Back room deals

[Wrex]

From Autorace.com

In an interview with Autocar, Ferrari's sporting director Jean Todt admitted that their engine supply contracts with the Prost and Sauber teams involved more than just engines.

He explained: "Prost and Sauber cannot do something that goes against the direction we think the sport should be heading in. If, for example, we are talking about changing to 2.0-litre V8 engines, they cannot argue against us."

He did admit that the abovementioned only pertains to certain parts of the game. "For some things they must follow us, for others it's up to them."

Hmmm, I would love to know what deals and agreements are reached before any official voting.

Also, what a strange example to use, "2.0-litre V8's". Is there any more to this?

[Valve Bounce]

"For some things they must follow us, for others it's up to them."
I find the word "follow" particularly worrying.
Does this mean that both Prost and Sauber could be sucked into Ferrari team orders in doing a Bernoldi on Ferrari's opponents?
A couple fo weeks back, Saubr said hea was interested in an alternative source for a factory engine.

[Diabando]

No no no...lets not get into assuming silly things here.

First, he is having to speak english as a second language, so the word "follow" is not to be taken literally.

Now, REALISTICALLY, if you use a particular companies engine, then you are going to have to have the same basic engine set up (the "follow" comment)..after THAT, they can then go their own way.

Its got nothing to do with politics, and everything to do with engineering.

[Liz]

"Nothing to do with politics" ... that would be why Sauber and Prost voted with Ferrari to start traction control in Spain instead of at the beginning of the year, then?

This just confirms what everybody knows anyway, doesn't it? That Ferrari have undue influence in F1 and that F1 is essentially rigged.

[JeremySmith]

Ummmmmmmm Well yes one could say that!

[slicktoast]

They will beat you on and off the track!

[Orange]

F1 is essentially rigged

Ok Liz, this isn't the first time you have said this, but I have yet to see any kind of evidence that concretely shows any kind of predecision of race results. If you can show me something that proves that Formula 1 is rigged (meaning races are predetermined) then I will hear you, but if not... you are just spouting.

I look forward to hearing this... (is a seperate thread called for??)

[Liz]

Nah, it's not rigged. Just essentially rigged. Bernie made it perfectly clear last season that it was the year Ferrari were to win the WDC, after stating "I am a Ferrari fan." And lo and behold, events having little or nothing to do with racing conspired (which is not the some as a conspiracy) to make it so.

However, that is merely my own opinion and if you want a more detailed observation on the subject I will provide it by e-mail later on.

UPDATE:

For those who don't believe that Ferrari was the instigator and Sauber and Prost the followers in the Traction Control matter, I offer the following published report:

Regarding the Forumula One Technical Working Group, made up of all the technical directors of the Formula One teams:

From Racecar Engineering June 2001 issue, page 60:

"To bring in regulation changes at such short notice for 2001 required unanimous agreement at all stages of the rule-making process. But unfortunately, Ferrari, Prost, Sauber and Minardi, the latter teams all having an involvement with Ferrari , voted against the proposals at the Formula One Commission Meeting in Monaco in December. They could not therefore be put forward to the World Council for ratification."

I got my information from an inside source, but this should lend it a bit of credibility ... see, I'm not making it ALL up.