Not suprised by the outcome, the amount the FIA has mucked up they'd do anything to brush it under the carpet. Teams need to form their own championship and soon, the sport is a mess.
This happened before the reveal of the punishment: http://www.bdlive.co.za/sport/othersport/2013/06/21/mercedes-team-could-skip-young-driver-test
Banning them from the young driver test will not level the playing field. All it does is rob Sam Bird or another young driver of the chance to live their dream. Let the other teams do a three days with CURRENT DRIVERS, and you'll level the playing field.
Mercedes believed that by contacting FIA’s Charlie Whiting and asking if they could use a 2013 car to conduct a test for Pirelli, they had “permission”. http://www.jamesallenonf1.com/2013/06/mercedes-escape-punishment-from-fia-international-tribunal/ So apparently asking for permission counts as getting it now. I'll try that next time I get turned down by a girl and see how far it gets me.
It does to an extent as the teams run their own development schedules, whereas Mercedes did not. Mercedes will suffer from not getting data on new parts and upgrades and running current tyres. I still think it's a cop out from teh FIA not to ban them, but I think they were too scared too.
What purpose does Charlie Whiting serve? All anyone ever does is ask him for permission to do stuff only to find out he has no authority.
I disagree Christian. Mercedes asked for a lenient punishment and suggested the Young Drivers test Banning would be fair and that's what they got. Mercedes Influenced their own Sentence. Im off to rob a bank now but ill only get a 1 day jail sentence at a Caribbean beach resort.
Since my last visit to this thread, all I can do is laugh. I'm almost lost for words at the weakness of Jean Toadt. His spineless incompetence to manage even the most simple task within his remit – the fundamental lines of communication – is beyond a joke. It also underpins this wholly ridiculous scenario. Then again we should have predicted it a few years back, as some did. Other than that, I can only attempt to illustrate his leadership skills: "Toadt takes a bow whilst being ignored, laughed at, and worse…" Then again, perhaps it was why he was chosen…
Did the FIA's balls drop off or something? This verdict basically says it's okay to cheat at things Wish i'd known that when i did my dissertation, would have saved me many months of work.
If it had been Macca.. they'd have got the shaft. The reason Merc didn't is because the FIA fear them walking away from the sport.
Yep. I tend to agree with you, Bhaji. I almost said something similar but as I said in my previous post, I really couldn't find the words. And if McLaren had sought to defend themselves with something not a million millimetres from a black email; i.e. Mercedes' tactical pointing of fingers at the FIA's favourite baby; they'd probably have been suspended for 100 million years…
Loving that sig miggins, you need to add on: BBC have got Eddie Jordan Sky have got Damon Hill Not606 have got Silverarrow
So in summary, a team asks Charlie if their Flexi wing, double diffuser, active suspension etc... is ok by writing a request on the back of a *** packet. He says sure why not even though it is an obvious breach of the regulations (wink wink, nudge nudge), and the FIA do fuk all!
Inevitable anti-climax. Too scared to punish them and Merc get off the hook despite a frankly pitiful defense.
I can't wait until someone cuts a corner in qualifying and the FIA "punish" them by letting everyone else cut a corner of their choice during the race.
