Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2005/06/22
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Sorry Craig, I don't remember the details but in fact several times there has been compromise when there has been a problem but it requires both the FIA to be willing and the agreement of all the teams. Don't forget that Ferrari did not win the driver's World Championship for 20 years, despite having the biggest budget by far all that time. Jean Todt's approach, with drivers driving to orders and no compromise at the track has brought the success they should have had all that time, he is unlikely to change his strategy now and he is entirely entitled to take this approach, like instructing Barricello to let Schumacher by - it works for him, even if the fans don't like it. BTW I am not laying blame on him here, it was a Michelin cock up followed by a FIA decision which led to the debacle. The FIA are using attack as the best defence at the moment by blaming the teams but the teams were left with absolutely no choice at all, Michelin said they could not vouch for the safety of the tyres (the opposite in fact) and the FIA did not agree to a change to the circuit - end of story. Frank On 22 Jun, 2005, at 01:02, Craig Zeni wrote: > > 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 > > > _______________________________________________ > Leica Users Group. > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information >