FIA: Donnelly Denies Ferrari Bias

(from autosport)

FIA representative Alan Donnelly has rubbished suggestions that the governing body is favouring Ferrari in this year's championship.

Championship leader Lewis Hamilton has been hit by several penalties during the course of the season, including at last week's Japanese Grand Prix, where the Briton was penalised for his first corner move.

The penalties have triggered suggestions that the FIA is helping Ferrari this year.

But Donnelly has strongly denied Hamilton has been targeted by the FIA and said Ferrari are treated equally.

"I read so much rubbish on the decisions taken by the stewards this year," Donnelly was quoted as saying by Gazzetta dello Sport newspaper. "They write that the FIA and the stewards are always favouring Ferrari, and that we don't want Hamilton to become world champion.

"You just need one example to debunk that theory: at Monaco the stewards noticed that on Raikkonen's F2008 the wheels had not been fitted before the three-minute mark as allowed in the regulations. So the stewards penalised Kimi with a drive-through in a track where you can't overtake."

Donnelly also defended the penalty received by Hamilton in Japan.

"But at that speed he could never do the turn, and by going off he could have caused a much worse accident. It's the FIA's responsibility to make the drivers have a safe and honest behaviour."

Several drivers have called for a change to the stewarding system, asking for a former racer to assist in the decision-making process.

Donnelly, however, reckons the idea is wrong.

"I don't feel that is the correct solution, because their experience is tied to the past, from when they used to drive. And since then, let's say ten years ago, racing has changed," he said.

He added: "At the beginning of every season a list of people with the requisites to do this job is compiled. It's written by (FIA president Max) Mosley who is advised by the president of this sector of sport.

"These are people who, every weekend, work in some important event. They are given a superlicense just like the drivers'. We have stewards who have done this job for 20-25 years, when some of these drivers weren't even born yet."

The Briton also denied that the FIA were handing out too many penalties this year.

"I don't agree. In 16 races 69 penalties have been inflicted: 35 originated from the changing of engines, gearboxes, or going over the speed limit in the pit lane, and the other 34 came from incidents. I don't think that's a high percentage, also keeping in mind that we analyse tens more cases and we decide not to intervene.

"This year we also have a second screen that allows us to watch again the footage from different angles. One of the complaints we used to receive in the past was that penalties were inflicted late. So we kept up with the times.

"At Fuji we decided immediately that both Lewis and Massa had to be penalized. Other times, as was the case with Bourdais, we have to wait until after the race to talk to the drivers. But out decision are always well thought out."

 

Stop changing the races after they are done.... if you want people to trust you.

I still want to know how the betting industry handles paying bets on a sporting event that changes the order of the race, long after the race is done?

Don't they have legal sports betting on F1 in the rest of the world?

 

A month ago, I was in Vegas and they wouldn't take any bets on F1, only Nascar.

 

I agree with the stop changing the race results after the race bit 100%. It does not matter one bit what any of the top man in the FIA says, he reminds me of a politician. As long as the mouths open they are liying IMO. To a layman the sport of F1 stinks with corruption, especially this season.

 

Alan Donnelly reminds me of an old saying- "Who are you going to believe? Me or your lying eyes?"

They can do what ever they want during the race. But when race fans drive home, and then find out the race has changed.... its just not credible.

 

+ 1,000!

 

+10001

 

If anything,hate to say it,it's a racial thing.I dont think they want a black WDC.In April,as Ive mentioned before,I'm competing in my first season of karting.In this way too streotypical world we live in,I get the typical "whats this black dude doin here" kind of looks.Like Lewis I am of mixed descent but consider myself black.Had one of the top 3 guys on track on my ass,couldnt find any grip whatsoever but held him off to the end.The look on the guys face was priceless.Youngest guy there holds you off on a track I barely visit(which needs to change if im trying to get my Schumi on),you go every day.LMAO,cant wait.

 

I merely suggestest the racial card the other day and got flamed for it...but as I said in a reply post to it, it was a suggestion!

These guys at the top of F1 will do anything for money, or to mould the sport the way THEY want it to be most generous for THEM!

Look at it this way, polititians earn what? 100k a year, 150k at a push....yet the majority of people do not trust them and fear that what they do is for thier own interests......

These guys rake what, 10-12MILLION a year from this, what makes you want to trust that they are more legitimate behind closed than politians on an order of magnitude LESS? Come on!

 

I don't think it is a race thing. In fact I remember Bernie saying many years ago that he wished there was a black driver in F1 (just as he wished there was a woman). Diversity attracts new fans, which is good. There was a black F1 driver I believe, but he couldn't drive. Same goes for all the women who tried.

No, I think what we're witnessing is a bit of a perfect storm: Bernie wants to keep the championship open to the last race so he can sell his GPs at the highest possible price (going forward that is) and Mad Max still has a bone (that's no r ) to pick with McLaren and Mercedes. So the two men in charge of F1 agreed on keeping Lewis down and push Massa up. It ain't that difficult to see through this unless one's sunglasses are too thickly coated in red.

If not this year, Lewis' WDC title(s) will come. You can't prevent true talent from rising to the top. Likewise artifically supported "talent" won't stay on top too long.

 

Like Lewis.As for the black F1 driver,it was Willy T Ribbs testing for Brabham in the 80s.Check him out on the WIKI.

 

How is he artifically supported? hes had 7 pole positions this year, more than any other driver on the grid.

Whatever goes on in the race, pressure, mistakes, you cant deny that he consistently puts in lap times faster than everyone else where its needed, and even out qualifies Heki on every race.

 

That comment wasn't targeted at Hamilton.

 

Ahh my bad, it read like it was..ignore me heh

 

1000% agree. But i find this kind of suggestion is always flamed out by the majority. But Racism IMO plays a large factor in alot of hate towards LH.
I knew of one guy many years back who used to deny that there was a problem with racism in his home town. He used to be the typical guy who would say the cliche "i have a black friend" bit Then his daughter married a black man and had a mixed race kid. The guys view suddenly changed when the truth was closer to home and there were whispers behind his family's back.
Racism is alive and well in elite sections society including certain elite sports i am afraid and i hate it. I have no doubt that i will get attacked for saying the above. But pucker up fellas

 

Great point.

 

i doubt it's a racial issue here. it's just Hammi, IMHO, has been flirting a lot questionable things. say, even if he wasn't slapped with a drive thru last week, the way he flat spotted his tyres in the 1st corner melee, i doubt he was gonna challenge for the win anyways. then, there's Canada, and France.

however, i think the SeaBass penalty was unfair and lousy decision.