Unsporting Ferrari
Discussion
Bearing in mind the state of the World Campionship and the relative popularity of Rubens Barichello compared to the metronomic Schumacher the actions of the Ferari team today beggar belief
Messrs Montezelemo, Todt and Brawn need to remember that they are participating in a sport not a business, and if they were running the F1 business they have just found a new way of sending the punters away.
It is especially insensitive to pull this stunt 20 years to the weekend since Gilles Villeneuve was killed, a death that has always been partly attributed to the need to prove himself after being required to pull over and cede a Grand Prix to Didier Pironi.
Let's all hope the sponsors cause a fuss because I guess they are the only people this bunch of arrogant megalomaniacs will listen to. In the meantime I'm making a note to put my order for my new Ferrari on hold - what could I have instead - perhaps a pretty little TVR....
Messrs Montezelemo, Todt and Brawn need to remember that they are participating in a sport not a business, and if they were running the F1 business they have just found a new way of sending the punters away.
It is especially insensitive to pull this stunt 20 years to the weekend since Gilles Villeneuve was killed, a death that has always been partly attributed to the need to prove himself after being required to pull over and cede a Grand Prix to Didier Pironi.
Let's all hope the sponsors cause a fuss because I guess they are the only people this bunch of arrogant megalomaniacs will listen to. In the meantime I'm making a note to put my order for my new Ferrari on hold - what could I have instead - perhaps a pretty little TVR....
Jasper
I couldn't agree more. One point though... Pironi overtook Villeneuve even though there was an agreement within the team that who ever was leading with 5 laps left would stay infront. Pironi reneged on the deal and overtook Villeneuve. Giles never spoke to him again and was totally disgusted that Pironi did not honour a Gentlemans agreement.... Villeneuve died soon afterwards and Pironi lost his his legs in a terrible accident years later and then died in a powerboat crash. Even Enzo Ferrari was disgusted and I believe he would turn in his grave if he saw what happened today......
My biggest gripe about this is that Schumacher didn't even need the points today....
People slag Hill and Mansell but did either of them (or even Senna or Prost for that matter) need to pull the kind of stunt that Schumacher did today, to win the title?? No, they had to fight their own team mate fair and square....
I couldn't agree more. One point though... Pironi overtook Villeneuve even though there was an agreement within the team that who ever was leading with 5 laps left would stay infront. Pironi reneged on the deal and overtook Villeneuve. Giles never spoke to him again and was totally disgusted that Pironi did not honour a Gentlemans agreement.... Villeneuve died soon afterwards and Pironi lost his his legs in a terrible accident years later and then died in a powerboat crash. Even Enzo Ferrari was disgusted and I believe he would turn in his grave if he saw what happened today......
My biggest gripe about this is that Schumacher didn't even need the points today....
People slag Hill and Mansell but did either of them (or even Senna or Prost for that matter) need to pull the kind of stunt that Schumacher did today, to win the title?? No, they had to fight their own team mate fair and square....
This was just appaling - Even Schumi said that it was not required at this point in the season.
To rob Rubens of only his second win was just downright nasty.
But at least they were open about it and did not have a problem with the fuel hose or similar as they had a fair few seconds to play with.
To rob Rubens of only his second win was just downright nasty.
But at least they were open about it and did not have a problem with the fuel hose or similar as they had a fair few seconds to play with.
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Even Schumi said that it was not required at this point in the season.
Not having a go at you Mark, but Schumi is a liar and a cheat.....he only changed his tack when everyone booed him on the podium, and if he "didn't think it was necessary" why did the twat overtake him????
If he didn't want to stand on the top step of the podium or have the trophy why didn't he back off and make sure Ruebens won???
Because he's a w*nker.......
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Not having a go at you Mark, but Schumi is a liar and a cheat.....he only changed his tack when everyone booed him on the podium, and if he "didn't think it was necessary" why did the twat overtake him????
If he didn't want to stand on the top step of the podium or have the trophy why didn't he back off and make sure Ruebens won???
Because he's a w*nker.......
totally agree with that,but he still is a bloody good driver(cant believe i said that) Simon
This really was a poor ending, and the look on Ralf Schumachers face said it all.
The only way you can justify it is as a business decision; the F1 team is in the business of winning championships, invests huge amounts of money doing it, and took a decision that maximises the chances of winning the drivers title. I think it was Sir Frank Williams who said that 'F1 is a sport for 2 hours on a Sunday afternoon, the rest of the time it is a business'. The point is that for those 2 hours it isn't a business, it is a sport, and this is not sporting.
While people may think I want Ferrari to win, in reality I don't. Like most others, I want an exciting race. It's not just this afternoon, but on many occasions Ferrari fall short in their sporting behaviour. Not something I particularly want to identify with.
The only way you can justify it is as a business decision; the F1 team is in the business of winning championships, invests huge amounts of money doing it, and took a decision that maximises the chances of winning the drivers title. I think it was Sir Frank Williams who said that 'F1 is a sport for 2 hours on a Sunday afternoon, the rest of the time it is a business'. The point is that for those 2 hours it isn't a business, it is a sport, and this is not sporting.
While people may think I want Ferrari to win, in reality I don't. Like most others, I want an exciting race. It's not just this afternoon, but on many occasions Ferrari fall short in their sporting behaviour. Not something I particularly want to identify with.
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Even Schumi said that it was not required at this point in the season.
Not having a go at you Mark, but Schumi is a liar and a cheat.....he only changed his tack when everyone booed him on the podium, and if he "didn't think it was necessary" why did the twat overtake him????
If he didn't want to stand on the top step of the podium or have the trophy why didn't he back off and make sure Ruebens won???
Because he's a w*nker.......
MS had many laps to anticipate this "team orders" possibility. We all now that he is a thinking driver (damn him) so he should of backed off and let the positions remain unchanged. He could have deliberately locked a wheel and lost a few seconds somewhere or something similar if neccessary. HE DIDN'T HAVE TO PASS HIM
Sorry about shouting
Nothing new here, in the 'good old days' when Gentlemen raced each other the second driver would often be required to pull into the pits and hand over a healthy car to the team leader who had trashed his own car. Later we watched Peterson dutyfully follow Andretti for virtually a whole season and there are numerous examples of team tactics in endurance racing.
Ross Braun made a fair point about the effect team orders have on the race as a whole and to what extent the two red cars were actually racing each other.
Notwithstanding anything I have said I did feel utterly sick for RB who really seemed to be ahead for the whole weekend.
Ross Braun made a fair point about the effect team orders have on the race as a whole and to what extent the two red cars were actually racing each other.
Notwithstanding anything I have said I did feel utterly sick for RB who really seemed to be ahead for the whole weekend.
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Waste of 2 hours,i thought i was watching a motor race,not a carefully played out show!,Think i,ll stick to the GT Races where its no holes barred.
Yup, like the BTCC on Saturday at Thruxton. Lots of tangles and overtaking. I actually watched that on the edge of my seat. Excellent stuff.
Good one Mr Thompson!
Steve
The stunt also is potentially fraudulent. If I was a betting man and placed a bet on Barrichello to win the Ferrari team would have defrauded me of the winnings. This is race-fixing pure and simple and should be outlawed from all sport, including the WRC. All entrants should be trying to win and nobody should be able to change this. The rules in Fi should change to prevent this (but it won't because it was Ferrari and not another team).
I watched with a sick feeling as RB having been ahead all weekend as well as all race, slowed just enough to let Schumacher overtake at the chequered flag, and the incredulous reactions of the ITV commentators could barely be heard above the crowd's jeers and boos.
Ross Braun said, quite proudly, that it was not a race. He was right. Sadly, he seemed to have no idea of the implications of his statement. If F1 is not racing but theatre, then taking punters bets is most definitely fraud. How I wished I were in Scotland watching Tuscans.
Ross Braun said, quite proudly, that it was not a race. He was right. Sadly, he seemed to have no idea of the implications of his statement. If F1 is not racing but theatre, then taking punters bets is most definitely fraud. How I wished I were in Scotland watching Tuscans.
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