MS under fire

It was also very narrow minded of MICHELIN to bring ONLY ONE specifcation of tyres to a race!

MICHELIN put in danger the lives of 14 race drivers. MICHELIN decided to provide an incompitent product that nearly KILLED a race driver!

 

This has everything to do with the story. The 14 Michelin racers were quick to JUMP on Michael and QUESTION Michael.

Why don't they blame Michelin for putting their lives at risk? Why don't the 14 Michelin racers blame Michelin for only brining one specification tire to Inidianapolis?

Is it because of the FAT bonus Michelin gives drivers for winning a race!

 

Agreed. If both BS and Mich suffered the same failures then I could see it as a possible safety issue in that something drastic has changed with respect to the circuit that was unforseen.

The fact is, however, is that BS got it right and Mich failed to do so. Hence I agree it's a technical issue.

And how many of those drivers 'disappointed' in MS would side with him if it was the Bstones that failed and not the Michs? Zero, none, nada thats how many.

 

All we know is what the media is saying. We don't know the real facts of what really happened between the FIA and Michelen. Personally I think this was just pure politics. Michelen were probably worried they did not have tire that was competitive enough in the long run, so therefore they used Toyota's incident as an excuse to say their tire was unsafe. What baffles me is if Michelen tire was really unsafe, than the FIA would have compensated them in some way. Yeah, they came with a solution about reducing the speeds in the corner or use the pits. But we have seen in the past when safety has been a problem, the FIA has taken drastic measures to make sure the drivers are safe. For instance, after Senna's death, the FIA put a Chincane at Barcelona and even Spa at the Eau Rouge corner. I think Michelen basically said screw the FIA and the FIA said screw Michelen. As for Micheal, everybody loves to blame Micheal. I personally think Micheal just want to out of this mess. Its none of his business. Its between the FIA and Michelen. Ferrari and Micheal have nothing to do with this fiasco. Leave them out of it.

 

Great, now lets misdirect blame to MS and Ferrari since they could care less if the other teams and their vendors and come prepared.
I would say they have enough on their plate at this time, they don't need to spoon feed sympathy to the other teams who screwed up.

 

But we don't even know for sure if the tires were unsafe. If it was 4 or 6 drivers who's tires blew up, then I would say they were unsafe. But it was both Toyota's, maybe Toyota was the problem not Michelen. Here is a little article from Speedtv.com. Please give me your feedback.

"The eight teams would have quickly set up a breakaway series, with a non-championship race staged “within weeks”, according to Minardi owner Paul Stoddart, and a full season of the new category starting as early as January ‘06."

So, although the tire problem may not have been foreseen, you can bet those GPWC teams used this issue as a political football towards their long-term goals. And their goals are, one, to get Mosely out, two, wrestle control from Bernie on media and sanction rights or at least forge a contract that brings a much larger piece of the pie to the teams/manufacturers. It will likely throw F1 into chaos. Not now, because I think they will succeed on both counts, but five years in, those manufacturers will start to wrestle for individual supremacy and we'll have all sorts of carnage.

 

I READ! EXACTLY! The sole reason for teh GPDA is SAFETY!!!

SO WHY DON'T THE 14 RACERS ASK FOR THE EXPULSION OF MICHELIN FROM THE SPORT?

Michelin put their lives in danger. Why don't the 14 safety loving racers say BAN MICHELIN!? Michelin nearly killed a racer! Why was Alonso proudly pointing to his Michelin cap on the podium last week. IF THE GPDA CARED ... they would ask to BAN MICHELIN!

First those same drivers said the one tire rule is fantastic, and that the qualifying format is great for fans! Now they do not like it because of SAFETY!

 

Well, they did take the "safe" decision, didn't they?

The conflicts of interest lay on both sides, just as Schumacher wasn't highly motived about the chacain idea for obvious reasons, let's not overlook why Jarno Trulli, Mark Webber and David Coulthard might just be highly in favor of the idea.

 

And MS is an expert on the status and safety of Michelin's tires how so? Does he race on them just to figure out the driving conditions of his competitors while still wearing Bridgestone patches head to toe?

I love your home state. I have to do business out there often and its amazing the melting pot of culture and characters it has. New Yorkers are by far the most compassionate people I have met state side. However, why don't you tell us how certain Jewish people feel looked down upon and are made fun of by other religious and ethnic groups in NYC. I mean, you're in NY right? You can tell us the point of view of the Orthodox Jew right? Afterall you live in the same area so that means you are all understanding of a different point of view. I mean since after 9/11 we all band together as Americans for a common good and character? Why not have Goodyear step in and tell us why black people should have more of a vocal voice. Let's say you're a former WWII vet, I bet you will be loved by your fellow VFW buddies if you do a fund raiser for the guys at Gitmo, no love to be lost in that action.

My point is that there are different motives and aims for everyone and they will never match up. I think MS did it right by saying something like 'just leave me out of this issue, its not directly mine,' and putting it in the hands of the people who are in charge. Like it or not Bernie said these are the rules and didn't flip around to make one segment happy. Make one segment happy, anger another. Just like in life, fire someone due to religious affiliation in order to make room for one of race I don't think either side will be fully content. Best is what was done, tough love. Here are the rules, can't do them, oh well.

Stop beating a dead horse please.

RocketBoy

 

he did. he made sure his car had functional tyres.

 

The whole discussion is somewhat academic. Let's face it: The GPDA had traditionally very little say in anything. Even when they were united. In an issue such as this, they're not united, which doesn't surprise me, too many different agendas.

But lets just assume for a moment MS and every driver would have sided and agreed to the Michelin teams. It wouldn't have made a difference in Indy and it will not make a difference on any other GP. F1 is run by the team bosses, the FIA and Bernie. Not by the drivers. They're paid "monkeys".

To quote Lauda on the GPDA and safety: "If it would give a driver an advantage, they'd all agree to sit on top of the nose of a car."

 

I find it ridiculous that MS would get so much heat on this issue; meanwhile Montoya, who brake-checked Ralf in Monaco (and, as a result, provoked an accident), who ignored a pitlane red light, and who wrestled DC out of a position behind a safety car is the subject of no such pothering. What the hell is wrong with these people?

These political tirades are making F1 look pathetic. How long are we going to keep pouring our passion into a sport run by idiots before we get sick and tired of it?

 

Good point Imperial. If it seriously was a safety issue, the drivers would have not raced at France. Bottom line is Michelen weren't prepared.

 

racerx, your posted quote and your conclusions are equally silly.

Your post does not warrant serious response.

Say it any way you want, but in the beginning and in the end, Michelin and only Michelin is at fault.

 

VERY VERY well put!

 

What is stoping the 14 Michelin Racers to ASK for a BAN on Michelin tires from the sport?

Why can't the 14 Michelin racers take initiative and ask for a ban on the 7 teams and Michelin who nearly killed a driver on turn 13 by providing an unsafe tire?

WHY DOES NOT ALONSO LEAD THE CALL FOR MICHELIN TO BE THROWN OUT OF F1? He wants to be World Champion. Alonso should be the leader and tell the FIA to ban Michelin!

SAFETY FIRST! THROW MICHELIN OUT OF THE SPORT!

 

Simply put Michelin has a contract with the teams and that contract is seen as also a sponsorship deal. If Alonso or any other Michelin runner came up and demanded that Michelin be baned from F1. It would result in the driver being fired!! In the drivers contract they are told that if they discredit a sponsor they would be sacked.

 

I know this... now someone explain this to racerx3317. racerx3317 wants Michael to be a "leader"?!

 

The whole situation is incredibly political. Some think that MS is staying out of it for a genuine reason of not feeling its anything to do with him rather than a reason of staying loyal to Ferrari. Some think that Alonso and crew are genuinely concerned about safety and some think it's a political play to put the blame back on the FIA. Anyone who falls into believing one of those two ideas to be the absolute truth and the other an absolute lie is just naieve.

Of COURSE the drivers are tossing it back to the FIA and saying "whassup, Max?" because they probably feel slighted at being asked to race in a non-competitive and more dangerous fashion to appease the "rules". Of COURSE MS is not going to get involved, regardless of his personal opinions, because he's Ferraris #1 guy. Of COURSE Mosley is turning the whole deal into a political play by cancelling the meeting. Of COURSE the drivers are being equally political by saying Mosley doesn't care about safety because he cancelled the race.

Its interesting to have a reasoned debate about this with others who are looking at all sides. Those who are cheerleading one side or another are already set in their ways and their comments can be disregarded.

The idea that it's not Micheals problem because "he made sure he had safe tires at Indy" is just ridiculous. Last I checked the team got the tires and the driver is an employee of the team. Does anyone think MS checks the tires before a race and gives his nod to them? Come on! Michelin made a mistake, it happened, it's over with. To blame them for actions that others took which made a molehill into a mountain is just crazy. '

The drivers are now playing their hand, and (big surprise) the vote is splitting among party lines, with the only crossovers being Minardi (no surprise as Stoddart hates Mosley) and Red Bull (no surprise, who'se in Ferraris pocket this year and next?). Folks' motives are clear, including MS's. To think MS acts out of a pious belief that it's not a safety matter is as naieve as thinking Coulthard "forgot" to sign the latest letter right after Red Bull signs with Ferrari and he signs again with Red Bull.