Vibrating wheels!

[slicktoast]

How long do you think the tire and wheel manufacturer is going to put up with Ferarri blaming them for mechanical failures? Why haven't other teams using the same product been vibrated into a DNF?

[Sparky]

If I was Bridgestone's marketing director, I'd be pretty upset.

While it IS possible for a single tyre in a batch of several hundred to delaminate and go out of shape, leading to vibration and reduced lap times, I don't think that was the reason for MS slowing the way he did.
As has been mentioned, he had ample time in hand to stop for a replacement set of tyres. The fact that he didn't suggests that wasn't the problem, or at least, a visit to the pits wouldn't solve his particular problem.

I think the problem is with Ferrari's revolutionary new-for-'01 braking system. This could also be the root cause of the frequent Ferrari suspension failures. We already know that the Scarlet team have a new ducting system, and we've all seen the brake dust deposited on the car's sidepods after each race. But I think I'm right that Barcelona is particularly hard on brakes. So the fault would have been even more pronounced than usual.

MS and Brawn saw Rubens exit with rear suspension failure. I think MS felt that he had enough time in hand to back off and still comfortably finish ahead of JPM, but when he saw Mika fall by, he was gifted a win. My take on Sunday's events.

It WASN'T a tyre problem.

[KC]

Steve Matchett commented ont his subject during the US braodcast. he said that the Ferrari mechs told him that the braking system had gotten so hot that it delaminated the carbon fiber ducting and passed on the trapped heat into the wheel assembly. The resulting heat warped the wheel, cooked the wheel bearing and it all brought about the front tire failing due to high friction.

[DancingMachine]

ferrari is very clever. they never reveal the story.. sorry guys i cant find out anything on this

[senna12]

KC's explanation sounds like the answer. We've all noticed the special type of ducting that Ferrari uses, they appear much closer to the brake/wheel assembly than that of other teams.
If I were Bridgestone or BBS (is it?), I would be slightly put off by this as well.

[Valve Bounce]

It is unlikely that Ferrari would broadcast their problems to the other teams. The bridgestone excuse sounded like a smokescreen to me.

[F1Rumors]

Originally posted by Sparky
But I think I'm right that Barcelona is particularly hard on brakes. So the fault would have been even more pronounced than usual.

Actually, Barcelona is not especially tough on brakes -- it's a ***** on tyres, especially the front left. But it has a relatively low amount of serious braking (ie, plenty of medium and high speed corners), so brakes are not stretched particularly.

The brakes theory, however, is something like on the button: check out the story at F1 Rumors.

[Liz]

That was what I heard too - about the brake systems being the real culprit. A bit ironic isn't it, as everything that goes wrong with the Ferrari or their strategy is usually blamed on "brake problems" - and this time it IS brake problems and they're blaming - the tires!

[RussianFriend]

The first commandment of Ferrari Spokeperson:

NEVER BLAME THE RIGHT HORSE

The second:

THE END JUSTIFIES THE MEANS

[Tristan]

But can you blame Ferrari?? We still havn't REALLY found out what
happened to the Mikkamobile. If you've got a weakness, you're not going to go and tell everyone. KC's explaination sounds plausable. The fact that the cooloing ducts on the Ferari brakes are SO small may help the aerodynamics, but the brakes must sure run hotter than anyone elses. If something gets lodged in there (as what happened in Imola, coincidentally) it could cause them to overheat further.

[KC]

MS's driving style could be contributing to this as well. He is a very hard left foot braker. There was talk last year that the telemetry showed at times he has 80% brake and 100% throttle on tat the same time. This would build an incredible amount of heat in the brakes as you can imagine, especially if the Ferrari braking system might be designed to run hotter this year.

[Liz]

From F1 News:

Ferrari Admit Suspension Problem

Following Schumacher's problems toward the end of the Spanish Grand Prix, which Ferrari blamed [on] which Ferrari blamed a tyre vibration, Ross Brawn has admitted that a possible suspension failure was the real reason why Schumacher slowed.

***

"There was a linkage in the rear suspension that broke (on Barrichello's car)," Brawn was quoted. "The part used was quite new and we have to take it back to get a metallurgic test to work out what went wrong."

I guess that answers THAT question.