Ferrari bringing the 'sport'' into disrepute?

[cos]

I forget what year it was, but I'm sure Jacques Villeneuve was hauled up in front of the FIA for bringing the sport into disrepute by means of his hair colour and baggy overalls.

If he gets in trouble for this, surely Ferrari should be asked some pretty tough questions a well. They are turning F1 into a joke.

Autosport:
"Ferrari made a mockery of Formula 1 on Sunday at the Austrian Grand Prix."

itv-f1.com:
"In race that will go down as the most disgraceful manipulation of a grand prix result in the sport's history Michael Schumacher was handed Sunday's Austrian Grand Prix by Rubens Barrichello."

[freud]

Flavio Briatore :

FIA should act. The sport is bigger than Ferrari.

[Sato san]

but it isnt much of a sport anymore is it.......Michael can do what he likes........ITS OK ...CAUSE MICHAEL MUST WIN THE TITLE !

[Damon]

I think Ross Brawns comments after the race were discraceful. He said its up to the team to decide what they do with their race. The fans disagreed with their vioces today and Brawn is forgetting that without the fans he'd be out of a job.

[Raven]

Jeez, is it really that big a deal just because of what happened today. Some of us have known for a long time Ferrari is team Schumacher. Today was just another example.

But tell me now why Ferrari give RB equal equipment and treatment when they don't even want him to compete with MS.

Look for RB to have a de-tuned engine in monaco and MS takes another dominant win. All will be forgotten and it'll be back to kissing MS's boots again. I can hear James Alen now... "..Well Austria proved Ferrari give RB a great car, this time however it was all MS"

[Mekola]

Above is posted a quote of Briatore about "FIA should act. The sport is bigger than Ferrari." I think there is the time for FIA to demonstrate that they don't got any favouritism to Ferrari!

[Raven]

If they did anything (which I doubt) it would just be something lame like "don't do this again". Sort of like MS's punishment for Jerez 97 - erasing him from a championship he'd already lost.

[Bibendum]

I don't see the FIA doing anything about this. I'm not sure what logic they could apply: Brawn's remarks were nonsensical, to the extent that MS was pushing hard enough in the last laps to take a new lap record -- but in the end, the team gets to decide what they do.

For my own part, I was astonished and disgusted, and really delighted to hear the overhwelmingly German-speaking crowd just booing like crazy and seeing them putting their thumbs down.

I would add that it's very dishonest of MS to say how he disapproved of the decision; if he had slowed to keep Rubens in front, what would Ferrari have done -- sanctioned him in some way? Ditched his contract? Ha! Just a good German, obeying orders. Not a convincing defence.

[Mekola]

To beat a ridiculous "jinx", Ferrari made an unnecessary big embarassment.

[bobdrummond]

While the manner of Michael's "victory" leaves a bad taste in the mouth, can you blame Ferrari for doing it? MS himself has lost titles by a tiny few points and the difference between 1st and 2nd is considerable. Can you imagine any other team giving up the equivalent of a third place for "sporting" reasons??? No - I didn't think so!

One thing is for sure, while Schumacher is undoubtedly a superior driver, and assuming he'll equal Fangio's record of five titles, history will show him to be highly flawed and each of his titles devalued by dubious tactics. From his '94 title to the present day - the Brawn/MS combo is not a particularly classy one.

[Bibendum]

Having read Liz's proposed letter to Bernie, I've re-thought my position: I do think there is a valid case to make that Brawn's argument was not merely disingenuous, but incorrect and inconsistent with the sporting regulations of F1. I therefore wish to underscore my remarks on how bad a taste this leaves, and to retract my claim that no logic applies. At the same time, persuasive as Liz's letter is, I am quite certain the FIA and Bernie will do precisely nothing.

[jase]

F1 = Ferrari 1st
FIA = Ferrari Is All

[freud]

i WOULD SAY:

f1 = Farce first
fia = farce is all

[the german FARCE]

[Inigo Montoya]

Freud, you are quoting Briatore on a question of sportsmanship? I guess you must be new to F1 then...

[Mania]

True - Briatore shouldnt be the one to talk.

But I do think the FIA needs to get off their butt and do something about this - the fans are outraged and F1 is NOTHING without fan support.

I would be satisfied to see both Ferraris thrown out of the championship from this race on. Or at the very least, to throw both cars out of the Austrian grand prix.

[Liz]

Not a single magazine, newspaper or fan forum has anything positive to say about the fraud that was perpetrated today.

If there is anything else Ferrari could do that would bring the sport further into disrepute, I can't imagine what it would be.

If the FIA does not act in this case, they will have demonstrated their contempt for us, and we should return the favour.

[SL]

Please explain what RULE they have broken ?

They are a team, although I disagree with the result both drivers have accepted without official complaint, no other team is affected nor officially complained. Sad as it is what grounds have the FIA to act on ??

Simon

[Glen]

Can't wait for the newspapers.

[SL]

Can't wait till Monaco when all the "Never see F1 again" people are back arguing about anouth fix.

Please..... F1 attention was dropping, what better way to increase viewing figures than controversy ? All the papers will be full of it, all the viewers will be looking again. The fix was not from Ferrari. There was probably a Paris postmark on the note to JT.

Simon

[Startline1]

As A marshall for over 25 years and a motorsports fan for a lot longer tnan that ,I can only say that nobody can find me any lgical justification for the outcome of this race.

I very much regret that i for one will not now watch another GP, and feel that many others will do the same.

[f1manoz]

Originally posted by SL
Please explain what RULE they have broken ?

They are a team, although I disagree with the result both drivers have accepted without official complaint, no other team is affected nor officially complained. Sad as it is what grounds have the FIA to act on ??

If the FIA don't act, then the Austrian government can.

How?

Two words: race-fixing. Just like match fixing. It's a criminal act under conventional, and sporting, law.

It's just like cheating.

If they had any brains, they'd be charging the Ferrari team right now, then the FIA would certainly have to act.

[Andrew2001]

You see, Schumacher the biggest cheating scum bag in F1 IS beatable.
He is beatable even if the team is based around him and he is labeled
the best driver ever and all that ****. Barrichello drove the best
race of his career in my personal view. He outclassed his team mate,
in every area on a track that Schumacher has ALWAYS done badly on.
Now for this to happen at teh very last moment of a grand prix is the
worst way to possibly end a grand prix. Ferrari today, is the biggest
joke ever. They are are a bunch of f***wits obsessed with winning and
they know just as well as we all know that its all over for another
20 years once Schumacher the cheating german is gone.
He is a CHEAT, he can't even accept it when someone else beats him in
equal equipment. Just a loser which is why 59 gp wins is
nothing special. Most of those were handed to him on a f****** plate,
so screw him and his world championships, none of them mean jack ****
cos he cheated his way to all four of them in the best car so
he is nothing special.

Barrichello said to himself, I am going to challenge Michael more, at
the start of the year before the first race, and he has done just
that. Two poles in two races, is a telling sign. I can pick three
drivers that would beat Schumacher if they were in equal equipment,
Jacques, Juan Pablo and Mika Hakkinen. It's just a shame that
Schumacher is that much of a loser that he wont allow another
great driver to be inthe same team as him.
What a sad, sad day it is for Formula 1. Did you all see the podium
procedure, its F****** sad, Ferrari is F****** F1.


BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO


CHEAT CHEAT CHEAT



HANAA KIMI!
HANAA MIKA!

[freud]

Andrew2001:- You are right!

We are forgetting a point in all these discussions which Andrew has so rightly brought up... that TGFarce was completely outclassed & dominated by Rubens all weekend, on every corner, every inch of the track, during every session from start to finish.

I honestly beileve that given the right equipment, the doormat can **** TGFarce!

And if a driver like the doormat can do this to TGFarce, imagine what JPM & JV would do to him!

[TeddyG]

I ignored sports channels and internet all day to watch the race tonight....it just ended and I am totally disgusted I don't know what to say

[drexel]

Everyone is brainwashed!
All this controversy will do nothing other than give the millionare circus that is F1, more millions.
Even if one or two of the fans who say they will boycott, actually do....there will be many more to get an interest from the sport from the publicity....many of them will come in saying Schumacher the bad guy.....let's support a new driver..(just what the FIA wants)....

So then did this decision really benefit Schumacher. Nope, just Bernie and share holders.