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No, Morini, the fuss was made to try a stunt Mercedes, it worked for a week. It won't work this week. I personally hate the way teams can do this, Ferrari are particularly egregious in this regard, and sadly RBR, Renault and Mercedes are stepping their efforts in this area up. Don't like it, and I don't like how it works between the race stewards and FIA, that needs clearing up, and all technical questions MUST be dealt with by the FIA from now on. The stewards will not have all the pertinent information in all cases. I don't like the rules lawyer aspect of the sport that was brought in by Jean Todt, yeah before him there were complaints, but he turned it into a profession, he employed people to do this job specifically. I remember Dennis and Briatore bemoaning the way Todt conducted his business and claiming it was unsporting. I think there needs to be a limit on complaints and rules clarifications, and that while the FIA is finishing up investigations, then no complaints can be made to stewards as the dispute is being settled.
So here is a question? If it causes all this fuss, why dont the FIA say "the rims will be manufactured to regs A B and C, there will be no "add ons" in any form you all use the same? Now no doubt many will say "erm what about innovation" to which you could reply "what about cost?" If in essence this design is allowed to stay for 2019 and onwards, does this not bump up costs to the smaller (already struggling teams?). So what may be good for one may not be better for those at the rear really will it?
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You can't specify wheel rims, or ven standardise them, even motorsports that have standardised chassis' don't have standardised wheel rims. This is because teams need to set up the contact points for their tyres for how they are trimming the aero, and more importantly how the drive shaft, transmission and rear axle are all set up. Unless everything is standard on the cars and run in a standard way you can't have wheel rims, and you essentially kill a good chunk of motorsport. They can say wheel rims can fit certain parameters and not have certain aspects, but teams need to be able to develop their own solutions that fit their design concepts.
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The trouble with set homologation LL is if you turn up to Australia with a vastly superior, or inferior car then that sets the rest of the season without development, so why have the rest of the season? How is finding a way to make your car work mid way through the season unfair? That's the bloody essence of motorsport. Ironically it is the midfield battle that has and normally does shown the biggest micro gains as they're called. No question though this season has seen an unbelievable development war between Ferrari and Mercedes, and to a lesser extent RBR, that has actually accerlerated the gap. Lets be clear everyone has copied McLarens rear wing end plates and FI's floor louvers.
The issue here isn't one of development for me, it's of the ridiculous amounts of appeals teams can put through on developments and how they can work the "system" to derail other teams development. It's insane. Haas have had to take things off of their cars, which Renault have grumbled about, and vice versa, some of which I think are fair, others of which I don't. I think it should be issue an of teams should make a request to the FIA, the FIA should issue a response, teams should then be given a week or two to seek clarification, and then the FIA should make a final decision and that should be final. Also during this clarification process, if the FIA have deemed the part initially legal then race stewards should be not allowed to rule on those issue until a final decision. It is legal until proven otherwise. That's should cut most of this out. But you can't stop it sadly.
As to the wheel hubs, they're legal. I initially commented elsewhere I didn't get how they were different to what was on the RB8... then an engineer at a team explained to me why it was vastly different and most probably legal. It's legal, these holes are about heat dissipation or spreading throughout the wheel rim and maybe even into the tyre... hence maybe Mercedes driving so slowly on their out laps prior to qualifying, they can essentially turn on and off their tyres far easier now, and thus take out far less life from their tyres and still get them to the right temps. It's shockingly simple, and insanely clever, but isn't so useful to a team thats car is designed to fire the tyres up and maintain temps such as Ferrari's philosophy. I absolutely expect Renault to develop a similar solution, maybe TR and RBR also.
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LL for me they're separate issues that have been highlighted by their interdependence. Without the wheels we wouldn't see the ridiculous state of the sports rules book and appeals / clarifications process, but without those rules the wheels wouldn't have been scrutinized so tightly and we wouldn't have learned so much, indirectly, about the Mercedes. I'm happy to talk the regulatory framework and FIA ruling situation. Not sure whether it should be in this thread or elsewhere, but I'm happy to talk about it. I'm fairly sanguine about it to be honest. As to the wheels, it's now passed FIA scrutineering and inspection before being put on the car. They passed a second interrogation, and further clarification. They're legal, in terms of how they're being used now.
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https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/46225204 (Part 1)
Fernando Alonso: Lewis Hamilton, Ron Dennis & where it started to go wrong at McLaren in 2007.
Fernando Alonso retires from Formula 1 this weekend at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix as one of the sport's biggest stars but arguably its greatest enigma.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/46226823 (Part 2)
The second part of our series on the key moments of Fernando Alonso's career reveals new secrets about the tempestuous events that ended his first spell at McLaren.
The 2007 Hungarian Grand Prix has gone down in Formula 1 folklore.
I really enjoyed reading these articles, thought others might as well, no one comes out of it covered in glory but F1 is so much more fun with two men with equal desire/talent to win in the same car.
"When a man holds you round the throat, I don't think he has come to apologise"
Ayrton Senna on Nigel Mansell, SPA 1987.
(This post was last modified: 20-11-2018, 02:03 PM by
PapaofGags.)
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Very interesting. I am sure this type of rivalry between drivers still exists today, we know it does the Rosberg/Hamilton connection at Mercedes is proof. To me its nothing, its what I would expect of people at the top of their profession trying to get an edge in any way they can.
What is shocking is that people who run the sport knew about the issues between McLaren and Ferrari yet chose at least for some time to do nothing about it. Plus it makes me question the integrity of the first 'enquiry' . Clearly that was not a very good one.
Alonso will go down as one of the greats but he will also have the "What if" attached to his name too which is very sad.
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(20-11-2018, 01:33 PM)PapaofGags Wrote: Fernando Alonso: Lewis Hamilton, Ron Dennis & where it started to go wrong at McLaren in 2007.
I really enjoyed reading these articles, thought others might as well,
Many Thanks, Paps, great balanced articles by Benson, on the whole saga, but one thing I did pick up on, was in the first piece, referencing:
fuel, tyre, car management . . .sound familiar? to what a lot of folks bitch about today? Same as it ever was,just different rules
And Also, I Remember, Bernie on Brundles Grid walk, at the last race, predicting that Kimi, would win the WDC. I guess, as usual, he knew shit we didn't, LOL.
Said it before, I blame neither driver. For me it lands on Dennis's door. I'd say maybe it was the first time he'd handled a fiery character like Alonso. But that can't be said, after having Senna. But hey ho, great piece by Benson
"I Say, I say . . . . The satisfaction you have in a few minutes when you become champion. It's enough to live forever