Frank Williams doubts Ralf quote!!

[billaboy]

According to Reuters, Williams didn’t think that Schumacher made a conscious effort to pass his brother, Michael, for the lead. Instead he believes that Juan-Pablo Montoya would have been their main chance of victory.

"I've got to be careful what I say, but possibly to probably Juan would have had a bigger go," ....said Frank

[twig]

and screwed it up.

I never thought ralf really had been able to possibly get close enough to make a pass. When he did, it was in a tricky part of the course

The guy comes second and his team boss is at him!

[MiniMe]

And with the ban on 'team orders which affect the outcome of the race' Frank couldn't order Ralf to let the Monster go through and challenge - legally.

Its been commented before in this forum that Ralf cannot overtake to save his life.

From what I saw through bleary eyes at 3.30am local time on race day, JPM had really just caught up with the Schumies - maybe if he had a few more laps he would have challenged.

But his brakes were hot as hades so he probably just settled for the points at that stage of the race.

[Irv the Swerve]

Originally posted by twig
The guy comes second and his team boss is at him!

of course he was. Proper order.

If I was Frank Williams, I would too.

[Knowlesy]

No criticism for Juans spin then?

[Smokey 6 litre]

2nd is first of the loosers

[speedbump]

Frank Williams was right.
Ralf could have made a better run at his brother.
Don't know if he could have passed him but he didn't try.

Remember Brazil last year. Ralf caught up to his brother and never made a single attempt to pass him, and his car was faster than the ferrari.
Montoya would have tried to pass.
That we all know.

[Mr V]

Originally posted by billaboy


"I've got to be careful what I say, but possibly to probably Juan would have had a bigger go," ....said Frank

looking at recent history in the Rafe vs Michael and JPM vs Michael battles, he's only telling the truth.

[Mark Webber]

What do /would you expcet for two complete idiot's like FW & PH
Two good drivers pushed a Cr@p car to a 2nd and 3rd the teams best result to date this year. The car chews tyres at a alarming rate and by the rules should have been kicked out of the race . BUT NOOOOOO my drivers didn't push hard enough (w@anker)
Another typical driver mismanaged moment from IMO the worst run team in F1

[BootsOntheSide]

Originally posted by Mark Webber
What do /would you expcet for two complete idiot's like FW & PH
Two good drivers pushed a Cr@p car to a 2nd and 3rd the teams best result to date this year. The car chews tyres at a alarming rate and by the rules should have been kicked out of the race . BUT NOOOOOO my drivers didn't push hard enough (w@anker)
Another typical driver mismanaged moment from IMO the worst run team in F1

FRank and Patrick idiots? Having worked from the point of having to conduct team business from a telephone box because they'd been cut off, to winning a succesion of titles despite Frank's disability?

The car was the best in Canada. Everyone can tell that, the drivers let the team down this time.

If the car chews tyres so badly, how come Ralf's fronts lasted the entire race?

Who's the real idiot here?

And Mr V, you're definately right about that, btu it's the same against any driver - Montoya is always mroe agressive (sometimes wrongly) than Ralf.

[Mark Webber]

as I said PH/FW

[billaboy]

I just cant beleive that Frank came out and said this in public, did anyone else read the rest of the quote? Talk about a moral killer. I dont think Ralf drives to his potential but to hear this after all the other c@#p he's got from the team and the BMW Factory this year can't be good. He's the driver and you have to support him and not publicly blast him! Of course he's not gonna force a move when passing is near immpossible anyway and chance wrecking the car. Frank's just a mean old man anyway!

[MiniMe]

Originally posted by BootsOntheSide
If the car chews tyres so badly, how come Ralf's fronts lasted the entire race?

I wondered how they lasted the whole race?

And how did Frank KNOW they would last the distance when other cars looked liked they were running retreads - tyres were falling apart all over the place at Canada.

Frank is very cool IMHO - heck he's one of the few that can challenge for the lead on a consistant basis.

[Mark Webber]

Thanks to BMW not williams

[Bononi]

It doesn't sound like Frank Williams. But if it is true, I start to wonder about Ralf's future in the team.

[BootsOntheSide]

What use were BMW at Monaco, when Williams qualifierd 1-3 and finished 1-4?

Publically criticising Ralf is risky. He doesn't tend to react well to negative publicity - remember Malaysia when, after the private life gossip, he was truly abysmal while Montoya shone. It would amke me suspect that Ralf knows his days may be numbered at Williams, and that Frank is having one last attempt at motivating some results out of him. Williams know all too well that the driver doesn't make a big enough impact to be worth huge expenditure - Mansell and Hill found this out to their cost.

[Mark Webber]

rrrright its called being cheap

[gttouring]

BAH the guy comes second to Michael Schumacher, It is hard enough to pass in F1 ralf gets close, he can only do so much, he gets second, passing another guy maybe but Michael? Really it is hard enough, sure JPM might have tried but he didn't nor could he in Montreal so what gives Ralf did a stupendous job, he won last year and came in second this year bravo ralf.

[Gt_R]

I don't really get what FW is trying to drive at this time around. Michael's Ferrari were carrying massive speed down the back straights faster than the Williams, and Michael's race craft and the Ferrari's acceleration helps Michael pull away from Williams at the start of that straight in particular, hence while it seems easy, i really don't think it is possible for Ralf to pull of a move.

And why risk 8 points for an extra 2?

And talking about JPM being a greater challenger than Ralf...did JPM make any challenge to Ralf?

[MiniMe]

Great thread billaboy! On the money this time

Originally posted by BootsOntheSide
Williams know all too well that the driver doesn't make a big enough impact to be worth huge expenditure - Mansell and Hill found this out to their cost.

add JV and the whole F1 modern history of names to that list.

Frank is a racer - he admires racers - he knows where his money is at - and that's why he's pushing the only racer in his stable that can mount a challenge for the full length of the season - JPM

I'm not taking anything away from Ralf - he is a different racer with a different style. Ralf won at last year's Canadian GP, and 2nd at this year's for the same reason - he is a 'conservative' driver in comparison to others, and he'll do better than JPM at different circuits during the F1 calendar.

Canada is a car-breaker of a circuit - it favours those who look after their cars to get them home (see Webber nurse his car home? smart boy!)

At the end of the race, Ralf and Montie did a superb job at Canada! Frank should be proud of them both.

[DSM]

I agree with GT r. If JPM 'would have had a bigger go' at MS why didn't he have a go at RS?

[MiniMe]

1. team orders

2. he'd only just caught the leaders

3. he was looking after his car

4. he didn't want to risk 14 WCC points and his own 6 points

[DSM]

1) probably didn't exist.
2) He was close up for more than long enough, if he wanted to try.
3) and 4)apply equally to RS.
Don't get me wrong, I don't think JPM should have tried. Point is that it would have been crazy for either to have a go for, as has been said, 2 points.

[enemy-ace]

Originally posted by Gt_R

And talking about JPM being a greater challenger than Ralf...did JPM make any challenge to Ralf?

Here's your answer

Patrick Head:
"We spoke to the drivers before the race and told them a team result was important – we weren't going to be enthusiastic about one driver taking another off. But ultimately, if Juan had got up there earlier and shown signs of being able to overtake Ralf, we'd have asked Ralf to move over for him. Whether he would have obeyed or not…"

[ttc]

And somehow that's NOT team order? Where's the OUTCRY for attempting to fix the outcome of the race, ie, instead of MS, RS, JPM, it would be probably MS, JPM, RS with JPM then gaining more WDC points than he "really" deserves?

Hope to hear some "outcries" from those "team order purists"... you know who you are...