FORMULA 1 2018 ETIHAD AIRWAYS ABU DHABI GRAND PRIX: QUALIFYING***SPOILERS***

Last time I looked, Ferrari hadn’t protested the merc wheels...

 

I knew I read somewhere that F2 was having issues with the clutches.

Thanks for re-affirming that. From rolling starts to grid starts.

Yep, there were 2 drivers that stalled it during this race.

 

Mercedes stopped using them expecting a protest...what would be the point protesting them now, the titles are over

 

I'm just as calm, but it took a Guinness or two to get me here.

 

Same, but toss in a little O2 deprivation and muscle fatigue.

Any Breckenridge Tifosi out there? We'll have a breakfast race viewing at the Doubletree.

 

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Expect this to be deleted soon.

 

Lots of pain going on...

 

Actually, Merc ‘self protested’ proactively to get a definitive technical view. Ferrari then knew there was no point protesting something that had been declared legal. This happened long before the championship was over.

 

Maybe you’d like to explain how if they were certain they were legal, and their effect were as big as it was, that they elected not to run them then? Any team that has a marginal device that is passed by scrutinising would run that device if it gives them tyre management and race benefits like these rims did the Mercedes.

 

Well that’s obvious. Either the re-engineering wasn’t possible in the time available or the benefits to Ferrari were marginal. Remember- the tire heating issue was quite particular to Merc.

 

What has that got to do with Mercedes wheel rims? They removed them as they expected a protest, by removing them, there couldn’t be a protest, and the whole thing had been recognised too late to do anything about it. As soon as the wheel rims were removed, Mercedes had issues with their car and lost one race, and almost lost another..... proof the wheel rims were a key ingredient to the cars perfomance. Ferrari didn’t protest them in Abu Dhabi as what would be the point? The championships were already decided, so why bother. They can now develop the same technology over the winter if they want, and Mercedes can’t protest our car....

Mercedes have several devices on their car that are questionable, and even at the weekend, they demonstrated they are happy to manipulate the rules to their advantage with the running of sensors that will benefit them in the test this week that could not have been used had they not run them at the weekend - the rest of the teams no doubt were aware of this but honoured the rules by not running their own take on the sensors. Whatever way you play it, Mercedes cheat, and the FIA, scrutinisers and liberty allow it to happen. That’s what makes the hybrid era so ****ing boring..... Mercedes win because they have the rules in their pocket, they were designed by Mercedes and fed to the FIA, and they politicise every single question raised of them. No amount of excuses can deflect the accusation and the facts of this.

 

You want to take something for it then..... I recommend morphine, helps my cancer immensely

 

I honestly don’t know why you’re so angry with Mercedes. If you take the time to understand the facts you will realise one simple truth. Mercedes haven’t ‘cheated’. They have just been smarter. Their engineers have been smarter, their strategists have been smarter, their management have been smarter in their understanding of the rules and races. See a theme here? We (Ferrari) need to compete not by running to Headmaster with (unfounded) allegations of cheating, but just by doing a better job than we are. Simple.

I share your frustration at Ferrari’s inability to win this season even though we had the right equipment, but trying to incorrectly blame Mercedes for cheating doesn’t actually help solve the problem of Ferrari underperformance.

 

+1 they all look to 'cut corners' so nature of the game. Mercedes are just doing this right/better at the moment. Ferrari made a few mistakes - team and more so driver that allowed the utter consistency and reliability of Mercedes the opportunity to take those mistakes and out perform Ferrari. Well done to them but on to next year with Ferrari and Charles bringing a new challenge to Mercedes and hopefully full victory!

 

I never said I was angry, but I want to make sure the facts are known, they cheated

 

That aint proof I'm afraid, even in the current political climate.

 

...of the car....

 

That, sadly, is fake news. Find me one Ferrari team source that now says its a fact.

 

Actually, it is pretty obvious that the Merc wheel rims turned their season around. Before that, Ferrari had equal, if not superior, equipment. What is in debate is whether they cheated, to which the answer is they didn't. They just out thought and out developed Ferrari.

 

It's always the same litany from the tifosi; if Mercedes wins, it's because they cheat.
It's a rather defeatist attitude to accuse your opponent for your lack of development.

 

WEll, Merc is used to cheat, they do it so often they probably think it's ok by now!