Discussion
http://www.pitpass.com/fes_php/pitpass_news_item.p...
Luca di Montezemolo, president of the newly formed Formula One Teams Association (FOTA) and, I seem to remember, one of the teams in the pitlane, has been scathing about the Singapore Grand Prix, saying that both the circuit and the safety car deployment was "humiliating" for the sport.
"When we race on tracks which should be used for the circus, anything can happen including the spectacle of the Safety Car," he told Gazzetta dello Sport. "All this is humiliating for F1 and it is an aspect I want to talk about with the other teams in the next few weeks."
Pitpass suggest that di M is trying to get FOTA members to ‘drop the forelock tugging when it comes to the whims of Bernie Ecclestone and say how they really feel’. And after that, I suppose, he’ll turn water in wine.
Pitpass further suggest that ‘seismic change[s]’ such as standard transmissions, standard wheels, standard brakes and standard rear wings are on the table. And even – and I find this hard to believe a ‘weight handicap system’.
Luca di Montezemolo, president of the newly formed Formula One Teams Association (FOTA) and, I seem to remember, one of the teams in the pitlane, has been scathing about the Singapore Grand Prix, saying that both the circuit and the safety car deployment was "humiliating" for the sport.
"When we race on tracks which should be used for the circus, anything can happen including the spectacle of the Safety Car," he told Gazzetta dello Sport. "All this is humiliating for F1 and it is an aspect I want to talk about with the other teams in the next few weeks."
Pitpass suggest that di M is trying to get FOTA members to ‘drop the forelock tugging when it comes to the whims of Bernie Ecclestone and say how they really feel’. And after that, I suppose, he’ll turn water in wine.
Pitpass further suggest that ‘seismic change[s]’ such as standard transmissions, standard wheels, standard brakes and standard rear wings are on the table. And even – and I find this hard to believe a ‘weight handicap system’.
What an ass!
Edited to add that the BBC have picked up on this but ITV haven't as of yet?
What I would like to know is, would he be saying this if Ferrari had won? sounds like a big bunch of sour grapes to me.
How can Ferrari be a sporting outfit if their president is acting like this?? All of the fairness and sportsmanship is steadily slipping away in F1.
Edited to add that the BBC have picked up on this but ITV haven't as of yet?
What I would like to know is, would he be saying this if Ferrari had won? sounds like a big bunch of sour grapes to me.
How can Ferrari be a sporting outfit if their president is acting like this?? All of the fairness and sportsmanship is steadily slipping away in F1.
Edited by funkyrobot on Wednesday 1st October 08:37
Edited by funkyrobot on Wednesday 1st October 09:35
Just unbelievable.
"It's a circus". Why, Luca, just because you didn't win ??
"Humiliating for F1". Surely you mean, "Humiliating for Ferrari".
What a Dick !!!!
Funny how virtually everyone else who was asked, said what a great spectacle this race was.
Yet another blow to Ferrari's already damaged credibility.
At least the FIA can't remove the track from the calender, as that falls under Bernie's control !!!!
"It's a circus". Why, Luca, just because you didn't win ??
"Humiliating for F1". Surely you mean, "Humiliating for Ferrari".
What a Dick !!!!
Funny how virtually everyone else who was asked, said what a great spectacle this race was.
Yet another blow to Ferrari's already damaged credibility.
At least the FIA can't remove the track from the calender, as that falls under Bernie's control !!!!
funkyrobot said:
What I would like to know is, would he be saying this is Ferrari had won? sounds like a big bunch of sour grapes to me.
Who knows, but he was critical of street circuits before they'd even raced at Singapore:di Montezemolo said:
I have the impression it will be another one of those let downs where you cannot overtake, like Valencia. Going forward with these circuits heralds a bad future for Formula One.
Ferrari have no-one to blame but themselves for their performance on Sunday, but I don't think many people could say, hand on heart, that the Singapore circuit produced a great race.Edited by jamieboy on Wednesday 1st October 09:08
I've just tried to do a bit of work but the Pitpass article kept going through my mind.
I've got to say that the standard rear wing has a lot going for it. The standard transmission is a bit odd and there must be more to it than a bought in gearbox. Perhaps limiting the dirver aids on the steering wheel? Stndard wheels tends to suggest that the teams are paying a fortune for their bespoke ones. Standard brakes? Well, it would give an opportunity to increase the braking distance, say by cast iron discs, and allow a bit more overtaking.
It was, I think, this idea of handicapping that put me against the whole thing. I'm still against that bit of it but otherwise there's a lot of sense to it.
I did have great hopes of diM but I must admit he seems to be a sea change for Ferrari. And with Stephan Sunday they make a team that is totally different in ethics to the one it replaced. The more I think about it the more I agree with most of it.
But no handicapping, please.
I've got to say that the standard rear wing has a lot going for it. The standard transmission is a bit odd and there must be more to it than a bought in gearbox. Perhaps limiting the dirver aids on the steering wheel? Stndard wheels tends to suggest that the teams are paying a fortune for their bespoke ones. Standard brakes? Well, it would give an opportunity to increase the braking distance, say by cast iron discs, and allow a bit more overtaking.
It was, I think, this idea of handicapping that put me against the whole thing. I'm still against that bit of it but otherwise there's a lot of sense to it.
I did have great hopes of diM but I must admit he seems to be a sea change for Ferrari. And with Stephan Sunday they make a team that is totally different in ethics to the one it replaced. The more I think about it the more I agree with most of it.
But no handicapping, please.
jamieboy said:
funkyrobot said:
What I would like to know is, would he be saying this is Ferrari had won? sounds like a big bunch of sour grapes to me.
Who knows, but he was critical of street circuits before they'd even raced at Singapore:di Montezemolo said:
I have the impression it will be another one of those let downs where you cannot overtake, like Valencia. Going forward with these circuits heralds a bad future for Formula One.
Ferrari have no-one to blame but themselves for their performance on Sunday, but I don't think many people could say, hand on heart, that the Singapore circuit produced a great race.Edited by jamieboy on Wednesday 1st October 09:08
robbom3 said:
No, perhaps not the greatest race, but a decent spectacle IMO. I doubt Mr Di Montezemelo would have been whinging if FM and KR had come home first and second, which was looking quite likely until the safety car intervened. As per one of the earlier comments, this just smacks of "sour grapes"
I'm not so sure. I can't help but think that this a political move by diM. He's supposedly facing up to Eccs but not siding with Max Rufus. Possibly going for the presidency of FiAsco?He's shown himself to have a certain degree of sense that has been missing in the red camp for some time.
Derek Smith said:
robbom3 said:
No, perhaps not the greatest race, but a decent spectacle IMO. I doubt Mr Di Montezemelo would have been whinging if FM and KR had come home first and second, which was looking quite likely until the safety car intervened. As per one of the earlier comments, this just smacks of "sour grapes"
I'm not so sure. I can't help but think that this a political move by diM. He's supposedly facing up to Eccs but not siding with Max Rufus. Possibly going for the presidency of FiAsco?He's shown himself to have a certain degree of sense that has been missing in the red camp for some time.
VladD said:
Well I'm a LH/McLaren supporter, but I couldn't agree more with the chap. Valencia and Singapore should be replaced with races at Spa and Monza, but going round the track the other way.
Are you suggesting two races at each track? One clockwise the other anti?I like the idea. Not sure about two Monacos though.
VladD said:
Well I'm a LH/McLaren supporter, but I couldn't agree more with the chap. Valencia and Singapore should be replaced with races at Spa and Monza, but going round the track the other way.
Clockwise on Saturday, anti-clockwise on Sunday. Finishing position in Saturday race determines starting place on Sunday, with the winner at the back and last place at the front, driving in a pink tutu and helmet.Plug550 said:
VladD said:
Well I'm a LH/McLaren supporter, but I couldn't agree more with the chap. Valencia and Singapore should be replaced with races at Spa and Monza, but going round the track the other way.
Eua rouge and Parabolica in reverse - hmmmm 
Derek Smith said:
VladD said:
Well I'm a LH/McLaren supporter, but I couldn't agree more with the chap. Valencia and Singapore should be replaced with races at Spa and Monza, but going round the track the other way.
Are you suggesting two races at each track? One clockwise the other anti?I like the idea. Not sure about two Monacos though.
LanCat said:
While the reverse run sounds like an interesting idea I doubt they'd be able to get the barriers and run-off's in the right places. Shame.
Spa would be reasonably easy to sort out, barriers are all well back and adding a few more would be relatively easy...some ccts have licences both ways, Dijon is one...
Spa would be particulary intersting....
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