F1.... This season the tightest ever.
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Thunderstruck
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You mean the A1 Grand Prix? Yeah, that should be good.
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Thunderstruck
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Haven't watched F1 since Bahrain but I read all about the USGP. Michelin didn't have a problem in the last five or so years they've had races there, why now?
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Insomniac
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No I didn't watch it, thank God! I completely forgot that the US GP was only a week after the Canadian, but I would've been pissed if I had stayed up to see that debacle!
I originally sided with the Michelin teams, after hearing that Ferrari had blocked the requests of the other teams (which were for safety reasons), but after reading the full story, I find it unbelievable that the Michelin teams would expect the FIA and US GP organisers to put a temporary chicane in the "unsafe" area.
As the FIA have stated, if the Michelin teams did not bring appropriate equipment to the event, and the Bridgestone teams did, why should the Bridgestone teams be penalised?
The suggestions by the FIA to go slower in that section, or to take the penalty and just change tyres during the race were completely valid in my opinion. Most of the competitive Michelin teams would still have scored points, and the public that spent around $100 per ticket would still have seen a race!
It was a very selfish and childish decision by the Michelin teams not to race, just because they did not want Ferrari (as much as I hate them) to have the edge (let's be honest, the other two Bridgestone teams would probably not have been fast enough to displace the competitive Michelin teams anyway, even with a tyre advantage!).
I originally sided with the Michelin teams, after hearing that Ferrari had blocked the requests of the other teams (which were for safety reasons), but after reading the full story, I find it unbelievable that the Michelin teams would expect the FIA and US GP organisers to put a temporary chicane in the "unsafe" area.
As the FIA have stated, if the Michelin teams did not bring appropriate equipment to the event, and the Bridgestone teams did, why should the Bridgestone teams be penalised?
The suggestions by the FIA to go slower in that section, or to take the penalty and just change tyres during the race were completely valid in my opinion. Most of the competitive Michelin teams would still have scored points, and the public that spent around $100 per ticket would still have seen a race!
It was a very selfish and childish decision by the Michelin teams not to race, just because they did not want Ferrari (as much as I hate them) to have the edge (let's be honest, the other two Bridgestone teams would probably not have been fast enough to displace the competitive Michelin teams anyway, even with a tyre advantage!).
i taped it, thank god i didnt stay up and watch it.
I think its selfish and childish of Ferrari for not comming up with a solution. Again like last year they put their teams performance ahead of actually putting on a show for the crowd.
They were the ONLY teams not to accept to put a temporary chicane in at the end of the straight.. the ONLY team... they knew they would have a 1+2 spot if the others didnt race.. the other teams who run on Bridgestone didnt have a problem, why Ferrari.
If its not Barrichello letting Schumacher pass him to win, its them not agreeing to simple requests from the other teams which would allow the race to actually be run with ALL teams involved. Nope they only think of points, and because both are going crap this year... they put winning ahead of putting on a spectacle for the thousands who turned up. (who wont be there next year i can assure you)
To add insult to injury my bet of Webber finishing on a podium had lost before the race was even started... whats fair about that!?
I think its selfish and childish of Ferrari for not comming up with a solution. Again like last year they put their teams performance ahead of actually putting on a show for the crowd.
They were the ONLY teams not to accept to put a temporary chicane in at the end of the straight.. the ONLY team... they knew they would have a 1+2 spot if the others didnt race.. the other teams who run on Bridgestone didnt have a problem, why Ferrari.
If its not Barrichello letting Schumacher pass him to win, its them not agreeing to simple requests from the other teams which would allow the race to actually be run with ALL teams involved. Nope they only think of points, and because both are going crap this year... they put winning ahead of putting on a spectacle for the thousands who turned up. (who wont be there next year i can assure you)
To add insult to injury my bet of Webber finishing on a podium had lost before the race was even started... whats fair about that!?
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Insomniac
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From what I hear, the final say would've gone with the FIA who would never have approved a temporary chicane at such short notice. Any track modifications require testing for safety and insurance purposes - without that, the FIA and US GP organisers would have been liable if something had gone wrong at that section of the track.
Yes it was arrogant of Ferrari to be the only team not to accept the proposed change (whatever happened to majority rules???), but what's new there!!... and it did not make a difference to the outcome - the track layout would not have been changed regardless.
The FIA also offered to monitor each Michelin driver through that section of track to make sure they were not driving too fast for their tyres, but this was obviously declined as well.
Yes it was arrogant of Ferrari to be the only team not to accept the proposed change (whatever happened to majority rules???), but what's new there!!... and it did not make a difference to the outcome - the track layout would not have been changed regardless.
The FIA also offered to monitor each Michelin driver through that section of track to make sure they were not driving too fast for their tyres, but this was obviously declined as well.
Insomniac, from what I've read it wouldn't have been the first time the FIA approved temporary track changes, if the team was Ferrari. This was an FIA issue, it was up to them to find a safe, suitable compromise but they weren't interested. As usual they expected the teams to back down after some grandstanding. Who could blame them thinking that as this is the first time that I can recall that the Michelin shod teams have stood firm against the FIA.
On the Ferrari issue, if you'd seen the "race" then you would discover that they were up to their old tricks again. Barrichello was leading when he was told by team radio to take it easy. This was to enable Schumacher to take the lead. Barrichello was pissed as, after the race he wouldn't even look at Michael.
The FIA have shown their hand on this by summoning the Michelin shod teams to appear before them on 29/6/05 to answer charges of bringing the "sport" into disrepute. Apparently the teams should have driven on faulty, unsafe tyres and therefore put their lives at risk.
In the lead up to the race, when solutions were still being put forward by Michelin and the Michelin shod team bosses, Bernie Ecclestone said "I don't care" in regards to their problem.
The sooner the GPWC starts the better I say.
On the Ferrari issue, if you'd seen the "race" then you would discover that they were up to their old tricks again. Barrichello was leading when he was told by team radio to take it easy. This was to enable Schumacher to take the lead. Barrichello was pissed as, after the race he wouldn't even look at Michael.
The FIA have shown their hand on this by summoning the Michelin shod teams to appear before them on 29/6/05 to answer charges of bringing the "sport" into disrepute. Apparently the teams should have driven on faulty, unsafe tyres and therefore put their lives at risk.
In the lead up to the race, when solutions were still being put forward by Michelin and the Michelin shod team bosses, Bernie Ecclestone said "I don't care" in regards to their problem.
The sooner the GPWC starts the better I say.
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Insomniac
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Yeah my whole problem with these sorts of decisions by the FIA is the double standards issue that you mentioned... there seems to be different rules for Ferrari vs. the rest of the F1 paddock. As you said, if it had been Ferrari making the request, chances are the FIA would have buckled and forced everyone else into a compromise...
As it was, Schumacher still managed to knock someone off the track - his own teammate!!!
As it was, Schumacher still managed to knock someone off the track - his own teammate!!!
Unfortunately that didn't happen, they didn't even make contact. It was a bloody close thing though. I am sure after the race that Jean Todt and Ross Braun (sp?) made Barrichello apologise to Michael for being in the way.Insomniac wrote:As it was, Schumacher still managed to knock someone off the track - his own teammate!!!
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Insomniac
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Surandy wrote:...I am sure after the race that Jean Todt and Ross Braun (sp?) made Barrichello apologise to Michael for being in the way.
I just assumed they did touch, as they both went into the corner together, and Barrichello ended up off the track briefly... either way, I find it highly amusing that in a race with only two people (practically), there is still a coming together! (even more amusing considering it was Michael involved... again!)