Who Really Won The F1 Championship.

[CATMAN]

Having spent the year travelling to all the GP I became more and more unhappy with F1. My long standing bet that MS would not win the WDC with Ferrari was waived as my friend I had the bet with thought it unfair to take my money on "such a dubious result".
Who saw Bernie thrusting Enzo Ferrraris grandson in front of the camera, Bernie saying that He was a Ferrari Man and saying that it would be good for the sport If Ferrari were to win this year. Ferrari/Fiat badly needed the win after years of throwing Mega Bucks/Lira at the sport in the current automotive climate.
Bernie and Co want America in tow with F1, Ferrari with all the US/Italian connections needed to come good for them selves and F1.
It is said that with Champ Car coming to Europe F1/Bernie is under threat. The new Stallone film that is now a Champ Car story and not a F1 story could cause untold damage to F1 combined with the speed and overtaking + the variety of winners.
Schumacher has been hyped into Super Driver status in the 20 year losing, money munching Super Ferrari. F1 is as we all know a huge Mega Marketing Roller Coaster that is slowly being taken over by the Automotive Giants. Look at the stands at the final GP, where were all the people? The story ended in Japan and GP was not exciting enough for the people to shell out their hard earned cash to turn up and see it live!
Step back from your fan roll and cast an eye over the sport, I would say that there are a lot of questions to be answered! RD has maybe just towed the line enough to avoid causing a hiccup in the F1 Master Plan.
Look at Mad Max and his comments, the guy that brings in grooved tyres and other crack pot rules and then has the cheek to accuse another of damaging F1.
If a business spends years and untold money to promote a sport as the best whilst making 100 of millions of dollars in profit and millions are spent to maintain a Marque as the most glamorous and best with again millions spent on making a number 1 driver, combine all the other millions riding on the teams and their people how far will those involved go to achieve a required result?
As one F1 insider said, "lets get the Ferrari thing out of the way and maybe we can go back to racing next year"

I myself will not be around to follow the "SPORT" so closely for a season or two. As through this season I have been provided with the odd Ten-Tenths update on my travels and will continue to get the odd update. The site is looking good with some fine comment and good workable features, long may it propsper!
I am around for a week or so so I will be calling by again!
CATMAN

[Neil C]

Welcome back to the boards Catman. It's good to read the perspective of someone who actually saw most of the season. I took a 8-9 year break from F1 until last season so I understand your discontent.

I dont buy into the Ferrari conspiracy, but you are correct in pointing out the contrived, political nature of F1 under Bernie and Max.

[Jay]

While I don't think that there is a major conspiracy, there is quite obviously a little biased in that the majority of FIA decisions sinc 1997 end up favouring Ferrari.

I think back to all of the one race suspensions that Jacques Villeneuve recieved for a) not following the party line, b) dropping too far back from the safety car in Britain c) not slowing down enough for a yellow flag in Japan, even though he wrecked his hotlap by slowing.

Then we see Michael Schumacher somehow escape a race ban after trying to ram Villeneuve off the track at Jerez.

There was the overturned decision in 1999 to reinstate the Ferrari victory in Malaysia, saying that somehow the testing that every other car but the 2 Ferraris managed to pass was flawed.

Finally, Max Mosely admits that he favours the Ferrari team, and that he would like them to win the WDC.

Conspiracy or no conspiracy it is obvious who they want to win.

[Ralf's Girl]

I agree with majority of your points Jay, but I think that the FIA in 1997, when they didn't ban TGF, were simply thinking that it would reflect badly on them. They knoe how valuable he is to the sport.

[neutral]

A piece of advice to CATMAN, never bet against Schumacher! That is unless you enjoy losing money.

I never bet on myself, I only bet on Michael.
- David Coulthard

[LYM]

Not only Ferrari, other top teams like Williams & McLaren have influence on the FIA too.

It happens in every sport. Gonna live with it.

[Nuvolari]

I've said this before, but I'll repeat it here:

Once motor racing fans in Europe get a real taste of CART next season, Max and Bernie will be faced with the stark choice of either retooling F1 or watching it wither.

[angst]

I agree with you Nuvolari, and rejoice at the thought.

[Airhead]

Yes, the purists are dwindling in number, there's nothing like a convert - I should know, I want my time back from watching the GP's this year.

As for TGF's on track behavour, if he is so good why does he resort to tactics the rest of us use in dodgem cars at the local fair?

[CATMAN]

At Hochenheim a fairly senior F1 team member said to me that F1 is a bit like a pension fund. Most drivers and other people in F1 learn their craft in the lower ranks and learn how to race and if they manage not to fall off the Racing merry go round they progress to F1 where they are virtually guaranteed a pot of gold to retire on. "After all it is only a business, Big Bernie makes sure that the money gets spread around so he keeps most of the people happy."
I`m just hoping that they can get back to racing.
And by the way Neutral I`ve made more money betting against Schumacher than when I`ve bet on him.
Do you not think that maybe David was just hinting at what might be going on in F1 . If you see ITV coverage of F1 and you are aware of the business relationship between MB and DC do you not find some of brundles comments some what strange aswell .

[EERO]

Welcome back Catman, we have missed you.

I cannot say that I entirely agree with the conspiracy theories, but I will admit that the "Sport" of F1 is suspect.
There can be little doubt that Ferrari's success has done wonders for the visibility of the sport Worldwide, and Mr. Schumacher has shown himself to be a resonably media-friendly character. But even if the results of all the past seasons under Ecclestone's purvey have been tampered with, the popularity of F1 has only increased. In today's marketplace, the package is more important than the veracity of the sport-Professional Wrestling in the States is proof that "fans" are perfectly content to watch a scripted spectacle. I cannot say that I like it, but as long as the world watches, Bernie will meddle.

[freud]

Hi Catman, As I have mentioned in a previous post, f1 needs genuine personalities at the top level who speak their minds instead of becoming official team-mouthpeices. It has become fashionable in F1 these days to become as politically correct as possible and those who speak their minds have their legs pulled. Look at what F1 has done to Jacques. Imho he deserved to get a Mclaren drive for 2001 which could've spiced up the season but when negotiations started, a lobby emerged which created rifts between Mclarens and Jacques. Some people felt that there was a caculated move by FIA to prevent Jacques from joining Mclaren and getting more power in current f1 set-up. Poor guy is still paying the price for criticizing F1 rule changes and unless the Max/Bernie duo retires he has little chance of driving with a front runner f1 team. And the Max/Bernie duo is happy watching their clones sharing titles between themselves & minting money.

Looking back at last 5-6 seasons I was pretty disappointed in all for the following reasons:

1. The moral support to Ferrari, Schumacher & all big sponsors by Max/Bernie.
2. Race wins depending upon "Pitstop strategies" not on "overtakings".
3. F1 drivers getting celebrity status separating themselves from fans. I've heard that they even take money for charity appereances & magazine interviews!
4. Mickey-mouse tracks being endorsed.
5. More emphasis on Constructor's racing rather than driver's.
6. Refeulling, grooved tyres.
7. Mushroom growth of artificial personas that waste no time in hailing FIA for one reason or another.
8. Importance of "quantity" of wins rather than "quality". Drivers dont want fan-following....they want PODIUMS!!! Hell is there anybody like Gilles, Ronnie & Senna around whose motto were "drive for wins not for points"!
9. Finally & most importantly, lack of equal machinery....It's no fun watching 2 drivers battle it out again & again.

Next year we'll see arrival of exciting young talent in Juan Montoya...sincerely hope he doesnt become involved in f1 politics & shows us some terrific stuff Cheers.

[Liz]

Since my personal number one pilot has won the CART championship and has no desire to immediately bolt to Formula One, I will be watching CART next year and taking a complete disinterest in the handbag party that passes for Formula One. Between ALMS and CART I will have enough excitement to keep my adrenaline pumping and no mistake!

Soon Formula One is going to turn into the BTCC and no one will want to race in it either. Then it will either change or die.

Meanwhile we have CART and ALMS and that is enough for me.

[Jay]

Cart is probably the most entertaining racing series in the world. But, F1 still has the top drivers, so until that changes you will always have Cart pilots wanting to try their luck in F1.

The other good thing about Cart is the ticket prices (compared to F1).

[Bononi]

Originally posted by Nuvolari
I've said this before, but I'll repeat it here:

Once motor racing fans in Europe get a real taste of CART next season, Max and Bernie will be faced with the stark choice of either retooling F1 or watching it wither.

Well, I think that CART is the ONE to be in threat if it hooks the european motoracing fans. Bernie and Mad Max, are not in this bussiness for jokes.
And as long I remember, FIA seems to have powers over CART. I am not telling that it is plain true, but I think they got all under control...

[angst]

Well, I think that CART is the ONE to be in threat if it hooks the european motoracing fans. Bernie and Mad Max, are not in this bussiness for jokes.
And as long I remember, FIA seems to have powers over CART. I am not telling that it is plain true, but I think they got all under control...

I think the FIA are fully aware of the problems they may face in the American courts if they tried to protect themselves too much.

[neutral]

Bernie and Max are not stupid. If they get the slightest indication that F1 is losing market share to Indy then adjusments will surely be made. If a battle between F1 and Indy breaks out then my money is on Bernie winning that one.

[angst]

As I said, I think Max and Bernie are fuly aware of the legal problems they could face if they got too protectionist, so they would have to look at actually improving the product (surely the whole point of competition in the market place) - and in this I rejoice.

[CATMAN]

Bernie is not to be messed with, but I think CART may just wake him up a bit with luck. He seems to hold the TV rights to evrything and I will not be surprised to find that the planned UK race is confined to a 3am snapshot of about 10 minutes

[Tris]

OK I may not be ancient but I do consider myself to be an F1 pursuit. I think that Max should have never been appointed as FIA president given his ties to FOCA in the early 80’s... he was Bernie's puppet then and still is. Ferrari bias has destroyed F1 as a sport. Ferrari have always got the good decisions going as far back as the 70’s Nothing new there would you say cartman?

My favourite team was Lotus and to my mind they are as, if not more important than Ferrari. I did not see any favourable rule changes that helped Lotus out? Look at the 88 if Ferrari had come up with the dual chassis it would never have been banned.

The most exiting thin in F1 are the ad’s.... the tension that they create is amazing.. ITV miss so much during the ads I am on tender hooks wondering if anybody has retired whilst the ad’s have been on... If that is exiting as the racing get the formula needs to be changed.

I do not think CART will have that big an effect on F1 as it enters Europe. I can not afford satellite TV and thus hardly get to see any anyway

I also think it is a nonsense that a German TV company own half of F1... I wonder who they would like to see winning??

I have had to alter the way I watch F1... I remember 1994 thinking “god the racing has got **** in comparison to the 80‘s!” Now 1994 look like pure excitement to me. Even 1996 is exiting in comparison to what we have now!

Max Mosley Challenged Ron to set up his own series... I think he should. A lot of people say Ferrari is F1 and unfortunately this seems to be true.

Ever noticed that if Ferrari are caught cheating there is a “rule clarification” if it is another team they loose their points!

[Tris]

If Ferrari werte not the richest team they would have gone down the tubes years ago!

[Jeanburrasca81]

But Tris,
do you really think that McLaren or any other team in Formula-1 would be really competitive if it hadn't a big budget?! I agree with anyone who says that the Scuderia would be in the Minardi-zone without FIAT's money, but that a decent budget isn't all you need has been well-shown by Prost-GP last season: more than 200 million $ of budget, a fine tecnical crew (Jenkins, Barnard), Peugeot's support and a brillant pilot like Jean Alesi didn't bring more than 11th placce in constructors championship. So abudget is essential to win, but it's not at all a warranty to even gain points. Therefore there must be other determinants whitch determine a team's performance. I'm really interested in any replies. What do the others think? What are the main things to determine a tem's performance?
In deepest respect, your Jeanburrasca81.

[Tris]

Hi Jeanburrasca81

Well first off I think a stable infra structure is essential for a winning team. Look at McLaren. After the massive shake up of losing the Honda deal it took them three years to get competitive after they got the Ilmor (badged Mercedes) engine. Look at Jaguar, a change in managment and the team has gone backward. Good moral is important too. Look at how the west deal have McLaren a new found confidence in 1997. It is all well and good having good people but they need to be in the right environment.

Look at Prost. Basically the team has appalling moral, no stability and a lack of focus. Look at Ferrari in the early 90’s. They wasted money. If they needed some spares they would send a couple of Testarossas to get them when Williams would send a Transit van! Plus they had no idea to delegate the design process. They had Barnard who I, as many believe is the second greatest F1 designer of all time behind Chapman but without the right putting him in the right environment he did not produce what car he was capable of.

I hate to say this but you need an “English” mentality in the team too. Ferrari were too Italian to win. They had to get rid of all the Italian key personnel and get Englishmen, a Frenchman and a South African.

[Red]

Tris, somehow I think that Luca di is both italian and key personnel, what do you say?