Ferrari: did they ‘throw’ 2005?

[gfm]

I haven’t been following these pages much recently, so I don’t know if some one’s posed this before but something’s bothering my tiny brain, at this time of this season; can you guys help?
Pure conjecture you understand, but given the state of the sport and the MS/Ferrari thing, I find many incidentals that make it a credible suggestion.
Given such a disastrous season, is any one going to loss their job over their performance this year at Maranello? Earlier this year, they appeared to enjoy considerable financial income from BE’s organisation for the future. And in MotoGP the current winning tyre is Bridgestone, over Rossi’s Michelin.
Please don’t fall out and get bitter over this question; I’m a huge MS/Ferrari fan and I think Alfonso will be a fabulous World Champion, absolutely great. But I wouldn’t trust BE as far as I could spit . . .
My view only you understand.

[Hugh Jarce]

Yes, I think they did throw the championship - by building a dog of a car.

That's what they now seem to be admitting.

[ensign14]

Coincidence that in the first year that Ferrari are having to draw things in a little due to lower financing they drop off the pace? Ferrari's biggest asset in recent years IMO has not been Todt, Schumi, Brawn, Bstone or Byrne, but sheer spending power.

[Knowlesy]

They didn't throw the championship, there are many factors that make up there poor performance. It is all down to them and their partners.

If they threw the title, they wouldn't throw it quite so spectacularly would they?

[Hugh Jarce]

Good point Knowls!

[Gt_R]

Firstly, instead of looking at things on the surface, we should attempt to be logical in the arguments.

Ferrari did not, at least not for the recent couple of years, the biggest budget. And even if they have, it is not by a huge margin that F1 magazines like to estimate (read guess).

If you look at the spendings of Maranello, and that of rivals Mclaren..it isn't too far off. In fact, Williams and Mclaren had spent more money on their F1 infrastructure than Ferrari in the past few years, and that Toyota is currently the spending leader of F1.

We're not talking about "chelsea style" here...yet.

So what happened? While it's easy to claim some sort of conspiracy or laugh at others when they are down, examining the process would realise that simply, Ferrari (and here i mean Ferrari INCLUDING their partners).

It isn't really a surprise if Ferrari comes up with a car that is less than perfect compared to last season...simply because it's a different guy who's doing it this year. No..i'm not pushing the blame to him. But Ferrari has won for 5 seasons, with the key people nearing retirement. It is only responsible and logical that Ferrari choose a time to pass on the baton to a new bunch of leaders for Ferrari. They chose 2005 partly because it fits the time, a change of rules is an opportunity (which didn't turn out quite that way), and it leaves Rory/Brawn/Michael a couple of years to "guide" them.

And when a team changes it's structure as drastically as this, performance naturally takes a hit.

Even assuming that Ferrari loses a couple of tenth...it still doesn't deny the fact that Bridgestones is also not on par to what Michelin has offered its team. The car-tyre relationship isn't working...and worsening the matter is that the tyres isnt providing as good performance as those Michelin donuts. And when we consider the 4 tyres the only thing between road and car....the effects are hard to be ignored. Coupled to the fact that Bridgestone run a total less testing mileage... problems surface.

So at the end of the day, it's a accumulation of errors and less than ideal performance. It's not going to go away tomorrow... it's something we have to face with it. Even Mclaren isn't completely out of it's 2002 shadows til today.

[Sodemo]

I heard before the 2005 season began, that Ferrari were being told to "lose" the championship this year, so that they can come back in 2006 for M Schumacher to win, and retire as some kind of "matar".

[Kempi]

Yeah, like you can plan such things that easily. Conspiracy theories are great, aren't they?

[garcon]

Interesting theory there, monster.

I don't think Ferrari "threw" the 2005 championship. Why would they? Makes no sense whatsoever.

However I do think that since it became obvious that the 2005 car was a bit of a dog and they weren't going to be able to compete for either the manufacturer's or driver's crown, Ferrari decided to start concentrating on the 2006 car instead of further developments for 2005. Makes sense, particularly with so many changes for next year.

[Nintendo]

Yeah, I think they may have counted their chickens, and realised that their sport is dying, and it needs a new breath. But, no one knows except Ferrari.

[Hugh Jarce]

Originally Posted by garcon

Ferrari decided to start concentrating on the 2006 car instead of further developments for 2005. Makes sense, particularly with so many changes for next year.

But do you reckon they van pull back the advantage that Uncle Ron has - I think that's a big ask.

[garcon]

It is a big ask. But I think they'll be closer than this season. In some ways it helps Ferrari that there are so many changes -everyone will be building a practically brand new car instead of an evolution of thier 2005 car.

[Knowlesy]

Originally Posted by Hugh Jarce

But do you reckon they van pull back the advantage that Uncle Ron has - I think that's a big ask.

Well I can't see them doing it with a van for sure Jarcey.

[Hugh Jarce]

True - not unless it's the typical white one's driven by Chav's in London. They do go like a bomb.

Perhaps BAR might have more luck with a van.

"Well Nick, what are your hopes for this race?"

"We have a whole new aero package on the van and the test data looks great. I'm sure we will be right up there."

"Thanks Nick (what a load of optimistic cobblers).

[JeremySmith]

I doubt it, The level of domination that Ferrari have had over the last few seasons can't last for ever can it?

[Korr]

They threw nothing, and saying so belittles the effort of the new WDC and his team!

Ferrari blew it, not threw it!

[Adam43]

IMHO No.

[Dutton]

I think it can be safely assumed that, were they able to, Ferrari would quite happily have scored 1-2's in all qualifying sessions and races in the season to date.

With regards the stopping of development on the 2005 car in order to focus on 2006: I am sure that Brawn said as much back around Hungary sort of time. I cannot remember exactly, but that is what is in my head.

[Adam43]

The have done similar things in the past with regards to freezing development on the current years car. Normally after the title was over. In the past few years it has been over because they have secured it, this time it was over because they have lost it.

[NO1SPECIAL]

No.

[joe rossi]

Originally Posted by Korr

They threw nothing, and saying so belittles the effort of the new WDC and his team!

Ferrari blew it, not threw it!

agreed...first car Rory takes a "hands off" approach on and look what happens...

Funny that Williams and McLaren can lose with impunity, through their own incompetence, but when Ferrari lose it's deliberate

[JohnSSC]

I wish Ferrari would make up thier mind! I mean, last season they were winning everything because the Vast International Ferrari Conspiracy to Control the World and Win at All Costs ensured that no matter what they would win. This season, the Vast International Ferrari Conspiracy to Control the World and Win at All Costs has apparently decided to lose.

Presuming that the megalomania attributed to Ferrari indeed exists, it seems a bit much to think that said megalomania would not only allow but plan for failure. What purpose would be served by losing - unless of course it is in Michael's Contract!! Blimey!! That's it! Alonso was contractually obligated to win the WDC! He had no choice or he would be sued! Poor man!

Cor, I am finally getting good with this here conspiracy stuff!

[Stargazer7]

Ferrari is a team that attracts conspiracy theories, it has always been and always will be that way. I myself think that they are focusing to the next year's car, as Renault did last year, sacrificing second place at WCC over BAR in order to have a better car this year. Take a look at the results of this decision...

[KevinS]

First they blew it, as a result they threw it.

My theory:
They threw it just before halfway this season when they realized it wasn't just the tyres, but also the limits of developing the F2005 chassis. Ferrari admits they misinterpreted the new aero-rules. The F2005 chassis was nearly perfected (to Ferrari's ideas, which turned out to be wrong) which left little room for improvement. After Canada (2nd & 3rd) and Indy, the competition started to run away again and Ferrari was stuck with a chassis that had reached the top of it's potential and they couldn't keep up. Halfway through the season, with a big gap in points to Alonso/Renault, they had two choices; to build a new car for the 2nd half of the season or to concentrate on 2006. Developing a new car midseason brings not only the risk that it isn't going to be enough, but also that you can't spend enough time developing next years car, so they decided to go with the 2nd option.