N.A.S.C.A... R!!

I would be like to thank Richard Childress Racing for putting the "R" back in "NASCAR", for letting their drivers "race" for the win and not just drive.

After a few fuel mileage finishes, a few lacklustre races and some disapointing restrictor plate races, the last lap, last corner, one on one slingshot and drag race to the line was exactly what NASCAR not only needed but is also what the sport is all about.

The latest 'Dega and 'Tona drafting style may be a bit "planned" for my liking but the changes NASCAR made to the cooling did make a slight difference, and in a good way. The cars were not able to run away at the front only to get caught by the pack one lap later, it kept the cars more bunched, the racing a little more "steady"... a little... And the RCR drivers proved that the slingshot is alive and well, if the drivers want to win the race and not just push each other.

The "wildcard" race lived up to its billing as several drivers had days they will want to forget, but probably won't be able to. The Hendrick drivers miss read the race and were not able work there way to the front after running around at the back all day. The third RCR driver, Kevin Harvick ended the day in the garage, not what his title hopes needed.

The title fight is between four drivers now, but with no clear favourite for the title... who's gonna step up and make it happen?

British Grand Prix - Final Thought

Among the topics in my last post, entitled "British Grand Prix - Quick Thoughts", you will not find any mention of the Red Bull team order issue. This is because I wanted to give the issue more than a quick thought. I wanted to take the time to deliberate, consider if you will.

This is the end result of those deliberations...

Its rubbish, but that's F1 for you.

I have decided that I can't be bothered to take more than a passing glance at the topic as it's just not worth it. I have discussed the legality of team orders in F1 before and I disagree with team orders on all levels.

The FIA and some of the F1 teams disagree with me.

I hate team orders but in F1 they are legal so there is no discussion.

The only thought I have is a moment of pity for Mark Webber who wanted to go racing but was denied the chance by his own sport and team.

Good for you Mark, I too like motor "racing", it's just a pity you are in the wrong sport!

$100,000 Cheque Anybody?

Two races to go...

  

Points race close...

Team orders anybody??

Top five - 1st Alonso (Ferrari) 231 / 2nd Webber (Red Bull) 220 / 3rd Hamilton (McLaren) 210 / 4th Vettel (Red Bull) 206 / 5th Button (McLaren) 189...

Autosport headlines - "Horner: Both drivers still in title race"... "Ferrari plans 'very careful' approach"...

Team orders anybody??

Here is the question... Can the World Championship be won without team orders??

Put it this way, one Ferrari against two Red Bulls and two McLarens??

Team orders anybody??

Ferrari have always had a number 1 driver, and a number 2 driver. You could say that Ferrari don't have team orders; they just have one driver with the backing, the equipment, the strategy, the team around them. This is how they ran the team with Schumacher, and they still totally back one horse; pun intended. If any Ferrari is going to get the points it will be Alonso.

McLaren had Senna and Prost. Now they have Hamilton, and Button, not that I am directly comparing the drivers, merely the way in which McLaren run their team. McLaren let the drivers "race" which a good thing for fans of "racing" however they could be in danger of letting the drivers take points off of each other.

Red Bull also have two drivers; but not out of design, I would have thought. They have Vettel, probably signed as their primary driver, and nice guy Webber as the crowd pleasing second driver. However the plan has gone wrong, in a good way, with Vettels problems earlier in the year putting Webber in the lead of the Championship with Vettel currently in fourth. Red Bull has to decide whether to let the drivers race, or to back one driver over the other...

If the Red Bull drivers and the McLaren drivers all go racing there is a chance that the sole Ferrari driver could walk off with the title.

If, for the last race, McLaren and Red Bull decide to back one driver, they will have to be carefull about how they plan their races, and what tactics the "second" driver uses.

As we all know team orders are not allowed according to the regulations, unless you have a $100,000 cheque at hand...

Anyway, if it rains my money's on the safety car...

Ferrari vs FIA! The Farce in Detail!!

The FIA need to pay Ferraris lawyers to act for them in the future as they played the World Motor Sport Council to perfection!!

The FIA's explanation has so many contradictions, and Ferraris arguments have the FIA running for cover!!

The FIA's "Factual Charges" (A.i) and "Legal Charges" (B.i) state Ferrari gave a team order. In legal terms there is no evidence of such an order, just an exchange of information, so the FIA are off to a bad start already.

"Legal Charges" (B.ii) states that Ferrari breached the "fraudulent conduct or act prejudicial to the interests of any competition or motor sport generally". 

Ferraris response included the following...

"In the view of Ferrari, there is a clear distinction between 'team orders' on the one hand, and 'team strategy and tactics' on the other hand. The disputed communication should be considered as 'team strategy and tactics."

I live on earth, what planet does this come from??

The killer blow from Ferrari comes in the form of...

"In the view of Ferrari, if the true nature of the breach alleged is that of "team orders", Ferrari submits that either that offence is established or it is not. If it is not, it would be improper to try to make good some deficiency in the Regulations (if such there be) by relying on some generally worded provisions which are clearly intended to apply to different situations." 

So if you can't prove the "team order" allegation, and as your regulation is badly written, you can't,  it would not be a good idea to try to hang us using your "catch all" regulation.

Ferrari then lists previous instances of "team orders", and the action taken by the FIA in each circumstance, or not taken in-fact! Question, why is it relevant what has happened in the past? If the FIA want to promote "racing" then start from now, stop looking backwards, draw the line here and now! Just because the FIA have had no back bone over the last few years doesn't mean they can't grow one now!!

The FIA ruled that Ferrari did breach the "team order" regulation. The FIA also ruled that Ferrari breached the "fraudulent conduct or act prejudicial to the interests of any competition or motor sport generally" regulation. The FIA also state...

"It is the role and responsibility of the FIA as the world governing body for motor sport to promote sports ethics and fair play... Sports ethics involves the elimination of cheating and bending the rules. In addition to the existing written rules, there can therefore be said to be a moral obligation on drivers to abide by the rules, in accordance with the principles of fair play."

Sounds good so far...

The decision... Team orders were issued! The drivers swapping places was "prejudicial to the interest of motor sport and contrary to article" blah blah blah...

They then state...

"It is important for the FIA to act to protect the sporting integrity of the FIA Formula One World Championship, and to ensure the podium finish has been achieved by genuine on track racing."

The penalty... NOTHING more than the already imposed fine!

They also state that the drivers should not be penalised!

The get out of jail free card used was the "ambiguities" of the regulation, and "it would not be appropriate to increase the overall penalty" due to this... but the rule is not ambiguous enough to prevent the FIA  from finding them guilty of breaching it!!

So in short, the "Team Order" rule is badly written and we will review it, but you have breached it, we uphold fair play but write us a small cheque and you'll be ok, drivers are responsible for their actions but shouldn't be penalised, we want the podium to reflect real on-track racing but do nothing to ensure this, oh and the best bit...

Ferrari, Williams, and Sauber "pointed out the risk of collision of team mates". If, F1 teams, you are worried about your drivers taking each other out... GET BETTER DRIVERS!!

Cricket match anyone?? Oh can't, you need balls for that!!

FIA SHOCK... INGLY PREDICTABLE...

Back in July, the German Grand Prix and Ferrari in particular, were the subject in a blog of mine entitled "Team Orders, or In Germany We Have Ways of Making You Win" http://jameswright42.blogspot.com/2010/07/team-orders-or-in-germany-we-have-ways.html.

It has now been decided that the $100,000 fine for "what happened" in the German Grand Prix is enough of a penalty after the FIA's World Motor Sport Council sat on Wednesday to review the "happenings".

This should not come as a huge surprise to anybody who knows anything about the FIA and F1 of recent years and I say this for three reasons...

1 - Ferrari International Assistance

The FIA has a recent history of letting Ferrari get away with anything they have done, while penalising other teams for everything they do, so on this basis the FIA were never going to penalise Ferrari any more than they had to. You could say that having Jean Todt in the FIA seat of power wasn't going to help this situation, or you might have hoped that the ex-Ferrari puppet master had taken all the secrets to the governing body, poacher turned game keeper, and would bring in a change of attitude. In this instance Todt was not directly involved but must have had an influence, and due to his role in the sport how are we to believe anything else?

2 - Regulations that are un-enforceable!

Regulation 39.1 bans team orders...

With this regulation in the rule book no team is ever going to get on the radio to their driver and say...

"Your team mate, our number 1 driver, who has more points than you, is behind you. Please slow down, let him overtake you and protect his position for the remainder of the race, as we want him to win the race not you."

You may hear...

"(driver name) is running half a second a lap faster than you" OR "you are currently 3 tenths of a second slower than the car behind you" OR "the leader is lapping at a 1 minute something something, you are doing 1 minute something else." This is a reasonable set of information for a driver to be told at various times over the course of a race.

However for a team to say, "your team mate is faster than you blah blah blah..." to their driver is obviously a very specific phrase used for a very specific reason. To follow it with "Sorry", along with the driver and crews demeanour after the race says it all!

Now if you heard this and thought the message meant anything other than "you are not quick enough , sorry I have given you a useless car" you are obviously incorrect, or so Ferrari would have you believe.

What the Motor Sport Council have done is uphold the fine, therefore agreeing (you would think) that the regulations were breached, but imposed no additional penalties, bar making Ferrari pay the costs of the judicial procedure, which surely they would not be made to pay were they innocent. So if you break this regulation a fine is enough of a penalty, no points loss required, no exclusions, not even a probationary period.

With the championship as close as it is, $100,000 is a small price for teams to pay if they manipulate the results of a race to put there top driver ahead for the sake of points. Put it another way, if the same thing happened at the last race of the year and influenced the Championship results, the team would have to write a cheque for the small (to an F1 team) amount of $100,000. The driver would keep the position, keep the points and the rewards associated. Sounds good to me, cheat and keep the spoils for your efforts but pay out a small cheque for the honour!!

OR If the council has decided that there was not enough evidence to convict Ferrari of breaching this regulation, why maintain the fine if you can not prove they did anything wrong! I think have an answer for that...

3 - No BALLS!!

The question is, do the FIA want to allow team orders in F1? 

If we assume for one minute that the FIA wants to promote "racing" in F1, as they keep saying and have backed up by the team orders regulations' existence in the first place, then the answer must be NO!

If this is the case why then do they send mixed messages with the "fine but can't prove they did anything wrong" routine. Want to stop team orders? Exclude the two drivers and the team from the meeting, and put them all on probation for the remainder of the season! Message sent, you cheat you get thrown out!!

If the regulation is not enforceable then introduce a regulation in the style of NASCARs, "Actions Detrimental to Stock Car Racing". This allows you to penalise any team or driver if you consider their action to have a  negative effect on the sport. Oh hang on, ever heard of "Bringing the Sport into Disrepute"? If a team rigs the outcome of a race, you could exclude them under this regulation, or fine them by the way. However this style of thinking does not fit in well with a sport run by lawyers as there may not be sufficient "evidence" to convict the driver or team even if the entire world knows exactly what happened. That and you would need the "balls" to do it in the first place!!

Reviewing the Regulation

However, if F1 think team orders are a part of the sport, why is the regulation in the rule book in the first place? The problem is, the regulation is in the book and for this season that's the law... or apparently not!!

The Motor Sport Council have requested the rule makers review the regulation for next year. You will never be able to prove in a court of motor sport law that team orders exist as no team will ever use the words. In a sport run by lawyers, the regulation was doomed from the start. However the Council have upheld the fine! If they are happy that Ferrari breached the regulation, and are therefore satisfied with the evidence, why review the regulation? If Ferrari used team orders and they have been found guilty, the rule works doesn't it? 

Feeble Incident Assessors???

Farcical...

Lastly, a quote from Autosport.com -

"When asked to respond to suggestions that, despite Ferrari's denials, many people believed the outfit had used team orders, Todt said: "I tend to agree as well."

Oh good, thanks for that!! I await the full explanation with breathe that is baited.. honest...

Todays Scores... Wall Won vs. Schumacher / Sadler Nill

F1 -

• Something's never change... Schumacher still thinks he can get away with anything, after all it was only one move to protect his position... Pity the Stewards did not have enough time to black flag him...
• Something's do change... Barrichello didn't back off!!
• Vettel gets penalised for messing up a restart and the team blames radio issues. Apparently the Red Bull cars and drivers are radio controlled now, and the drivers have no need to understand the regulations...
• Going into the mid season break, Red Bulls number 2 driver is leading the points ahead of Hamilton... with Ferrari on form... should make for a good points race, if Ferrari actually race...
• Schumacher is obviously finding it hard to drive the latest generation of Ross Brawn designed F1 car, or in Mercedes speak, the front tyres are "peculiar"... oh that's the reason...
• The FIA / Ferrari post "team order" controversy hearing is being held after the next race... F1 have the best part of a month off and the FIA cannot organise themselves to make up their collective minds in time for the next race. The world should know what is happening now, not in more than a months time!
• Interesting quote from the Autoblog web site (www.autoblog.com) that gives us an idea of the American attitude towards F1... "Instead of the usual parade of high-tech machinery proceeding in procession, sapping the excitement out of the sport – or worse yet, lamentable team orders sullying the day – this latest round in the Formula One World Championship was packed with fate-altering, nail-biting action – and rivalries both old and new – from start to finish. A fitting way, then, to sign off before the season takes a nearly month-long summer break." 

NASCAR -

• Say what you want about the current Cup car in terms of looks, costs or effects on the racing but no-one can debate the safety standards of this car design. Elliot Sadlers hit at Pocono was HARD, and once again the driver walked away, long may this continue!
• The racing at Pocono was good, again... I still think the combination of the spoiler, the side draft and a larger drafting effect and the fact that the drivers have to sit up and drive these cars, along with 2 wide restarts have transformed some tracks and races from dull processions to races that are good to watch.
• Sadlers wreck does show how safety standards have advanced. Sadler hit armco not a SAFER barrier and the engine got ripped out of the car, ouch...
• When was the last time a wreck happened in a Cup race that was not covered by at last 5 different TV angles??
• Finally a Ford, in the hands of Greg Biffle, wins. NASCAR always needs different drivers up front, and it's always good when you have Chevy vs Ford...
• So Kentucky is going to have a Cup race, another 1.5 mile track added to the schedule. I hope New Hampshire keeps its two races to maintain some element of variation in track design. Personally I would put Pocono down to one race, regardless of how good this years races have been, or swap one intermediate track for another. Less cookie cutters and more short tracks please...
• Watkins Glen next, the second and last road course race of the year... Marcos leave the engine running this time!! 

Other stuff -

• Good luck to Paul Bonhomme at this weekends 2010 Red Bull Air Race finale at Eurospeedway Lausitz Germany. It will be interesting to see what the race looks like with only the sky as a back drop.
• Sorry to hear the 2011 Red Bull Air Race season has been cancelled. In motorsport if a series takes a year off it is usually the first public indication of nails in the coffin, but I hope this is not the case for the Red Bull Air Race.

Team Orders... or in Germany... "We Have Ways of Making You Win"

So Ferrari dominated the German GP... Massa leading Alonso... Alonso not able to overtake his teammate...

"Fernando is faster than you. Can you confirm you understood that message?"
"Sorry"

So Ferrari dominated the German GP... Alonso leading Massa... Massa not allowed to overtake his teammate...

"All wins are special" Fernando Alonso. 

"I simply reaffirm what I have always maintained, which is that our drivers are very well aware, and it is something they have to stick to, that if one races for Ferrari, then the interests of the team come before those of the individual... Therefore enough of this hypocrisy, even if I can well believe that some people might well have liked to see our two drivers eliminate one another, but that is definitely not the case for me or indeed for our fans." Luca di Montezemolo.

"By the end of the year if you think you've lost the championship for exactly that point you will ask yourself, not only yourself, all the fans and the journalists and so on, why didn't you do so?" Michael Schumacher.

"I understand how F1 fans might be disappointed by what they have seen on Sunday" Ross Brawn. 

"It's a great shame. Ferrari are a great team," he said. "It's a shame for Formula 1 that they didn't allow Felipe and Fernando to race each other. There are not so many points between them and it was so obvious how they moved the cars around." Christian Horner. 

"We do desperately want to win but it is about how you win. If you win and you know you have cheated then I don't see how at any stage in your career or post career when you reflect upon it how you can have a feeling of ecstasy." Martin Whitmarsh.

Forgetting my personal opinions for a moment, team orders in F1 are banned. It is not a "shame" as Christian Horner said. You would not ask yourself "why didn't you do so" Mr Schumacher, as it is ILLEGAL.

What Ferrari did was against the rules, so the monetary fine should be the start of the penalties. A driver and team who break the rules can not be allowed to keep the points and positions gained by breaking the rules.

For Montezemolo to publicly state that the interests of Ferrari come before those of the drivers, and by their own actions what is best for Ferrari is apparently to break the rules, is nothing short of a disgrace. Ever heard of bringing the sport into disrepute??

The funniest quote is also from Montezemolo... "some people might well have liked to see our two drivers eliminate one another" or race one another... in a motor race... wheel to wheel... best drivers in best cars battling blah blah blah... When he says "eliminate" he means from the points battle not on the track from a race, but still does he not trust his drivers...

Thankfully McLaren in the form of Martin Whitmarsh has the right attitude. From this quote it appears they are in the business of motor racing, and not in the business of corporate event staging. 

"The rule that bans team orders is not realistic anymore." Ross Brawn

Its only unrealistic if the rule makers let Ferrari get away with it. If both Alonso and Massa, along with Ferrari were thrown out of the German GP all together, it would send a message to the field the press and the fans that the rule is totally realistic, and in fact enforced!!

The tragic thing about the Ferrari shambles is that the 2010 F1 season has probably seen more good wheel to wheel racing than most of the F1 races held in my life time, put together. The last thing F1 needed was a stupid team order debate getting in the way of a good seasons racing.

As a contrast, was Chip Ganassi ever going to ask Montoya to move over so McMurray could win the Brickyard 400? As it happened Montoya put himself out of contention, and his team mate won the race, but in America it would not happen. It would not even cross their minds.

Racing is racing, and it should stay that way...

(By the way, I could not bring myself to post photos of the Ferraris as would have been appropriate for the topic discussed above, so you will have to put up with Brickyard 400 shots instead)

"Show Business" and "How to Win Friends and Influence People"...

If the Monaco GP is all "event" but no racing then NASCAR's All Star Race is a "show" and "race" of a sort that only the Americans can deliver, from the "Showdown" race thru to the fireworks afterwards NASCAR does everything it can to put on a good show.

Different strategies, team mates at each other in Denny Hamlin and Kyle Busch, Kurt Busch hitting the wall, then getting repaired and going on to win; it was a show.

From NASCARs shortest show, to its longest race the 600, somethings don't change...

Kyle in the wars... Kurt winning... again...

Its also good to see a Dodge winning in a sea of Chevys.

Kyle Busch... oh Kyle Busch...

First he gets annoyed with his team mate in the All Star Race. Kyle the race was for $1 million!! What did he think was going to happen. The red sea was not going to part saying here you go 18 car have it all to yourself, was it... Then in the 600 he pulls out infront of 2 cars leaving the pits and causes chaos, then has a run in with and runs into Jeff Burton late in the race...

All of this while his brother wins both races!

Good racing though. The tire / aero / spoiler combination worked well, as the cars seem able to run various lines around the track, two and three (just) wide, and nose to tail through the corners. The old aero push issue, when the cars would run together on the straightaways and then spread out in the turns seems to be a thing of the past! Also good to see the cars racing 2 wide and not losing out to cars running single file in front of them.

Meanwhile in Turkey, Button and Hamilton showed Vettel how to overtake in F1 without driving into your team-mate.

I thought it was nice of Red Bull to finally admit that it might not have been Webbers fault... no whatsit Sherlock!! Typical F1 corporate politics, lets blame one driver, then both, then the other one. Webber drove in a straight line, while Vettel pulled alongside his team mate and gave him no room, and they made contact.

To be fair, its much better to have an environment at the top two teams where team mates can race each than have team orders and a procession. Racing makes for enjoyable GP's.

Please Red Bull... please Gibbs...

Let 'em race!!