McMoaners Again

Schume · 3 Jul 2000, 12:58 (Ref:21113)

Following on from DC's "Road Rage" in France we have this weeks McMoan.

According to Radio 5 reports, DC is going to "have a word" with MS about his driving and wants the rules changed.
I can imagine that the conversation would be fairly short. No doubt MS would be asking DC if he believes in sex and travel. Oh, and by the way, do you remember Spa??

On the other hand, maybe DC is trying to get into Ron (Complains 'Bout Everything)Dennis's good books, by having a good old McMoan.

Interesting to see that RD was absent from all the hugging at the end of the race too. Maybe he took too much stick after Monaco to go through it all again??

Even though I still think that MS will be WDC, it would be great to see DC get into a position where RD has to have some Team Orders to boost his WDC chances.

KC · 3 Jul 2000, 19:05 (Ref:21191)

Strange. When Mac or either Mac driver make a comment, it is whining or moaning. When MS or Ferrari make theirs it is just MS's offtrack psychological warfare. DC has a right to question MS's swerve from the racing line on the start. MS himself has complained bitterly to the press and the drivers about the very thing he does every single race. I guess this doesn't consitute whining if you drive a red car.

RIKB · 3 Jul 2000, 19:29 (Ref:21196)

I have few concerns over Schumi's driving, he's quite good really, and anyway us Touring car fans like t see a bit of paint being traded

I do worry about his habit of chopping across everyone else at the start though, there have been several near misses because of it and sooner or later there will be a real prang.

I guess thats what it will take before someone more objective than DC has a word about MS' driving.

Cameron · 3 Jul 2000, 20:19 (Ref:21211)

I agree with RKB there is always going to be fighting during the race - after all that's what they are paid for but I think the tactics at the start are becoming quite hairy especially if I'm right with my interpretation that MS not just cut across but actually lifted off. Full tanks (albeit crashproof), lots of spectators, full grid of cars all trying to catch the next corner could make a very unpleasant recipe.

Red · 3 Jul 2000, 20:48 (Ref:21217)

That depends on what side of the problem you are looking at. When MS or Ferrari make a comment (weren't many this season, Ron didn't let them too much room) it's a dirty trick.

But it's a good strategy. Why to explain some of your actions when you can blame someone else? For example, why to give embarrassing explanations when Jax overtakes both your drivers in the same race when you can blame him for something else?

Another strange thing: looking again at the Press Conference, all I can read from David is "he had a right to do that because he had the track position", "the rules allow us to make one change of position so he was within the rules" so what exactly is his problem? "That's how it should be, it should be done in a sporting way, not in a 'you lift, otherwise you will crash' sort of way" he continued, but I'm a little bit puzzled, what was he doing when he attacked MS? Or it is legitimate for him to do it and a sacrilege for MS. And who was the one who took off the unfortunate Wurz at Montreal? I think it was Gentleman David. Did anyone hear any comments?

Crash Test · 3 Jul 2000, 23:24 (Ref:21248)

I would like to know exactly what TGF did wrong. He didn't move over and let Coulthard past for the lead....is that against the rules these days?

Schume · 3 Jul 2000, 23:36 (Ref:21251)

Crash Test you are spot on.
It's against the RD version of the rules.

Gerard · 4 Jul 2000, 00:12 (Ref:21267)

In Formula One you are allowed one move to defend your position, and that's what Michael Schumacher did at the start.
Not that he did it in a nice way, but David Coulthard wasn't complaining about it.
He was complaining about Michael's moves when he tried to pass him later in the race.
According to Coulthard, Schumacher moved away from his racing line in order to prevent him from overtaking.
And he did it several times.
And that's not what the rule book permits.

Minardi fan · 4 Jul 2000, 00:54 (Ref:21288)

Remember TGF's moan about JV's storming start at Imola??? Then Michael himself decides to adopt a pretty risky way of getting off the line.

But he's in a Ferrari. It's allowed.

Devlin · 4 Jul 2000, 09:22 (Ref:21340)

In his autobiography, Nigel Mansell recalls the words of Ayrton Senna when he congratulated Mansell on the 1992 WDC. According to Mansell, Senna said: "Now you know why I'm such a *******. It's such a feeling that I never want to let anyone else feel that."
I'm not saying that Senna was right (then we would be in for gladiator festivals on the track), or that he was wrong. There's probably truth in both. We all want to see good and close racing, drivers passing and re-passing each other, preferably for higher positions in the race. Mind you, it's something quite different when a driver who is a lap behind "defends" his position, but from what I saw, MS made it hard for DC to pass him, and that's all. After all, on that particular occasion DC was coming round the outside, and I don't think 2/3 of his car was ahead of the Ferrari.
I didn't see the entire press-conference, but from a short excerpt on Sky News, I thought I heard DC say that MS was "tough, but fair". All that moaning looks to me as another one of RD's post-race psychological stings. Well, it's only my opinion anyway...

OK, OK, I completely forgot about the censorship. Let's just say THE word marks the child born outside the marital bond.

Red · 4 Jul 2000, 10:43 (Ref:21345)

Minardi Fan, I don't remember MS' moans about JV in Imola. Silverstone maybe? But he didn't complain. Anyway, he didn't push in that race (too fresh memories, I guess).

DC was not complaining about Michael's actions. May I quote (post-race press conference)?

Quote:

I have to say that, in the end, both Rubens and Michael were very fair. Hard, but fair. And it was a good race.

However, when asked what his hand gestures means, he started to moan. (I still miss the part with "many times moving away from his racing line"). I suspect he only tries (very successfully) to redirect the attention away from his childish signs. I don't think Heidi and his sponsors are very happy right now. Besides, he contradicts himself. Everything was fair and within the rules, but he is going to have a word with MS... :confused:

Schume, you're right about Ron's book of rules:
1. Jacques overtakes Mika? He should immediately pull over. No, better he shouldn't do it in the first place. And FIA should introduce a gray flag, signaling "McLaren approaches, move over!".
2. "Rubens was very fair, he ran a bit wide and I pulled away on the exit" That was David's quote! (Jacques, you should do the same, you naughty boy). Everything within McRules!
3. "Yes, we did touch a little bit on the exit of the corner, because he doesn't move" Bad, bad very bad boy! Yeah, Michael, how come you didn't move?

RIKB · 4 Jul 2000, 20:47 (Ref:21494)

Its not the moves in the race that bother me so much as the way MS chops across his opponents on the start forcing them to brake violently or take evasive action to avoid an accident.

We have even seen cars having to take to the grass as a result.

Last year in F3 the championship was more or less decided by such a maneouvre, when Luciano Burti was penalised for such a start. Yet here in what is meant to be the peak of motorsport, such moves are seemingly allowed.

As I said earlier, I guess that it will take an accident before any action is taken, and that will happen soon especially if as he has said DC will be less inclined to lift off in future.