Mr Todts evil plans to assist Ferrari are becoming rather too obvious. We all know this EBD ban is targeted at RBR Renault and Vodafone Mclaren Mercedes. Just because the Spaghetti boys can't figure out a decent system on their own, they need Ferrari International Assistance (again). I find it funny that the reasoning behind the ban is that Red Bull are too "competitive". It's been plain to see, that at the last 3 races, Mclaren have been equal, if not better, and Ferrari have been up there too. Obviously, Mr. Todt is fed up of being third best. The genius that is Adrian Newey will come up with a device that make the car even better, and you can bet that the brilliant developers at Mclaren will think of something too, which makes this ban rather redundant, Ferrari will be in the same mess that they are now, because they lack engineering brilliance. I wonder if F1 would be a better place with Ari Vatanen at the helm...
I forgot to say i hope Mercedes kick ferrari's arses, for trying to cheat their way to another title.
'I wonder if F1 would be a better place with Ari Vatanen at the helm... ' er... yes thats what most of us thought.
Genji made a good point in another thread : I dont think they are assisting Ferrari because when they were the dominant team 2000-2005 the FIA were also changing rules against them too. It hard to look at it from the other side of the coin
I was just publicising it, instead of keeping it a thought. By the way though, how the hell did Jean Todt win the election? Vatanen is a politician, todt has no political experience to speak of.
So you feel that it's just a coincidence that the team that will benefit the most is ferrari. By the way, when ferrari were dominant, the impartial Max Moseley was at the helm of the FIA. If it were Jean Todt back then (i know he was ferrari team principal at the time) i feel that the rule changes may not have happened...
I don't disagree that Todt has a favourite team. I also don't deny that Ecclestone would like to see the championship go down to the wire. I certainly don't know for a fact that either of those positions has influenced the decisions regarding engine mappings. I happen to believe Charlie Whiting when he says that the FIA simply didn't like the direction of travel regarding off-throttle blowing and that the engine mappings had become too aggressive. I also believe that having special qualifying engine mappings is as contrary to the spirit of the regulations as special qualifying engines. Both need to be reigned in and I don't think it's got much to do with improving Ferrari's chances - and bear in mind that I was incandescent when the FIA failed to punish Ferrari for employing team orders last year and struggled to watch the rest of the season.
Vatanen had no realistic chance, since he was perceived by Max Mosley as a threat to the latter's own ethos, and therefore publicized open support for 'yes man' Todt, who I declared at the time would effectively allow Mosley to retain control through influence. Mosley held great influence in the way members would vote, almost directing their vote (in the manner of a judge directing a jury). But to get back to the main thrust of your argument Cowboyfromhell, I agree with you that Ferrari would seem to be the least likely of the top teams to be adversely affected by this clampdown.
Because it looked stupid, just like those awful sidepod-mounted tower wings they used to run. It was banned to save them from embarrassing themselves.
Well of course, we may be proven wrong. Until we see the outcome it is nothing but conjecture - at least on my part. I hope that all teams will benefit from what I see as a sensible change in the rules, in that off throttle over-run flies in the face of the whole 'green' argument, meaning that it could have become a political powder-keg, had nothing been done.
Ok, I'm as intrigued by this latest development as the rest of you and I can't wait to see what effect it may have but I have a question: how do we know that this will not affect Ferrari? Does anyone, Cosicave perhaps, have any knowledge to explain how they will profit from this? I'm very keen to know
Ferrari will profit because their system does not work as efficiently as the RBR and McLaren systems, meaning that the best alonso can hope to achieve in quali on a track that suits all cars is about 5th position. Starting 5th gives you a chance at being hindered by fast starting midfield cars e.g. the renaults. Mr Todt is attempting to get Mr. Alonso (he couldn't care less about massa) further up the grid, to stop him being engulfed by the pack in the run to the 1st corner.
personally I think McLaren will be hurt the least. Both Ferrari and RBR are faster than the McLarens in quali, but not in race trim, if the main cause for these differences between quali and race is off throttle exhaust then it would seem McLarens is the worst.
Ok, but what I don't get about this is: 1) McLaren's system doesn't seem to work very well for qualifying (!) and 2) as I understand it, this engine mapping was pioneered by Renault engines but the Lotus-Renault doesn't excel in quali. I'm not trying to suggest that you're wrong, incidentally, just that this was why I asked in the first place. But I'm not yet convinced that this is a case of Ferrari International Assistance; well, not yet...
You do have a point, but the renault mapping doesn't work too well either. The only renault powered team that seems to have optimised the mapping is red bull. About lotus though, i heard a rumour that renault don't give them technical support, due to this whole naming rights fiasco. I will try and find the link and get back to you on that.
