ESPIONAGE IN F1 - Toyota vs Ferrari

Two former Scuderia employees were found guilty of industrial espionage in a Modena court. Following their stint at Maranello, they went to work for Toyota.

Both men were initially sentenced to jail for crimes including unauthorized use of Ferrari computers and misappropriation of Ferrari files. Sentences were suspended.

Both individuals were dismissed when Toyota heard of the accusations. It was never determined that Toyota itself was responsible for promoting any of the crimes.

Nevertheless, even with spying, Toyota still can not get their F1 program to work as it should.

 

No kidding! Let the jokes begin.

 

Heard the same story in 1989

After Honda went on a two year winning streak.... Ferrari hired all Honda's people to build the Ferrari team that swept 7 years in F1

Honda had dropped out of F1, so no crime... but it does hint at where that Quality and reliability came from durring the MS years

Heard story that Honda's Cheif engineer in Japan, would get calls all-the-time from his old team of engineers now working in Italy to fix Ferrari's team.

 

Toyota's F1 effort has been one step away from a farce since they began it. I wish they'd go back to WRC and JGTC where they kicked butt and took names for a very long time.

'course, that would require that they start making cars that aren't targeted at the twigs and sprouts crowd.

 

So Ferrari used all of Honda's people those 7 years

 

These teams are like governments. They each know pretty much exactly what the other is up to.

 

So your saying Rory Burne, Paol Martinelli, and everyone else worked for Honda?

 

Nope.... but if you want to dig deep and follow the technology, you can find some really interesting Japanese history, beyond the official Ferrari story-lines.

This thread just makes me laugh because some of the roots of the technology that Ferrari bought from team Honda back in 1990, ...that went on to be developed into the best team in F1. And, is now being stolen by Toyota. LOL Kind of an interresting story from that point-of-view....when you look at Japanese back-stories in F1..

 

One step away from a face? They scored two points in their inaugural F1 season, 2002 not too bad. Then in 2003 they scored 16 points. Again not too bad for the youngest team on the grid. Then in 2004 they maintained 8th place in the constructor’s championship with only 9 points. They missed moving up to 7th by 1 point. Then in 2005 they had multiple podium finishes and leapt up to 4th place in the CC with 88 points. Ralph took 6th in the driver’s championship with 45 point and Jarno took 7th with 43 points. Podiums were 2nd place in Malaysia for Jarno (+24 sec) Ralph in 5th. Jarno 2nd Place in Bahrain (+13.4 secs) with Ralph in 4th. Jarno 3rd with Ralph in 4th for the Spanish GP. Ralph 3rd in Hungary with Jarno 4th. Final Race in China Ralph with a 3rd. When they weren’t on the podium they consistently were in the top 10. How is that a farce? 2006 was a slide backwards with 35 points amassed and sixth in the CC after switching to the Bridgestones. The Toyotas performance has always been tied to getting the tires to work right. When they've been able to do so they've been front runners when they haven't been able to they've struggled. Even in 2005 that was the case. For 2006 they should have stayed with the old tires along with everyone else.

Then this year they’re currently 5th in the standings despite having a dreadful car and the control tires. Granted they do have the largest amount of funds to work with, but as we all know F1 has a lot more to do with it than money. Just take a look at Honda and their current car. While last years and this years Toyota were disappointments this years Honda is just criminal.

 

F1 is one big incestuous family where I'd be very surprised if leaving engineers wouldn't take with them their notes on their laptops etc.

Ferrari "stole" the Benetton's braintrust in the nineties just as much as Newey took his design ideas to Red Bull from McLaren to name just two examples.

From that perspective I find the whole "espionage" allegations pretty ridiculous.

 

http://www.nobleforums.com/archive/index.php/t-575.html

 

Watch out for Spyker!!! Here are another 2 teams that are sharing information, even though the sharing seems to be a 1 way street.

 

Thanks

Interview with Mr. Uehara, creator of NSX -
“Ferrari lured most of our F1 Engineers to design engines for their F1 and road cars - After our (Honda) withdraw from F1 in 1992. Mr. Gato (Head of Honda V10 and V12 F1 Engine Program between 1988 to 1992) used to often called me from the Ferrari factory (where he was working) and telling me (jokingly) they really should slap a big H on the Ferrari's Engine Block and Ferrari F1 cars were powered by Honda.”

 

Mr. O was privately a big Ferrari fan from a long time ago, he had issues with Lauda, but he did give P Martinelli a lot of discipline in the engine department which helped from the 96 car on.

 

It certainly appears they were feed mis-information.....and honda must have spies at toyota