Toymods Car Club Inc: The Outhouse => INDIANAPOLIS SHOCK !!!

Toymods Car Club
www.toymods.org.au

F.A.Q.

Home

Members

Toymods » The Outhouse » INDIANAPOLIS SHOCK !!! Show: Today's Posts :: Show Polls Email to friend

Author

Topic

river
Forums Junkie

Location:
Land of Oz
Registered:
June 2004

Re: INDIANAPOLIS SHOCK !!!

Tue, 21 June 2005 02:02

Hi,

I understand the points you're making, and in the most part, agree with them.

However, I do not agree with you in regards to Ferrari being instrumental in this debacle.

Although they are race car drivers, the option the FIA put forth to the Mich teams to slowdown on turns 12/13 were dismissed. If the Mich teams accepted this then they could of run without penalty and the full complement of vehicles would of been in the race. The Bridgestone teams had set up their tryes and suspension for the fast turn 12/13 circuit and the inclusion of a chicane would of put them at a disadvantage by changing the course. There is no reason why the Bridge teams should be penalised for the lack of Mich ability to produce a safe tyre.

I find it difficult to understand why you are so adamant that Ferrari is to blame in this, when it is clear the Mich teams refused the offer to slowdown in those turns. Being race car drivers or not, if the Mich teams were thinking of the fans then they'd say "yes, we'll slow down on those turns and make a race of it", but they didn't. Using your logic it seems the Mich teams were as much to blame for this debacle as Ferrari.

Here is the latest news briefing from the FIA...

Quote:

Formula One is a sporting contest. It must operate to clear rules. These cannot be negotiated each time a competitor brings the wrong equipment to a race.

At Indianapolis we were told by Michelin that their tyres would be unsafe unless their cars were slowed in the main corner. We understood and among other suggestions offered to help them by monitoring speeds and penalising any excess. However, the Michelin teams refused to agree unless the Bridgestone runners were slowed by the same amount. They suggested a chicane.

The Michelin teams seemed unable to understand that this would have been grossly unfair as well as contrary to the rules. The Bridgestone teams had suitable tyres. They did not need to slow down. The Michelin teams’ lack of speed through turn 13 would have been a direct result of inferior equipment, as often happens in Formula One. It must also be remembered that the FIA wrote to all of the teams and both tyre manufacturers on June 1, 2005, to emphasise that “tyres should be built to be reliable under all circumstances” (see correspondence attached).

A chicane would have forced all cars, including those with tyres optimised for high-speed, to run on a circuit whose characteristics had changed fundamentally – from ultra-high speed (because of turn 13) to very slow and twisting. It would also have involved changing the circuit without following any of the modern safety procedures, possibly with implications for the cars and their brakes. It is not difficult to imagine the reaction of an American court had there been an accident (whatever its cause) with the FIA having to admit it had failed to follow its own rules and safety procedures.

The reason for this debacle is clear. Each team is allowed to bring two types of tyre: one an on-the-limit potential race winner, the other a back-up which, although slower, is absolutely reliable. Apparently, none of the Michelin teams brought a back-up to Indianapolis. They subsequently announced they were flying in new tyres from France but then claimed that these too were unsafe.

What about the American fans? What about Formula One fans world-wide? Rather than boycott the race the Michelin teams should have agreed to run at reduced speed in turn 13. The rules would have been kept, they would have earned Championship points and the fans would have had a race. As it is, by refusing to run unless the FIA broke the rules and handicapped the Bridgestone runners, they have damaged themselves and the sport.

It should also be made clear that Formula One Management and Indianapolis Motor Speedway, as commercial entities, can have no role in the enforcement of the rules.

Please explain to me how the above points to Ferrari, and not Mich or the teams who run Mich tyres, being a culprit in this fiasco.

seeyuzz
river

[Report message to a moderator]

[Message index]

-=] Back to Top [=-

Current Time: Mon Mar 3 17:44:21 UTC 2025

Total time taken to generate the page: 0.011904001235962 seconds

.:: Contact :: Home ::.