Here's what I don't get after trawling through all that Forza... If they wanted to be so secretive, why still run the car in full livery? Obviously they were being super secret squirrel, but it seems odd to leave the car as is. Baffles me.
My first post - so first a 'Hi' to everyone. I think the Mercedes play on this one is pretty obvious: Will start out saying it was OK'd by the FIA and that they even stated they had to provide both the car and drivers: "such a development test could be possible if carried out by Pirelli, as opposed to the team that would provide the car and driver". Then they will bring out their big gun ... The regs says: "Track testing shall be considered any track running time not part of an Event undertaken by a COMPETITOR entered in the Championship". Mercedes will say the test was done by Pirelli (who obviously aren't a competitor) and so the rules regarding testing don't apply and Ross 'Loophole' Brawn sticks a finger up to everyone again
Ah yes, back on topic... Welcome to the forum, PeeK. I like your logic and I'd love it if you are correct.
Anyone else see Rosberg's interview on the BBC website? He looked very sheepish and did not help his case by having a long pause between being asked 'did you know what tyres you were using' and eventually giving his answer. They definitely have a lot to hide that we still do not know about.
That moment had a pretty strong "i forgot what the team told me to say" feeling to me. Mercedes have clearly felt the need to lie about this which suggests there's more to the protests than i thought initially. Personally if Mercedes have been trying to abuse loopholes and have gained an advantage (It's all pretty fuzzy looking in from the outside at the moment) then i hope they get the book thrown at them.
I read his hesitation as just wanting to measure his words carefully, knowing that anything he says may be leapt on or twisted by the media.
Why have Mercedes simply told the press they are not going to discuss any details as its going to be heard at the tribunal? Throw the shovels away, they need a JCB to dig the hole they are are getting into.
Lotus have joined Ferrari in protest for the new tyre compounds to be used at Silverstone. They disagree with a mid season 'Tweak' just because some teams cant work with them.
Mercedes have denied the existence of the 'secret' Barcelona test was first divulged in a conversation between Nico Rosberg and Sebastian Vettel. Although Mercedes have pledged "to explain the full facts of the Pirelli test in an open and transparent manner at the International Tribunal" following their summons to attend a hearing into the three-day event, the rest of the F1 paddock only became aware that it had taken place on the Saturday night of the Monaco GP - over a week after the test had been staged According to reports from Montreal, it was World Champion Sebastian Vettel who first became aware of the controversial test - the legality of which remains a matter of considerable dispute - during a conversation with compatriot Rosberg at a meeting of the Grand Prix Drivers' Association after qualifying in the Principality. That claim has now been strenuously denied by Mercedes who described the reports as "categorically untrue". Yet regardless of who was responsible for the test becoming public knowledge, the event continues to be the burning topic of conversation in a paddock still striving to agree both its legality and significance. Live on Sky Sports Live Formula One 2013 Canadian Grand Prix June 9, 2013 5:30pm Remote RecordGet a Sky Sports Day PassUpgrade to Sky Sports Although Rosberg refused to comment on speculation that both he and Hamilton wore 'anonymous' helmets during the test, the German was more forthcoming on its purpose but raised plenty of eyebrows after claiming he knew what type of tyres were deployed on his W04. "Of course, I was aware of what their ideas were and what they were testing because I needed to know that to be able to pinpoint for them what was going on," he said. That testimony would apparently contradict the reassurance of team boss Ross Brawn in Monaco that Mercedes were kept in the dark about what tyres Pirelli elected to use at Barcelona. "We didn't know that when you do a Pirelli tyre test that you don't know what tyres you are testing," Brawn told Sky Sports F1. "You are given codes. Each day there was a batch tested and we still don't know what the conclusions were." A date for the International Tribunal has yet to be finalised.
No kidding. Stick a dunce hat on him and plonk him in the corner. At least Hamilton managed not to tweet it.
This season is becoming a really awful and unfunny joke. It's like watching Stewart Lee 19 times on various weekends. It's desperately unfunny, and it's bad for your mental health.
Are Red Bull shooting themselves in the foot by protesting the Merc test so vocally? They could benefit from a compound "tweak" which may not happen given all the fuss.
