Monthly Archives: September 2010

Felipe Massa had a lucky escape from a major moment on the exit of Parabolica in the second practice session at Monza while gunning for fastest time.

The Brazilian ran wide and went through the gravel trap, but by keeping his foot on the throttle managed to drive his way out and get back on the track. He was then able to dive straight into the pit lane to catch his breath.

“When I arrived in the corner it reminded me of Kimi, as I tried to do a bit of rallying!,” joked Massa. “No I mean I was just very lucky. I was behind Michael [Schumacher], I was on a very good lap, I was supposed to improve my lap time on that lap. It was one and a half tenths quicker than my best lap until the last corner, I tried everything to keep the lap, but when Michael was in front, I lost a little bit of grip best and was out.

“I was very, very lucky. Even when I went out of the track, I was completely on the gravel, sideways, and I thought I was going to crash on the back, I kept the throttle completely open, to see if it could help. And it helped completely to turn the car and pass the wall!”

Meanwhile Massa finished the session third, just behind his team mate, after the pair had been only eighth and ninth in the morning.

“I think today was not an easy day for us to understand many directions in the car. Usually this is a different track to most of the tracks we race, and finding a good balance and good direction was not so easy. But anyway we improved quite a lot between both session, and at the end I’m quite happy with the balance, quite happy with the car, looking at how we started the first session and how we finished the second.”

Massa confirmed that both Ferrari drivers had kept the F-Duct on the car all day: “We used the F-Duct all the time, we didn’t do anything special. We tried different wings, that was all.”

The World Motor Sport Council chose to ignore a recommendation from its own investigator to hand the German GP win back to Felipe Massa.

Swedish FIA veteran Lars Osterlind was appointed as the ‘Reporter’ in the case and personally investigated all aspects of it. His conclusion was that the $100,000 fine should stand, five seconds be added to Alonso’s time (which would have changed the result), and there should be a loss of both driver and constructor points – but suspended unless there was another offence.

Although Osterlind presented a compelling case – and clearly was not swayed by Ferrari’s claims that team orders were not involved – the WMSC chose not to change the original penalty.

Its reasoning was in essence that the FIA’s own rule, which has been in place for eight years, was difficult to police. Ferrari’s evidence included other cases that it alleged were team orders, involving McLaren in Germany in 2008 and Turkey this year, and it also referred to RBR in Turkey this year.

It also insisted that Massa was not subject to team orders, but had made his own decision based on evidence that was presented to him. “Fernando is faster than you,” etc…

Intruingly Osterlind determined that was not necessarily the case and found that both drivers had been asked to turn their engines down – before Alonso turned his revs up again “without Mr Felipe Massa’s being informed.”

Osterlind’s report also covered the question of sports ethics, saying, “Motor racing ought to be unpredictable, as it has been to date. Part of that competitive element is to take equal interest in all competitors. Irrespective of their fitness, talent or position in the race, competitors should be able to rely on themselves for purposes of winning the race without any form of external aid influencing their sporting performance.”

I think most fans would agree with that assessment…

 The World Motor Sport Council has finally issued a statement relating to today’s Ferrari case, and it makes the important point that it has confirmed the decision made by the stewards at the German GP.

In other words the team has not been found not guilty in any way, but neither has it suffered an increased punishment.

The WMSC also intends to take a look at the team orders rule, presumably on the basis that Ferrari made a good case for F1 being a team sport and the rule untenable.

More details will be released tomorrow, but the full text issued tonight is as follows: “On 25 July 2010, at the Grand Prix of Germany, the Stewards of the meeting found an infringement by the Scuderia Ferrari to the prohibition of team orders interfering with a race result and then decided to impose a fine of $100,000 and to forward the dossier to the World Motor Sport Council for further consideration.

The Judging Body of the World Motor Sport Council held an extraordinary hearing in Paris on 8 September 2010 to examine this matter.

After an in depth analysis of all reports, statements and documents submitted, the Judging Body has decided to confirm the Stewards’ decision of a $100,000 fine for infringing article 39.1 of the Sporting Regulations and to impose the payment of the costs incurred by the FIA.

The Judging Body has also acknowledged that article 39.1 of the Sporting Regulations should be reviewed and has decided to refer this question to the Formula One Sporting Working Group.

Proceedings

In March 2010 at Bahrain at the initiative of the FIA President, the World Motor Sport Council adopted a new transitional disciplinary procedure, in order in particular to ensure the separation between the prosecuting body and the judging body. At the General Assembly on 5 November 2010, a more global reform of the FIA judicial system will be submitted for approval, including in particular the creation of an International Tribunal which will exercise the disciplinary power in the 1st instance in place of the World Motor Sport Council.

In application of this new procedure, previously applied within the context of the US F1 case, the FIA President exercises the role of prosecuting body. As such, he has the authority to notify any person being prosecuted of the grievances brought against him and to submit the matter to the Judging Body of the World Motor Sport Council, chaired by the Deputy President for Sport, Mr Graham Stoker.

The Deputy President for Sport has the power to proceed with an investigation and, within this context, to designate a reporter from among the members of the World Motor Sport Council.

In the present case, the Deputy President for Sport designated Mr Lars Österlind, a member of the World Motor Sport Council, as reporter. Mr Österlind’s report was forwarded to the Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro as the party being prosecuted.

Prior to the hearing, the members of the Judging Body of the World Motor Sport Council received all the documents in the case, including the observations submitted by the Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro.

The FIA President did not attend the hearing but was represented by Maître Jean-Pierre Martel from the law firm Orrick Rambaud Martel.

The hearing before the Judging Body of the World Motor Sport Council, assembled on 8 September 2010 in an extraordinary meeting, was chaired by the Deputy President for Sport and allowed the hearing, in person, of Mr Stefano Domenicali, Team Principal of the Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro, assisted by lawyers, Mr Henry Peter and Nigel Tozzi. The World Motor Sport Council had the possibility to join the drivers Mr Fernando Alonso and Mr Felipe Massa via video conference.”

Ferrari has thanked the World Motor Sport Council for its proposal to review the team orders rule after today’s meeting in Paris.

A brief team statement said: “Ferrari has taken note of the decision of the FIA World Council, relating to the outcome of this year’s German Grand Prix and wishes to express its appreciation of the Council’s proposal to review article 39.1 of the Formula 1 Sporting Regulations, in light of what emerged during today’s discussions.

“Now, all the team’s efforts will be focussed on the next event on track, when the Italian Grand Prix takes place at Monza this weekend.”

One presumes that the team hopes that the review is concluded before the end of this season…

Ferrari has not received any further sanctions after today’s World Motor Sport Council hearing in Paris into the team orders affair. However, the original $100,000 fine still stands.

It remains to be seen what the thinking behind the decision is, but the Hockenheim stewards may have made a bad call in giving a punishment and referring the matter to the World Motor Sport Council. Had a fine not already been imposed, the WMSC might have been more inclined to take more serious action.

The fine was the highest that the stewards were able to impose on the Sunday night of Hockenheim,

More later…

The FIA doesn't want F1 drivers to have a 'boy racer' image...

In the light of Lewis Hamilton’s infamous ‘hooning’ incident in Australia the FIA has made it clear that it won’t tolerate F1 drivers getting into trouble on public roads.

That includes ensuring that they have to have a valid road licence, while there could also be investigations into specific incidents.

Today’s statement said: “The FIA, both in its motor sport and mobility roles, has a strong interest in promoting road safety. Competitors at FIA events must act as ambassadors for the sport, be aware their conduct on the road must be exemplary and respect road safety rules. A proposal to amend the international sporting code will be submitted to the FIA General Assembly to clarify that any holder of an International Super Licence must also be in possession of a current road driving licence.

“Additionally, the Code will be amended to clarify that if an International Super Licence holder is involved in a serious road traffic offence recognised by a national police authority, the FIA, depending on the severity of the case, may issue a warning or refer the matter to the International Disciplinary Tribunal, which may temporarily or indefinitely withdraw the competitor’s International Super Licence.”

The FIA is to follow up on its earlier suggestion to issue licences to key members of F1 team staff, so to avoid the problems that occurred after the attempts to ban Flavio Briatore and Pat Symonds.

It will give the FIA the chance to prevent personnel who have got into trouble from continuing to work in the sport.

The FIA statement reads as follows:”The World Motor Sport Council will submit a proposal to the General Assembly that a specific licence is created for a restricted list of members of staff of the competitors entered in the FIA World Championships. The aim is to introduce a system that ensures they are subject to the criteria set out in a new FIA Code of Good Standing. This would apply to a minimum of six people per competitor, including the Team Principal, Sporting Director, Team Manager, Technical Director and two race engineers (or equivalent).

“A new mechanism will be introduced to control access to areas under the jurisdiction of the FIA and no pass of any kind will be issued to any person or body who is not in good standing for the purposes of the FIA International Sporting Code. Entrants will also become responsible for their staff, meaning any person connected directly or indirectly with the entrant in connection with their participation in an event.”

As expected the Indian GP has been given an end of season date for 2011, as usual pending the homologation of the circuit.

However Bernie Ecclestone has chosen not to shuffle around the other flyaway races so the season will end with an unprecedented run of six events outside Europe. He has however taken the logical option of putting Japan and Korea back to back.

Brazil has relaced Abu Dhabi as last race on the unusually late date of November 27, presumably for the very obvious reason that India and Abu Dhabi are very close on the map.

Indeed this will be latest end to a season since 1963, when the South African GP was held on December28 – although qualifying for the January 1 1965 race was actually held in December…

Australia now stands alone, two weeks ahead of Malaysia, which makes little logistical sense for team personnel. However the later race is at least placed back to back with China.

 2011 F1 World Championship

13/03 Bahrain

27/03 Australia

10/04 Malaysia

17/04 China

08/05 Turkey

22/05 Spain

29/05 Monaco

12/06 Canada

26/06 Europe

10/07 Great Britain

24/07 Germany

31/07 Hungary

28/08 Belgium

11/09 Italy

25/09 Singapore

09/10 Japan

16/10 Korea

30/10 India*

13/11 Abu Dhabi

27/11 Brazil

The FIA has as widely expected confirmed that there will be no 13th team in 2011, after decreeing that none of the potential candidates met the requirements.

An FIA statement read as follows: “Following the press release of 19 March 2010 calling for expressions of interest to participate in the 2011 and 2012 seasons of the FIA Formula One World Championship, a number of interested parties expressed their interest.  It was considered that none of the candidates met the requirements to be granted an entry into the Championship.

“Consequently, the allocation of the 13th team will not be granted.”

Kobayashi has extended his relationship with Sauber

Kamui Kobayashi will stay at Sauber in 2011 after a strong second half of the season impressed his team boss.

The Japanese driver struggled with reliability problems and first lap incidents earlier in the year, but has been in the points in five of the past seven races, with a best of sixth in Valencia.

Peter Sauber said in a statement that he’d never had any doubt: “We enjoy having our rookie as part of the team – both as a driver and a person. We never had any doubts about working with him again in 2011. Kamui has definitely fulfilled our expectations in terms of his speed and fighting spirit. Plus, his work with the engineers and his technical understanding has also developed very well. The experience he has built up over his first full season in Formula One will certainly stand him in good stead for 2011. And our aim is to give him a fast and reliable car from the outset next season.”

Kobayashi said: “We had a very difficult start to the season, but we’ve worked together to pull ourselves out of that situation. I feel very much at home in Peter Sauber’s team and am very pleased we’ll be working together again in 2011. However, for now I’m focusing one-hundred per cent on this year. There are still six grand prix weekends to go in 2010, and we’ll be hoping to make up more ground.”

 Pedro de la Rosa’s future remains in doubt, the team saying only thatt the “second driver for the 2011 season will be announced at a later date.” It remains to be seen whether Telmex confirms a new partnership with the Swiss outfit, in which case Sergio Perez and Esteban Gutierrez look likely to have roles.