F1 2007

[Colonâ„¢]

The drivers are still allowed to race and still have all of their points because doing such would kill off the most exciting season in ages. I don't think the FIA's concession should be taken as a sign of doubt about McLaren's guilt.

[Zoid]

Originally posted by Cort Haus
FWIW, I'm not a fan of McLaren or any particular team. I am certainly not a fan of Max Moseley, though I do have a lot of respect for Ron Dennis, who has done much more for the sport than the power-crazed lawyer.

Indeed, Mosley is just a piece of **** with no interest in the sport...

If McLaren are guilty, why are their drivers allowed to race?

a) because all drivers were promised immunity when this came to FIA's attention the first time

and

b) because robbing Hamilton and Alonso of their points would effectively destroy what has so far been the best F1 season in many years and it would not be in the best interest of the sport.

Of course Max Mosely and his lawyer zombies in the WMSC argued for total removal of all points for McLaren. Teams and drivers.

Is it only the British press that are reporting that Alonso said to Dennis "Make me No 1 or I will disclose emails that indicated that I knew something"?

There's nothing about it in swedish press AFAIK. Not that there's much F1 coverage to begin with...

Alonso is being a bit of a ***** here. He's 'good guy' image has been shot to hell this season with all the stunts he pulled in the pit and on the track. I'm a bit disappointed really... He might even have talked himself out of a race seat for 2008...

[LordShiva]

Dennis and Alonso are fighting

[Zoid]

Not so much fighting as Alonso being an absolute bastard IMO. Damn, Alonso's been my favourite driver since day 1... Now I lost my respect for him... Let's hope Hamilton doesn't get this arrogant if he wins this year...

[Thorgal]

He might even have talked himself out of a race seat for 2008...

Naaah. Any team wanting to win something would kill for having Alonso, or would kill for not having him in the enemy team...

In order to be a multiple WDC in something as complex as F1 you need to be a little bastard, specially if things are not all in your side. So nothng to be so amazed of here. Or do you think Prost, Senna or MS were Snow White?

[Cort Haus]

Hakkinen?

[Thorgal]

Hakkinen was a nice guy, but dont think he was the same sort of champ as the others were.

On a side note, it seems that Ferrari has already hired Alonso. No for sure yet AFAIK, but everybody is speaking about it and there's no smoke without fire, and there is a lot of somke indeed. (many people who is going to suffer a collapse )

[Cort Haus]

SEPTEMBER 25, 2007
Holding down the lid of Pandora's Box?

As the Formula 1 circus heads out to Japan there are many whispered stories doing the rounds about espionage scandals which may or may not come to light. With the FIA having punished McLaren so harshly, despite having almost no concrete evidence that the information was used, the federation may now find that it has opened a Pandora's Box of similar cases in the F1 world.

"It was common practice in Formula 1," McLaren test driver Pedro de la Rosa told the World Council during the recent hearing. "If that is wrong, then we are all wrong. I have been listening with all of our fellow drivers. I can give you lots of examples, if you want. I don’t know what all of this is about. This is common practice. We talk about car set-ups, rivals, etc., all day long. It is our passion. It is as simple as that."

McLaren boss Ron Dennis has also hinted at the problem by telling members of the F1 media that "you would be amazed what you would find if you looked in the computers of all the drivers".

More specifically, however, there have been allegations in recent days that Renault engineer Phil Mackereth took three disks of McLaren information with him when he joined Renault. We have also heard rumours that McLaren information may have also turned up at another team which recruited people from McLaren. For the moment everyone is remaining very quiet and playing down the possibilities.

"What happened is what happens probably all the time," Renault team boss Flavio Briatore told a German magazine, oddly echoing the remarks of de la Rosa and Dennis. "It cannot be controlled. I don't want to say anything, because it is now something for the FIA to judge."

Briatore added that the team has given all the available information about the case to the FIA and to McLaren.

The ball is thus in the FIA's court.

McLaren does have other options available. It could go to a civil court as Ferrari did in 2003 when it wanted to challenge Toyota. There may be arguments that all this is bad for the sport but there is no reason why McLaren should take the blame if other teams have been doing the same thing.

McLaren may however feel that it is best to bury the issue as there is a Sword of Damocles hanging over the team at the moment as the FIA will be inspecting the 2008 McLaren to make sure that there is no Ferrari input in the car. Max Mosley says that if the FIA finds any evidence of that McLaren could be banned next year. Proving such things would be difficult but given the small amount of evidence used to convict McLaren at the recent World Council anything is possible. This is acceptable if there are similar zero tolerance attitude for similar offenders but very worrying if there is any suspicion that the FIA is not acting in an even-handed manner. This would serve only to undermine the authority and credibility of the governing body.

http://www.grandprix.com/ns/ns19677.html

[LordShiva]

What a joke of a race so far

[Tuberski]

You are supposed to be incommunicado!

I'M GONNA TELL!!!!!!!!!

ACK!

[Zoid]

Originally posted by LordShiva
What a joke of a race so far

I missed the race I read it was quite action packed... But 19 laps behind the safety car?? WTF??

[Cort Haus]

[Zoid]

Todt says no chance for Alonso

Jean Todt will have set himself for a fall if Fernando Alonso ends up at Ferrari in 2008. Todt says that there is zero chance of the Spaniard moving to Ferrari next year. This contradicts reliable sources that are saying that talks are taking place to get Alonso into the team alongside Kimi Raikkonen. Todt says that he is going to have the same two drivers next year but this does not really explain why Felipe Massa has been talking to other teams in recent weeks. Todt says that Raikkonen and Massa are under contract and said that he would "respect a contract for a guy cleaning the floor, so you can imagine that I will respect a contract with them". This may be so, but if Todt is no longer running the team next year that theory may not remain a reality. There have been rumours for some time that Todt is being moved out of the racing division to make way for Ross Brawn.

[Thorgal]

Dont know about 2008 but it seems a sure thing for 2009 (some Spanish TV comentator who knows Alonso very well says so at least).

[Zoid]

Yeah, considering the non-existent relationship between Alonso and Ron Dennis I'm sure Alonso won't stay in McLaren one minute longer than necessary...