Flavio feels betrayed.
Discussion
The single-tyre rule last year greatly worked to Michelin's favour; it took Bridgestones longer to heat up, so that a race tyre couldn't get warm enough during the brief qualifying stint to be effective. This resulted in Bridgestone runners' qualifying lower relative to their race pace. In the processional world of modern Formula One, a poor starting position often means "Game Over".
In the off-season the teams have voted to rescind the single-tyre rule, thereby nullifying Michelin's advantage. As it happened, the deciding vote was cast by Red Bull - a Michelin runner.
This week Flavio Briatore said that he felt "betrayed" by Red Bull, and that he couldn't understand why they would vote against the interests of their tyre supplier and, presumably, themselves.
It couldn't have anything to do with the fact that this year Red Bull will be using Ferrari engines, could it? No, sportsmen wouldn't act so cynically. Then again, I'm not sure that there are any sportsmen in Formula One.
In the off-season the teams have voted to rescind the single-tyre rule, thereby nullifying Michelin's advantage. As it happened, the deciding vote was cast by Red Bull - a Michelin runner.
This week Flavio Briatore said that he felt "betrayed" by Red Bull, and that he couldn't understand why they would vote against the interests of their tyre supplier and, presumably, themselves.
It couldn't have anything to do with the fact that this year Red Bull will be using Ferrari engines, could it? No, sportsmen wouldn't act so cynically. Then again, I'm not sure that there are any sportsmen in Formula One.
It would be reasonable to assume that you are absolutely correct, flemke, and I would throw in to the debate that Red Bull will do anything for some kind of publicity. Also that Michelin are unlikely to to be bidding for the future single supplier deal so RB may well have a eye on snuggling up to Bridgestone early.
I can't be bothered to check - which tyres will the RB Junior team be running?
>> Edited by LongQ on Friday 3rd February 14:02
I can't be bothered to check - which tyres will the RB Junior team be running?
>> Edited by LongQ on Friday 3rd February 14:02
RichardD said:
This does smell fishier than fisherman freds finest fishy fillet fingers, but to me anyway, single tyres were just silly, they surely reduced the relative mechanical grip to aerodynamic downforce and hence downgraded the racing.....
But made the races considerably more exciting because they removed the tedious '3 short races in one' element that has prevailed in F1 for many years.
This year is just going to be a step backwards.
How fortunate that Ferrari has got its way again, though...
ahonen said:
How fortunate that Ferrari has got its way again, though...
Indeed - another shocker!
Did you see this week how that obnoxious snivelling spaghetti-bender Montezemolo was arguing that people should be more sympathetic towards FIArrari because they're really just underdog privateers?
ahonen said:I am puzzled, fuel stops still existed..
...
But made the races considerably more exciting because they removed the tedious '3 short races in one' element that has prevailed in F1 for many years.
...
Ideally I wouldn't mind if it was one tyre per race as long as they were proper tyres, rather than the grooved nonsense. How many other serious types of motorsport have such a deliberate compromise. Why were not the tyres just slicks but made narrower (since they'd look even sillier)?
Its all a great shame. last years rules contributed to the best season we have had for years, ending a long spell of dominance by one team. Michelin did a fantastic job, and bridgestone did crap and want their asses kicking. Yet Michelin have been punished and Bridgestone rewarded for their mediocrity.
Thats never been the way of F1, where traditionally success is rewarded and failure punished. I simply can't imagine how ferrari have engineered this - I mean, they're the only ones to gain.
I'll be surprised if Michelin stay after this season, and then we'll be back to the delights of watching the cars on rock hard bridgestones again.
Thats never been the way of F1, where traditionally success is rewarded and failure punished. I simply can't imagine how ferrari have engineered this - I mean, they're the only ones to gain.
I'll be surprised if Michelin stay after this season, and then we'll be back to the delights of watching the cars on rock hard bridgestones again.
flemke said:
Did you see this week how that obnoxious snivelling spaghetti-bender Montezemolo was arguing that people should be more sympathetic towards FIArrari because they're really just underdog privateers?
No I didn't. It surprises me that Montezemolo said such a thing as he always struck me as one of the straighter Ferrari people coming, as he did originally, from the '70s when things were a little more sporting.
If Toad or Brawn had said that I wouldn't have raised an eyebrow.
'Obnoxious snivelling spaghetti-bender' - I must remember that one...
ahonen said:
Did you see this week how that obnoxious snivelling spaghetti-bender Montezemolo was arguing that people should be more sympathetic towards FIArrari because they're really just underdog privateers?
No I didn't. It surprises me that Montezemolo said such a thing as he always struck me as one of the straighter Ferrari people coming, as he did originally, from the '70s when things were a little more sporting.
If Toad or Brawn had said that I wouldn't have raised an eyebrow.
As they say in - of all places - Italy, "the fish rots from the head".
ahonen said:
Did you see this week how that obnoxious snivelling spaghetti-bender Montezemolo was arguing that people should be more sympathetic towards FIArrari because they're really just underdog privateers?
No I didn't. It surprises me that Montezemolo said such a thing as he always struck me as one of the straighter Ferrari people coming, as he did originally, from the '70s when things were a little more sporting.
If Toad or Brawn had said that I wouldn't have raised an eyebrow.
'Obnoxious snivelling spaghetti-bender' - I must remember that one...
From this week's Autocar:
the capo fish said,
I like to point out that Fiat doesn't give Ferrari a single euro for racing. All the racing activity depends on Ferrari's resources. Ferrari must not be seen as an integral part of a car manufacturing team, but as a 'privateer'.
Isn't it nice that Ferrari carry those "Fiat" logos on their racecars free of charge? Top blokes, they are.
And I have no doubt that all the other 'privateers' got an extra $100M from Bernie to sign the CA, receive an annual subsidy from the other nine teams for their "historic contributions to the sport", and somehow have such good luck that the FIA always rules in their favour.
www.fiafoundation.com/thinkbeforeyoudrive/partners/index.html
and
www.fiafoundation.com/policy/road_safety/news/max_mosley_awarded_legion_d_honneur.html
which must please Michelin no end ...
and
www.fiafoundation.com/policy/road_safety/news/max_mosley_awarded_legion_d_honneur.html
which must please Michelin no end ...
LongQ said:
www.fiafoundation.com/thinkbeforeyoudrive/partners/index.html
and
www.fiafoundation.com/policy/road_safety/news/max_mosley_awarded_legion_d_honneur.html
which must please Michelin no end ...
Min Mosley - a truly nauseating creature.
In fact, no sooner did I write the above comment on Min than I came upon this:
Mosley plans no money to manufacturers
Formula One's manufacturer-backed teams will be left with no revenue from the sport's commercial rights after 2008 if a proposal by FIA president Max Mosley gets the go-ahead, autosport.com has learned.
In a move that looks set to raise tensions between the governing body and the manufacturers, high level sources at the FIA have revealed that Mosley has recommended to F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone that only independent teams be awarded income in the future.
It is understood that Mosley believes a structure where independent teams are awarded a greater income than their manufacturer-backed rivals is the only way to guarantee long-term stability in the sport.
"Manufacturers are involved in F1 for their own promotional reasons, whereas for independent teams it is their core business," said a source...
As was suggested in this week's edition of the Weekly Grapevine, Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo's recent claim that his team are not a 'manufacturer' may be related to Mosley's stance.
The Italian said: ""Ferrari must not be seen as an integral part of a car manufacturing team but must be viewed as a private entity."...
Mosley was quoted in today's Evening Standard as saying that he supports the idea of the manufacturers getting no financial return for their entry into F1.
"I believe it would be entirely reasonable to offer the manufacturers that join the Formula One world championship no income," he said.
The Little Dictator is acting more like his mummy and daddy every day.
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