DRIVERS COULD STRIKE OVER SAFETY Strike action could hit the second half of our season, said Coulthard in his Daily Record column. Thats how strongly I and my fellow drivers feel over the safety concerns that have dogged us since last months US Grand Prix. In his role as a director of the Grand Prix Drivers Association, Coulthard has been leading calls for improvements to the safety facilities in place at test sessions. He was also the most vocal of the drivers during the United States Grand Prix debacle. FIA president Max Mosley was critical of Coulthards conduct at Indianapolis. The GPDA subsequently released a letter saying that they were disappointed not to receive the full support of the FIA president for their position on safety issues. World champion Michael Schumacher distanced himself from the letter. The drivers were due to meet Mosley at Silverstone to discuss the situation, but the president cancelled the meeting and rescheduled it for early August provided that at least half the drivers confirmed their attendance within seven days. Coulthard reiterated his disappointment that the meeting had not gone ahead at Silverstone. It should have taken place at Silverstone when all the drivers were together, he said. Already some, like Takuma Sato, cannot (attend the new date). The drivers would only consider strike action if they felt that their safety was being compromised, DC insisted. We want to ensure safety is the priority, said Coulthard. It is entirely possible we could strike if we are forced to do something we dont feel is safe. Hopefully that wont happen but if need be we will stick together and walk out. Mosley has said that he supports the drivers desire for safer testing facilities, but he fears that the F1 teams will refuse to foot the bill for any such improvements. -------------- Doubt this will happen but, many of us doubted that the NHL would go on strike and before that baseball. Coulthard must be nuts! There is NO COLLECTIVE BARGAINING agreement in F1 for the drivers. What make DC and other drivers think they are not replaceable?!
If they were replaced it would be a situation like champcar has now. Unknown drivers in cars they may not be totally ready or skilled enough for. Badd for all concerned. This is all Max Mosley's fault, no one else's. He and Bernie should understand that they are responsible for all the driver's safety and have dropped the ball on a few occasions. Do they need for someone to die again before they act?
I agree completely! We nearly saw Kimi, Ralf and Zonta die as a result of Michelin's inability to produce safe tyres. The FIA should grow the courage to BAN Michelin from the sport and change the one tyre rule. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH! All of this reduce cost nonsense is already costing too much. The cost may be a racer's life. If teams like Minardi cannot spend the money for development throw them out of F1! A LIFE IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN SPEND $10,000 on an extra set of tyres!
Well if that's what the drivers really want they should ALL STEP UP!! Get what i mean? Not just the ones with balls enough to say so.
These guys sure whine a lot. Other series drivers deal with more dangers on a regular basis: higher speeds, less run off room, closer racing and (gasp!) actual on-track passes. I don't buy into the weesa gonna DIE Annie chicken little talk. If these guys are the best of the best, they should pull on their big boy panties and drive.
I do not think that drivers like DC and Mark Webber know what they want. ALL THEY WANT IS ATTENTION! The only ones with real courage are staying quiet and working through diplomatic means. Drivers like Michael and Rubens who have the class and dignity to talk to the officials and not throw dirt through the media.
Most of the F1 drivers are just like to rest of other pro's A BUNCH OF WHINING PRIMADONNAS!!!!! They cry Safety, Safety, Safety. Yet if you look back at at all of the safety changes made to the cars in the past 20 years. The Impact testing gets tougher each and every year, the tracks make saftety improvments, The FIA makes changes to slow down the cars (Yet the teams find ways to get the speed back quickly). If they they think that F1 racing is unsafe there is no one forcing them to race they can go drive a taxi cab around NYC for all i care (If they try this they would claim F1 is a walk in the park). Moto GP riders are the same, a group of them are calling for the "Cork Screw" to be flattened out. If they did this it would destroy Laguna Seca. One thing the modern class of pro racers forget is that the sport is much safer today than it was just 5 years ago. All they care about is the $$$$ They forget that the original F1 drivers raced for the love of the sport not for the money. The first racers wore no flame retardant drivers suits, no super light helmets, No head and neck supports, and no seat belts and safety seats molded to the drivers body. DC can go and stand on a street corner and holding a sign "Will work for food" for all i care.
Kimi suspension Collaspsed due to a flat spot he created on the tire. The tire rule even though i dont care for it is there to force the drivers to conserve the tires!!! kimi screwed up and payed the price. Ralf had the same type of crash that injured Nigel Mansell's back at Phx, AZ in 1994. Did you see Nigel telling CART, Goodyear, PIR that changes have to be made?? Even to this day i keep hearing 4 different reasons for Ralfs Shunt last year at Indy. 1. Puncture caused by CF shards from the turn 1 crash. 2. Rear wing failure. 3. Tire delamination. 4. Driver Error. This year Toyota was the only team that had a Michelin tire to fail on the track. Ralf and Zonta both walked away from the crashes. yes Ralf did not run the rest of the weekend but i would like to see anyone slam into the wall at Indy slam into the wall and not feel any problems from the crash later on. The FIA cannot Ban Michelin from F1 simply since they are not under contract with the FIA they are under contract with the teams. This is why the teams were charged. After the FIA saw the terms of the contract with the teams now they are changing there minds about the charges againts the teams.
All that Michael and Rubens not talking means is that Ferrari is holding thier leashes. Courage is what a man like Jackie Stewart had not somebody keeping his mouth shut when if he spoke he could end the situation quickly.
I know perfectly well that the FIA and Michelin do not have any contractual relationship. But the FIA World Council can madate that there be only 1 tyre supplier in F1. If there was on one tyre rule per race we could have avoided any rear tyre failure, any flat spots and any injuries. If teams like Minardi cannot affoard the costs they do not belong in F1. Go race bicycles... that is cheaper... the door is open... leave! Given the circumstances that Michelin nearly KILLED THREE racers, the FIA should award the contract to Bridgestone. Thus forcing all teams to use Bridgestone tyres. Enough is enough! We cannot lose a life just because a few FAT CATS want to save money on tyres. The one tyre per race rule should be thrown out of F1!!!!
Michael and Rubens are professionals who do not believe in EMPTY THREATS made through the media. All this throwing trash at each other media shows the lack of class and cheapness of drivers like DC and Mark Webber! If Michael wants a one on one conversation with Mosley, Mosley will cancel anything on his agenda and fly down to meet Michael because Michael is a Professional who does not use rude language in public. Mosley was right to cancel the first meeting because in order to have a civilized discussion it is important that BARKING DOGS are not allowed to come inside the room.
Bwahahaha! :lol: I agree. What a bunch of friggin' babies... FIA already has some of the strictest safety regs in the world. Heck, haven't they deemed all but a couple of the tracks in the US unfit for any racing? The drivers have to cowboy the hell up and accept that racing will always have some risk and that they will have to look to their own skills to compensate for the occasional deficiencies in equipment. If they can't do that, they can go ahead and strike/quit. There are drivers out there that would give their right nut for the opportunity to get seat time in F1.
The problem is not so much with the cars it's more with this stupid tire war leading to tires so far on the edge that they are not lasting long enough. It is one thing to accept a calculated risk for the sport, that is a part of the game. But to accept something that could easily be changed is another thing totally. To have to race with suspect tires and be told get in the car and don't worry about it by some ****** in a suit that's never driven a race car in his life and sits in a tower counting his money would be unacceptable to many people. To get killed because of a stupid and not well thought out rules change is also unacceptable.
The main problem is between the tracks themslef and Berine and Max. If the tracks don't want to make the saftey additions, maybe Bernie and Max should reach into their pockets...after all it is THEIR series...they are the ones making the money off it...not the teams
I don't see how it's the tracks. There was no such problem last year. I think it's more Bernie and Max's problem. They make the rules. No single tire rule, no problem as far as i can see. The teams just conform to the rules and race.
The only part i will agree with you on this is to get rid of the 1 tire rule. Michelin is not the only guilty party involved. Take a look at this photo taken at Montreal durring practice #4. http://www.az-action-photo.com/f1c6.jpg Notice that Michael's tire has a flat spot on the left front and the left rear looks just about worn out. From your logic any crash where Michelin tires are involved it almost killed the driver. Well lets see how about the suspension failure of the Renault at Silverstone. That one was nuch worse than Kimi, Ralf, or Ricardos shunts this year. How about michaels's crafh that broke his feet at silverstone in 99??? Plain and simple racing can kill you. If you cannot accept that fact, i recommend that you go and start watching the "World Poker Tour".
Firstly it is important to remember that BRIDGESTONE BRINGS TWO TYPES of tires to every GP. I will repeat, that is TWO types of tyres. They always selct and recommend the safer one for the actuall race. That photograph is from PRACTICE #4! It is NOT from the race. MICHELIN ONLY BROUGHT ONE UNSAFE TIRE TO THE USGP! Michelin nearly KILLED Ralf and almost severely injured Zonta because they wanted to SAVE A FEW CENTS!!! Michelin and Michelin teams risked the lives of 14 racers becase THEY WERE CHEAP and wanted to SAVE a few DOLLARS! F1 almost paid a heavy price in terms of drivers lives because Michelin did not bring two types of tires!!! We are not talking about 1999 or any other year... we are talking about this year (2005). The rules this year (one tire rule) are designed to SAVE money. But we will pay in terms of injury and death to racers. I am no stranger to the risks of racing, but given the speeds in F1 precautions need to be taken. We should all learn from the PAST (1999). Therefore in 2005, incapable companies like Michelin should not be allowed to supply tires that KILL and severely injure racers. SAFETY FIRST! BAN MICHELIN!
You're real reason for being so intensely hateful of Michelin is because they are the major reason Ferrari has been getting their azzes handed to them this season. Bridgestone have "nearly killed" drivers (by your logic) many times too. Actually, probably moreso than Michelin if you consider the # of drivers on each kind of tire. Maybe Bridgestone should be banned? Or maybe you ought to grow up.
This strike is not about Michelin, it has nothing to do with Indy '05, it is about improving the medical facilities at test-sessions.
By saying it's the tracks, I meant that it is up to Bernie and Max to make agreements with the owners of each track to build whatever is needed to insure the safety of the drivers and fans.
Proof positive that you have no flippen clue about the FIA rules and F1. Practice #4 is on Saturday. Saturday morning the teams have to declare what tire spec they are to use for practice 3+4, qualifying and the race. Those tires are the same spec as what MS had to race on!!!!! That was the "Safer tire" MS and RB would not have even come close to the 2nd and 3rd if it was not for the misfortune of the other front winners. Ferrari's north american swing gave them nothing but a false glipse of hope. Also how soon you forget.. Rubens slamed in to the wall at turn 13 due to a suspected sudden deflation of a Bridgestone Tire. Did Bridgestone and Ferrari start a panic?? NO they sat out the rest of the practice sorted out the issue and changed the set up of the cars. the end result??? Rubens stole the win from Michael at the finish line.
If this is the case then the drivers need to go to the teams and state we need better medical services at test sessions, plain and simple. For test sessions it is the teams and tire companies that are renting out the track to do the testing on. Will this cost the teams more for this,, Yes it will. One thing to remember at an FIA race the Paramedics are mostly volunteers. They volunteer because they love the sport and geta chance to view the race from vantage points only the public can dream about. Maybe the teams can invest in some EMT training for the test teams, this way they will have more medical staff at the track that not only can help out a driver in an emergentcy they can also observe what the car is doing out on track.
I have a conspiracy theory: The driver-strike is really to get MS the championship again. HaHa I think its great that all this technology is on the cutting edge. Michelin has done a great job this year. And since it was only Toyota that actually crashed, it is possible that other cars would have no problem at all. If it is not good enough to be almost on the edge, sometines you are going to find yourself just over it.
