Don't attack Ferrari, says Sir Frank Williams

[Knowlesy]

I appreciate the FIA enforced the rules. But really, there are times when they just have to stand back and say "is this really best for us".

I think the US GP was a time to penalise Michelin yes, but also get a 20 car race underway. How they didn't do something to ensure this I don't know. I'm pretty sure they didn't want what happened to happen if you see what I mean, and I actually think they underestimated things to a gross degree.

[Mr V]

Originally Posted by Kicking-back

They did make a common sense decision, they enforced the rules. Fairly.

The common sense thing would have been to put in a chicane and argue it out later

Basically, imo, the FIA were calling Michelins bluff, Michelin complied.

[Mr V]

Originally Posted by Gil Abobeleira

Congratulation to Sir Frank to speak out his opinion. I wonder what will he, Patrick Head, Ron Dennis and the like have to say about this whole scam in some years time when they are retired

All 3 speak their minds, i don't think they would worry too much about waiting for retirement before speaking out.

[JeremySmith]

Originally Posted by Menelaos

Of course it's not Ferrari's fault. The only thing I didn't like about their behavior was that Todt didn't agree nor disagree. I think he HAD to say something. But apart from that, it's obviously NOT Ferrari who are to blame. For the bad result for Michelin teams --> Michelin's fault. For no race --> FIA's fault.

Sorry but that is not correct..Jean Todt does not need to make any comment if he does not wish too..He works for Ferrari not the FIA

[Tf105]

for no race FIA's fault..it's all about the race..all about the fans..they are who support the F1 and the damn FIA

It was a serious and tuff decision.. Imagine having to pull out of a race after securing your teams first pole position... onething on all thier minds is... that could have been our victory

Screw the FIA

[Marillion777]

Yes the Americans threw some beer onto the track, I guess its harder to get flares into a race in America than a soccer match in Europe

[Gt_R]

The words seemingly going around is that nobody from Michelin nor teams consulted Ferrari & Jean Todt over the issues of adding a chicane. Hence, Ferrari did not reply nor make any comments on the issue. Jordan agreed to run with the chicane under impression that all teams were consulted and agreed to it, and when they realise that Ferrari were racing without chicane, they took to the grid as well.

Minardi saw Jordan take to the race track and gave up "safety concerns" for "obligations to sponsors".

So as what Frank said, Ferrari's innocent when they weren't even asked to support the idea.

[Dutton]

Originally Posted by Tf105

for no race FIA's fault..it's all about the race..all about the fans..they are who support the F1 and the damn FIA

It was a serious and tuff decision.. Imagine having to pull out of a race after securing your teams first pole position... onething on all thier minds is... that could have been our victory

There was a race. It just only had 6 cars, and those cars had notable performance differences. It may have been uncompetitive and disappointing, but it was nonetheless a race.

In my opinion, sport isn't about the fans. It is about the competitors and the competition that ensues: I tune in to watch the event, not the fans. Whether it is in the interests of the competitors to keep a healthy fan-base or not is a totally different matter, but it is a consequence of being a means to continue competition rather than vice versa.

Toyota, reportedly, only having this three lap fuel load in Trulli's car... I wonder, if it is true, if they, essentially, KNEW - by which I mean had decided it was very, very likely - that they were not going to race the next day, and thus decided to go for the positive PR of pole.

With regards Ferrari's actions, it was no surprise that Ferrari would get the blame by quite a lot of people...it is just the way it is. They just took their standard approach of leaving it up to the FIA, and going with what they decided on. Even if they had actively said no to a chicane, people may not have liked it....but Ferrari wouldn't have done anything wrong by commiting such an action.

Personally, I was hoping they would get the chicane installed: out of all the options available, it was the only one on the table that was really viable. The other options would have produced a farcical - in the proper sense of the term, if taken darkly - event (and in some cases openly dangerous). I realise that this would have meant stretching official protocol somewhat, but I wanted to see a race of 20 cars if possible.

In the end there wasn't, which was not great, but I will live another day. It was one race. The world will keep on spinning.

[Sodemo]

So its Ferrari engines for Williams in 2006 then?

[BootsOntheSide]

While I'm sure there's nothing sinister in Frank not regarding Ferrari as responsible for what unfolded in the US, I'm interested as to his motives for going to such lengths to declare this opinion. Not only are Williams looking for engines for 2006, they were never publically involved in GPWC - BMW were - and they may look to side with Bernie over the next few years.

[Glen]

Well, er, perhaps he is saying don't blame Ferrari because, er, well - that would be ludicrous!

[Adam43]

Perhaps he said it because that is what he thinks! A mad suggestion I know!

[Dutton]

He said it because that is what he thinks (plain and simple)?

Let us not get carried away into a fantasy land where the actuality of most probability is the actual case!

Next you'll be telling us that humans are carbon-based life forms.