compra lo que usa o tiene alguien que se lo haga? ¿Y cuando era niño eligió él solo o se encargó su madre?

¿Alguna vez habéis discutido sobre cómo vestía?

«Casi nunca compro. Cuando pasa es porque voy con mi novia (Rebecca Donaldson, modelo escocesa; ed.), mis hermanas (tiene dos, Ana y Blanca; ed.) o mi madre. Nunca me ha pasado que estuviera en algún lugar, en un hotel o en mi casa, ® diciéndome: “ahora voy de compras” La idea nunca se me ocurre. Siempre tiene que venir de otra persona y eso solo demuestra que no es mi prioridad. Luego yo también me visto, claro. Y el estilo que me gusta seguir es el clásico, elegante y tradicional. Me siento cómodo y a gusto. Hasta los 20-25 toda mi ropa la compraba mi madre, hermanas o novias de la época. Y nunca discutí por eso porque aceptaba todo lo que decían, no tenía opinión...".

Es muy cercano a su padre, al que siempre ha admirado pero sin evitar algunos enfrentamientos: ¿qué relación tienes ahora y qué importancia tiene para su carrera?

«Cuando somos jóvenes, todos tenemos momentos de desacuerdo con nuestros padres. Es parte de la dinámica normal entre padre e hijo y hay una edad en la que continuamente expresas una opinión diferente independientemente, por prejuicios, hay un período de tu vida en el que parece que lo haces a propósito. Esa edad ya pasó, pero recuerdo que me gustaba discutir con él, incluso chocar, pero con educación y respeto. Nunca hubo un mal momento en el que nos dijéramos malas palabras. Papá siempre me crió para que respetara a todos. Ahora tenemos una relación increíble, muy hermosa. Él me enseñó todo lo que sé en la vida, al final me siento un privilegiado de poder disfrutar de un vínculo tan fuerte con él y poder tener cerca de mí a una persona tan importante en mi vida."

¿Quién te inspiró mientras crecías? Tanto en el mundo deportivo como fuera del deporte.

«Mi padre siempre usó a Rafa Nadal como referente. Y me gusta mucho también, por el espíritu competitivo y el respeto con el que hace las cosas. Con claridad y una forma que dice todo de él. A mi vez, quiero ser el mejor dentro de la pista pero también fuera de ella".

¿Qué te gusta hacer fuera de los circuitos?

«Soy una persona muy deportista, mis aficiones están ligadas principalmente a eso. Siempre he practicado golf, pádel, esquí, ahora mucho ciclismo, para entrenar pero también porque lo disfruto. Y en mi tiempo libre sigo muchos deportes en la televisión".

«Nadal siempre ha sido la leyenda de mi padre y se ha convertido en la mía.

¿Pasatiempo? Sólo deporte: golf, esquí, pádel y mucho ciclismo, para entrenar y porque lo disfruto”

Madrid, su ciudad, está llena de preciosos museos. ¿Vas allí de vez en cuando? ¿Te gusta el arte?

«Te soy sincera: no, no voy. Todas las visitas las hice cuando tenía 13.014 años con el colegio y prácticamente ahí acabó mi asistencia a los museos. Pero si alguien se sienta a explicármelo, mejor aún: me interesa el arte. Pero ir solo a ver una exposición no lo hago. Y es curioso porque si alguien me habla de una obra de arte, de por qué está hecha así, de su historia, me gusta y la disfruto."

Lleva en Ferrari desde 2021, marcharse a final de año no será fácil.

«Tengo sentimientos encontrados. Las tres temporadas pasadas en Maranello, de duro trabajo, de vivir allí, con el tiempo pasado en la fábrica, ayudaron al equipo a progresar. Ahora empezamos a ver el crecimiento del proyecto, el monoplaza es mejor y tengo confianza en conducirlo después de haber "implementado" todas las indicaciones dadas en el pasado. Me hace sentir feliz por este año y al mismo tiempo triste porque no continuaremos el viaje juntos. De alguna manera, recientemente hemos tomado el camino correcto para el futuro, y eso se nota en la pista. Pero así es la vida, así es como la vida decidió que debía ser. No fue mi decisión, pero tal vez vengan cosas mejores. Cuando miro al pasado, a las decisiones que tomé al dejar Toro Rosso, Renault, McLaren, veo que todo tiene sentido. Tal vez dentro de un tiempo mire atrás y comprenda si marcharme valió la pena".

Aún quedan 20 grandes premios: ¿qué sueñas que sucederá para ti y para Ferrari de aquí al final de la temporada?

"Más victorias, más podios y veremos adónde nos lleva".

22 notes · View notes

usafphantom2 · 25 days

Text

Randy’s Warbird Profiles: Focke-Wulf Fw 190A-5 “White A”

August 30, 2024 Zac Yates Warbirds News 0

[Photo by Randy Malmstrom]

Aircorps Art Dec 2019

By Randy Malmstrom

Since his childhood, Randy Malmstrom has had a passion for aviation history and historic military aircraft in particular. He has a particular penchant for documenting specific airframes with a highly detailed series of walk-around images and an in-depth exploration of their history, which have proved to be popular with many of those who have seen them, and we thought our readers would be equally fascinated too. This installment of Randy’s Warbird Profiles takes a look at the Flying Heritage & Combat Armor Museum‘s Focke-Wulf Fw 190A-5, currently the only airworthy example of the legendary Luftwaffe fighter.

RWW FHCAM 190A 02

[Photo by Randy Malmstrom]

This particular aircraft was built in Bremen in April 1943. It is an example of the Jagdbomber (“Jabos” for short) or fighter bomber modification. It was based at Siversky (southwest of Leningrad) and so has come down through history as the “Leningrad 190.” It is the aircraft of Feldwebel Paul Rätz, Jagdgeschwader 54, Staffel 4 and a veteran of 117 combat missions. I have heard variously that it was painted in forest camouflage using paints scrounged from local residents by Luftwaffe field mechanics, or it was pained in RLM colors being tested at the time. The yellow stripe indicates Russian Front and a letter marking generally refers to ground attack rather than a number for air attack.

RWW FHCAM 190A 04

[Photo by Randy Malmstrom]

While on a “free hunt” for trains with his wingman in the “Corridor of Death” near Voybokalo, east of Leningrad, on July 19, 1943 Rätz encountered heavy anti-aircraft fire. He reported having been hit by flak and made a nearly perfect belly landing. He was reported missing in action, but in fact survived the crash and was taken prisoner in the Soviet Union and was later repatriated to Germany in 1949. The aircraft was found in 1989 where he left it near Leningrad (now St. Petersburg) with his helmet and radio gear on the pilot’s seat.

youtube

It is believed that slave laborers sabotaged this aircraft as there was no bullet damage, and a rag was found in one of the oil lines. It was rebuilt with as much original skin as possible (I am told as much as 80-90%) and powered by a BMW 801 D-2 air-cooled engine (note the 12-bladed fan behind the propeller) — I have heard that an unused engine still in its crate was found for this project — which was rebuilt at Vintage V-12s in Tehachapi, CA. What was amazing about this aircraft was the Kommandogerät (control device), an electro-mechanical computer that sets the fuel mixture, propeller pitch, boost, and magneto timing all at once. It is my understanding that the famous KommandoGerät in and of itself was half the cost of the BMW 801 “Power Egg” engine (there seems to be question as to any use of that moniker in German-language regions), and that there were disputes between manufacturers Fw and BMW over all the early engine problems (who was to blame); a Luftwaffe officer helped the two companies come to some agreement.

RWW FHCAM 190A 10

[Photo via Randy Malmstrom]

It was acquired by Vulcan Warbirds Inc. for display and flight at Flying Heritage & Combat Armor Museum (FHCAM) on Paine Field in Everett, WA. The BMW sticker has been removed for safe keeping but you can see the disk where it belongs. The canopy is largely original and I’ve heard reports that the plastic was recovered from the Bodensee (Lake Constance) or possibly Lake Geneva, Switzerland. Final restoration was at GossHawk Unlimited in Arizona and Steve Hinton flew it for the first time on December 1, 2010. It is the only flying example of this version with a BMW 801 engine as of this writing, with Steve Hinton and Kevin Eldridge the only two pilots checked out in the aircraft since it was restored.

RWW FHCAM 190A 07

[Photo by Randy Malmstrom]

This Jabos modification was armed with two Rheinmetall MG 17 7.92 mm machine guns in the cowling (disparagingly referred to by German pilots as “Türklopfer” or “doorknockers” for their lack of penetrating power) – two of the MG/FF 20 mm cannons in the wings were removed to carry up to 1,320 lbs. of ordnance. It has red mechanical landing gear indicator rods or bayonets which you can see protruding on top of the wings and where it attaches to the landing gear strut.

Note that in this vintage of Fw-190 there is a spring-loaded pulley on the canopy to keep the antenna wire taught regardless of the the canopy’s position; this was skipped on later 190’s such as the D-13 Dora (I have photos of that aircraft without the pulley). Flaps are metal whereas the Dora uses wood. Also, since the canopy rails are not parallel the canopy has a hinge on the top to make it flexible. There is a cable from the right landing gear strut to the tailwheel that retracts the tailwheel when the main gear goes up; there is an access panel on the left side of the tail fin to adjust the cable mechanism (see photos and diagrams). The right wheel rim of the aircraft is painted red indicating synthetic fuel (as far as I have determined).

RWW FHCAM 190A 05

[Photo by Randy Malmstrom]

The “Achtung” warning on the armor behind the pilot’s seat reminds ground crews that there is an explosive canopy release – this is due to the difficulty of opening it manually when the aircraft is at speed.

RWW FHCAM 190A 06

[Photo by Randy Malmstrom]

About the author

Randy Malmstrom grew up in a family steeped in aviation culture. His father, Bob, was still a cadet in training with the USAAF at the end of WWII, but did serve in Germany during the U.S. occupation in the immediate post-war period, where he had the opportunity to fly in a wide variety of types which flew in WWII. After returning to the States, Bob became a multi-engine aircraft sales manager and as such flew a wide variety of aircraft; Randy frequently accompanied him on these flights. Furthermore, Randy’s cousin, Einar Axel Malmstrom flew P-47 Thunderbolts with the 356th FG from RAF Martlesham Heath. He was commanding this unit at the time he was shot down over France on April 24th, 1944, spending the rest of the war as a prisoner of war. Following his repatriation at war’s end, Einar continued his military service, attaining the rank of Colonel. He was serving as Deputy Wing Commander of the 407th Strategic Fighter Wing at Great Falls AFB, MT at the time of his death in a T-33 training accident on August 21, 1954. The base was renamed in his honor in October 1955 and continues to serve in the present USAF as home to the 341st Missile Wing. Randy’s innate interest in history in general, and aviation history in particular, plus his educational background and passion for WWII warbirds, led him down his current path of capturing detailed aircraft walk-around photos and in-depth airframe histories, recording a precise description of a particular aircraft in all aspects.

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Zac Yates

Zac, born and raised in New Zealand, grew up immersed in aviation, with his father working as a helicopter crewman and living at Wanganui Airport. His passion for aviation started in childhood, building scale model kits and following the global warbird scene. He later trained as a journalist but found mainstream media unfulfilling, leading him to pursue a career as an aircraft maintenance engineer.

Now residing in Blenheim, near the historic Omaka Aerodrome, Zac studies at RNZAF Base Woodbourne and aspires to become a private and warbird pilot. Known as "Handbag" in aviation circles, he shares his love for aviation through photography and writing, connecting with enthusiasts worldwide.

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