[Leica] Totally OT: What the HELL is F1 doing?

[sdp35 at cwazy.co.uk (Craig Zeni)]

On Jun 21, 2005, at 1:29 PM, Frank Dernie wrote:

> Peter,
> having heard a bit more today it looks rather like the FIA took on 
> board what seemed to be the case on first look, that is to say that 
> maybe some tyres from a different batch (the same specification is 
> used at Barcelona where the pure loadings are actually higher) run at 
> a higher pressure would be useable. However they seem to either have 
> not believed or not totally understood the later developments which 
> arose as more investigation, including rig tests and x-rays of used 
> tyres went on. This later data showed that the problem was not 
> necessarily a batch problem and could not be solved simply by 
> increasing tyre pressure. In the limited time available a proven 
> solution could not be found despite practically all the R&D staff of 
> Michelin both in the USA and France working non stop in the mean time.
> It was clear from this later information that the safety of the 
> drivers, corner workers and spectators could not be guaranteed unless 
> some sort of compromise on the circuit was met. There are precedents 
> for this.
> The FIA are now circulating outraged press releases which try to lay 
> the blame for the actual race fiasco elsewhere. Clearly the technical 
> failure was down to Michelin. The absence of a compromise solution 
> allowing a race to take place for the spectators was IMHO entirely due 
> to the FIA refusing to adopt such a compromise. Obviously they have 
> the power to do this though they have never used it like this before.
> I wonder what the real reason is? Time will probably tell.

Frank, I read earlier today that there was a situation in the pouring 
rain a couple of years ago where Bridgestone's semi-rain/semi-dry tires 
would not have been able to deal with the water, and that the rules at 
that time did not permit the use of two types of tires.  Rather than 
insist that Ferrari and the other Bridgestone users simply slow down in 
the interest of safety, the FIA delayed the start of the race to allow 
the rain to slack off then ran a number of laps behind the safety car 
to help dry the track.  Sounded like the FIA played rather fast and 
loose with that circumstance...do you recall the details?

Craig Zeni
Cary NC