[morini]

Am I the only one who feels slightly embarrassed for the other teams needing to cripple Mercedes rather than front up and compete?

No, you're not!

[Jody Barton]

Am I the only one who feels slightly embarrassed for the other teams needing to cripple Mercedes rather than front up and compete?

No, you're not!

I third the comment. 7 years they've had to catch up on the engine with stable regs, and the only team to get close was Ferrari, and they were clearly cheating. All the innovations they've had taken away as well are embarrassing, especially FRIC. It is what it is though, I fear that it won't work and will just motivate Mercedes to do even better. 

PS. The wife is finally home and demanding coffee.

[morini]

PS. The wife is finally home and demanding coffee.

 Good to hear that Jody.

[Jody Barton]

She might let me come out to play Sunday afternoon, but I'm on nurse duty for now because she's pretty much crippled for now and bed ridden. I would love to have a quiet chat with the young gentleman responsible, to have a frank and honest exchange of opinions.

[Beano]

F1 engine modes explained by some geezer from Mercedes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fzqeQZaBcaU

Great video.

Am I the only one who feels slightly embarrassed for the other teams needing to cripple Mercedes rather than front up and compete?

I don’t see it like this? Was this not the case the regs were changed during Ferrari’s and RBRs  dominance as well. That all part of F1 and isn’t the FIA responsible for this???

[morini]

Am I the only one who feels slightly embarrassed for the other teams needing to cripple Mercedes rather than front up and compete?

I don’t see it like this? Was this not the case the regs were changed during Ferrari’s and RBRs  dominance as well. That all part of F1 and isn’t the FIA responsible for this???

Why doesn't this surprise me?

My memory isn't great, but yes I agree they made changes to hamper RBR because they were the only team to get exhaust blown diffusers working properly. That was very, very wrong too, IMO. The other teams should have done their catching up on the drawing board rather than crippling the innovators. But hey ho, politics ahead of competition as is the F1 way.

I can't quite remember what they did to cripple Ferrari, but like I say, my memory isn't great.

It's all good though. As Jody says the FIA have stamped on quite a few great innovations that came out of Brackley and yet the team still dominates. With this particular "hampering" all the teams have been running these hybrid PU's for 6 seasons and all 4 manufacturers have had the same ability to switch modes (from the car) from the outset. One team does it well, the other three not so much. Ok, lets ask the FIA to take that advantage away from the teams that does it well. Its is, as the Professor says, a bit embarrassing to witness.

F1 is F1, none of us should be surprised.

[Jody Barton]

Did a little digging into mid-season rule changes a few weeks back Beano, actually to dispell the argument the FIA are treating Mercedes any differently... my conclusion was that I was wrong. The FIA, that I could find have actually made very few rule changes to technical things mid season. There's been bans on the fan car etc. but actually a shocking number of the changes were targeted at Mercedes o er the past 7 years, and a fair few recently at Ferrari, oil burning, second fuel flow sensor etc. During Schumacher's years at Ferrari the rules were actually remarkably stable, the changes mostly came between seasons, and didn't seem to target Ferrari, but innovations like those ridiculous side wings pioneered by other teams. RBR weren't hit half as hard as they claimed, remember around 04/05 McLaren and Ferrari were told to stop directing exhaust fumes at aero components as this was illegal... Now explain why throughout RBR's dominance from 2010 to 2013 they were allowed to keep their blown diffusers? They were targeted for their clever not traction control system in 2011 mid season. Long and short of it is this, the toys Mercedes have "lost" over the last 7 seasons during seasons is significant, and actually not normal. However, part of the way to look at it is be side Mercedes themselves aren't a normal team, they're pushing the envelope more. Another team that's been targeted a lot is the boys from Enstone, whether Benetton, Lotus or Renault. They've had their fair share of FIA shenanigans to deal with.

[Beano]

"During Schumacher's years at Ferrari the rules were actually remarkably stable, the changes mostly came between seasons, and didn't seem to target Ferrari".

Hi Jody.

Let us not forget the tyre changes in 2005/6 that was a massive change and hampered Ferrrari the most in fact it could be said it destroyed their championships. IO don't know if you listen to podcasts or audio but this is a great piece and there are lots on many other greats. For me I listen to Ross Brawn with great enthusiasm he certainly knows his stuff.

Listen to it all or for this particular discussion go to 13.15

Insightful shows, all of them.

https://youtu.be/t15tKnsUJrk

[morini]

Let us not forget the tyre changes in 2005/6 that was a massive change and hampered Ferrrari the most in fact it could be said it destroyed their championships.

This is digressing well off topic on the thread, but I'm going to have to say it anyway.

One of the things I disliked most in that era apart from Ferrari being successful and beating McLaren was the multiple tyre manufacturers michelin / bridgestone situation. Tyres are absolutely fundamental to racing and need to be the same on every car on the track for a fair contest (that is what I've always thought anyway and I doubt anyone will convince me otherwise). Even worse, it grated that the great MS had his brigestones specially made for him and were even different to other competitors running on that brand. Plain wrong for me.

I can remember when they changed from having tyre stops to running one set for the whole race, as you allude to in that linked Ross Brawn piece. I thought at the time it was a terrible idea. Spoiled the races, for sure. What they should have done is made the whole field run Michelins or Bridgestones (provided, of course they were the same bridgestones).

At least in this era all teams and drivers are working within the same parameters and use exactly the same tyres.

[forzaferrari]

 Even worse, it grated that the great MS had his brigestones specially made for him and were even different to other competitors running on that brand. Plain wrong for me.

Just like Rossi in motogp back in the day, we cant whinge, thats just how it was.

---

At least in this era all teams and drivers are working within the same parameters and use exactly the same tyres.

Even if they are crap