What did you order?

http://www.planet-f1.com/mediastore/_2005_Season_Galleries/U_S_Sunday/_2s.jpghttp://www.planet-f1.com/mediastore/_2005_Season_Galleries/U_S_Sunday/_6s.jpg
This about sums it up...

What did you order?

Pilot Sports Cup 205/50/17.... ;)
Should have them on either tomorow arvo or Wednesday morning.
Anyone wanna hook up for a day at Wakefield in the next few weeks?

noice :D

there'll be some seriously ****ed off people if the Schu wins the championship by less than 10 points.....

Like they say "rubbing is racing"

Gotta love the beer can that a fan through at the F1 cars. Isn't it ironic that the fans took it out on the cars competing. :(

Well, they always say that Americans don't understand irony.

apparently some guy has started a class action lawsuit against the FIA, michelin, FOA, the teams, the guy selling hot dogs, a dog that was walking past, the guy who got the rubber out of the rubber tree, the plantation owner, his vet, and various other related parties.
Whats the bet they claim pain and suffering as well.....

apparently some guy has started a class action lawsuit against the FIA, michelin, FOA, the teams, the guy selling hot dogs, a dog that was walking past, the guy who got the rubber out of the rubber tree, the plantation owner, his vet, and various other related parties.
Whats the bet they claim pain and suffering as well.....

Sadly, he has half a point (and brain..).

apparently some guy has started a class action lawsuit against the FIA, michelin, FOA, the teams, the guy selling hot dogs, a dog that was walking past, the guy who got the rubber out of the rubber tree, the plantation owner, his vet, and various other related parties.
Whats the bet they claim pain and suffering as well.....
I would demand my money back :mad:

They better not do that at the Belgian Grand Prix :eek: :eek: :rolleyes:

The whole thing was a rort! And the only ones who suffer are the fans. Fair enough Michelin did the wrong thing, but they put their hands up and said so 48 hours before the event.

They put forward some possible solutions that would alleviate concerns over their tyres, the 7 teams affected say they are happy to compete for no points and give the Bridgestone guys the front 6 rows if they can change the tyres to a different specification or put in a chicane and still score no points above 7th..... And ask the FIA what can be done???

Then the FIA delegate comes up with the most moronic thing I have ever heard.... Charlie Whiting says.... Just go slower in turn 13, does he not remember what happens when F1 cars go slower than the people behind expect.... Ralf and Jacques killed a marshal standing behind a fence when Ralf braked too early and Jacques didn't anticipate it. Also its an F'ING banked corner!!! The Bridgestone guys would be unable to judge when the car in front might stop accelerating or lift off!!! and then you'd have a car airborne... Ala Le Mans in 1955. The other problem is how much slower do the Michelin teams go to make their tyres safe??? Charlie's solution was pathetically simplistic and just shows what happens when you get and engineer deciding how races are run.

Whether or not Max Mosley was or wasn't directly involved it was his representative making the decisions and therefore he and Charlie should be held responsible. They are more than happy to change the rules after the fact (read Brazil and wet weather tyre restrictions) but incapable of making concessions to allow the show to go on, even with infringing Teams score no points... I am not in anyway blaming Ferrari for this farce but were they a Michelin team this would never have been the issue it is now.

Now we have a the FIA charging the seven teams with bringing the sport into disrepute. Is it just me or is it amazingly convenient that 6 of the teams manufactures are GPWC members??? These teams will be fine sh*t loads because the FIA are inept in there position as governing body of motorsport and most likely they will give in like they have before over every issue... The reason being is that it doesn't pay to challenge the authority over sporting matters when that same authority determines crash ratings and has all ten fat fingers in every aspect of car manufacturing, marketing and development


I pray that Max is disposed of in the coming FIA elections!!! And if not bring on A1 and the 2008 GPWC

end rant....

I don't blame the FIA at all, the track was there for years before, not just the week beforehand. The tyre manufacturers and teams knew the layout for a long time.

Basically it was a bit of a powerplay, and Michelin lost

(as well as the spectators/viewing public :mad: )

I can't see Michelin selling many tyres to race fans in the US after that complete and utter F*&K-UP.

Very simplistic analysis mate, its not as simple as 1 guy saying...oh, yeah...lets do that. The FIA is a very large conglomerate that has a series of rules and regulations just like any country has their specific laws and regulations. Any breach of these laws/ regulations would develop into greater problems across the board. Dont forget FIA incorporates the entire racing world not just F1.
Charlie Whiting, although famous, has really no power only suggestions. The real possible solution was a chicane at the banking corner as they had thought out the whole process and beleived this to be the only safe way around it. However, I think only Ferrari and one other team opposed this chicane as they beleived that they should not suffer due to others mistakes. This is true, apart from the fact that others were willing to sacrifice the points so a race could be held for the fans. i.e. Ignorant Ferrari HO were extremely selfish!
You should really look closer at whome had objected ANY changes to the race.
Also, michelin were unawares of any problems with their tyres prior to the race as they had not predicted the extra wear/ grip on the tyres due to a freshly laid track. The only reason Bridgestone was able to continue with the race was due to their involvement with the IRL and the recent events that happened only a few weeks ago. This is why Bridgestone has a tyre which is 1.5kg heavier per wheel (stronger sidewall).
Regardless of what happened, what was done was right. No one wants to see utter devastation on the racetrack.
If theres anyone to blame, blame it on the Indianapolis track managers who re-laid the bitumen a month before an F1 race which has the fastest banking curve in the series. I personally dont blame Michelin as they did not have the inside info like Bridgestone had on the stupid activities by the Americans.
What it was, was another ridiculous American event that showed Americans ignorance.....yeah Cletis, lets throw some beer cans at an Innocent driver.
If I ever had someone throw something at me whilst on the track I would pull in, grab my large spanner and crack their ****in head open!

I don't blame the FIA at all, the track was there for years before, not just the week beforehand. The tyre manufacturers and teams knew the layout for a long time.

Basically it was a bit of a powerplay, and Michelin lost

(as well as the spectators/viewing public :mad: )


I don't disagree about the track being around of four previous races but it was the first time it had to be done on one set of tyres. Bridgestone have been running there for years and have a stack of data from the IRL races and therefore are in a better postion to develope a tyre. Yeah it was Michelins fault to begin with but was it the 7 teams? And they aknowledged it 48 hours before it had to become a problem.

It was up to Charlie Whiting and the FIA (and Bernie to do some better arm twisting on both sides) to do their job as governing body and work out a solution for us the fans! It was a power play but I think the FIA lost and as a result so did we the viewing public.

I don't blame the FIA at all, the track was there for years before, not just the week beforehand. The tyre manufacturers and teams knew the layout for a long time.

Basically it was a bit of a powerplay, and Michelin lost

(as well as the spectators/viewing public :mad: )
The track has been there for years. The new diamond cut surface hasnt been.

In FIA's defense, Michelin should have brought along a 'backup' tyre. In Michelin's defense, they have already gone on the record as stating their 'backup' tyre, although a harder compound, still wouldnt have satisfactorily held up under racing conditions in their tests. And even then, the teams would have incurred a penalty for changing tyre mid weekend.

You can argue this forever, and bottom line, IMHO you cant pin any one party soley on the farce that was the US Gone Prix.

Needless to say, we wont be seeing a US GP again anyway. Tomorrow sees the Michelin teams meet with the FIA over this whole thing, so it will be interesting to see what comes of that!



The GPWC is looking more and more likely every day ;)

I think the FIA has a pretty big case to answer personally. When stuff goes down there's time for recrimination and possible penalties, but oince its happened its happened. The FIA were the body able to make the required compromises in order to put a race on.

Do you think this furore would have happened if, somehow, the FIA was able to assist or make the teams accept some sort of compromise that enabled them all to race. As much as the chicane idea is flawed, IMO, its still the best option I've heard for a compromise in this instance. I'm not saying it's right or the perfect solution but if something could have been sorted with that there would have been a race. Changes to track are not the reponsibility of Michelin, Bridgestone, MNcLaren, Williams et al, but the FIA. Put on a race and then fine the bejeesus out of the Michelin runners or something, but the show must go on.

I blame Michelin. It's not like the new surface was laid in middle of the night. They have the resposibility to provide tyres that last a whole race at each circuit. They should have checked the surface and the track weeks prior to the race and then either made a suitable tyre or alerted the FIA and teams of the problem way before the race weekend. I hope Michelin get's the flick.

TOM

interesting that Bridgestone had no trouble, and Bridgestone/Firestone are the same company, so Firestone had data on the track from the indy 500, which would have been passed on to bridgestone

(does that make sense)

MickyD made a good point a couple of days ago: Schumacher wins title by less than 10 points.

Counterpoint and same arguement; Ferrari said ok Michie guys go race, but for no points above 7th. Schumacher is taken out in a 'racing incident' and loses title by less than 3 points....Italians would have been throwing Nasto Azzuro cans everywhere....

Outcome and determination of the FIA hearing should be sensational reading...

There's no denying Michelin has a case to answer. But once it was clear that 7 teams were unable to race due to safety concerns a deal should have been made to get some sort of compromise in place to ensure a race, rather than a procession, was run.

interesting that Bridgestone had no trouble, and Bridgestone/Firestone are the same company, so Firestone had data on the track from the indy 500, which would have been passed on to bridgestone

(does that make sense)

Excellent point. Wonder who was lobbying to have the track diamond cut originally ?
Plot thickens....

But we're talking big league here so Michelin really have no excuse.

If I were Michelin I would launch a huge smear campaign to Firestone/Bridgestone announcing that they give a sh*t about the drivers of cars on their tires unlike Firestone - think Exploding tyres killing people in Ford Explorers....

The stupidest thing is that one of this highest selling tires in the USA is BF Goodridh... last time I got a set of them, they were owned by... Michelin.

Michelin may cop a hiding but the hicks in their pick-ups will still go out frying their BFG Truck T/A's every day....The only group that lost out were the spectators, Michelin lost nothing. I would have no hesitation buying MIchelin tyres knowing they get theiir products right and hold my safety in high regard.

One car had an accident out there, they assumed there was a risk to all and recalled them. How do we know if it would have affected anyone else? Ralf had an issue with a Michelin shod car on the same section of track last year...

I BLAME RALF SHUMACHER FOR RUINING IT FOR EVERYONE!!!

DAMN HIM TO HELL! (well why not, everyone else seems to be getting blamed!?!)

I'll be watching the French GP next weekend too BTW. I dont hold a grudge.

It's official: Michelin seven charged by FIA


As predicted, the Michelin seven have been charged with bringing the sport into disrepute during the Indy fiasco by the FIA.

In a letter sent to all seven of the teams, the FIA declared that at next Wednesday's hearing, they would 'answer charges that, in breach of the above, you committed one or more acts prejudicial to the interests of a competition, namely the 2005 United States Grand Prix and/or to the interests of motor sport'.


The specific charges against the Michelin teams are that they:

- failed to ensure that you had a supply of suitable tyres for the race and/or

- wrongfully refused to all allow your cars to start the race and/or

- wrongfully refused to allow your cars to race, subject to a speed restriction in one corner which was safe for such tyres as you had available and/or

- combined with other teams to make a demonstration damaging to the image of Formula One by pulling into the pits immediately before the start of the race.


'And that you failed to notify the stewards of your intention not to race in breach of article 131 of the FIA Formula One Sporting Regulations.'

Ooh, the Michelin 7, it sounds so dastardly, the Guildford 5, the Bali 9 ... quick, run for your lives! :eek:

Scotty,

One question: if you venture onto the grid, then partake of the 'sighting' lap are you deemed to have started the race according to the FIA rule book ?

Mark

Hahahaha. I feel the end is nigh.

Scotty,

One question: if you venture onto the grid, then partake of the 'sighting' lap are you deemed to have started the race according to the FIA rule book ?

Mark
Yup.

Had they not gridded up at all, according to FIA/concorde agreement, it would have been voided as a championship points paying race.

So while it was hardly a race for the spectators, the rule book says it was, in fact, a race.

That is exactly why they did it... sounds like the FIA are searching the rules for loopholes to give them something to charge them with.