No solution for USGP acceptable to you because Ferrari needed the points?

3. I still believe that if a vendor shows up unprepared, that its all their fault. F1 and FIA have no power (bound by the rules) and are just along for the ride into the abyss at this point.

No matter how bad the outcome, in order to present FIA as posessing anything resembling integrity, they had to "stick to their guns" and not penalize the teams who showed up ready to race.

 

#2

The crisis was apparent on Friday. That gave them almost 3 days to work it out.

When the Loews Hotel in Monaco had a water leak that affected the tunnel for the race 1 hour before the start, that was a crisis and they dealt with it (fixed the leak, cleaned up the tunnel and started 1 hour delayed).

Knowing you have a tire problem 3 days ahead and not doing anything is beyond amateurish.

 

I voted #3

#1 is really irrelevant.

 

3. I still believe that if a vendor shows up unprepared, that its all their fault. F1 and FIA have no power (bound by the rules) and are just along for the ride into the abyss at this point.[/QUOTE]

Turn the situation around and its Bridgestone who has bad tires. Ferrari, Minardi, or Jordan asks the FIA for a chicane - I couldn't see them getting it.

 

It's one thing when a problem affects the entire field. In that case, sure, you fix the problem or make appropriate accommodations. But where do you draw the line if only some of the competitors are affected? Almost everyone would agree that if only one team has a problem they just have to suck it up. But if it's 2,3 or 4 teams? Do you fix a problem if it affects a simple majority of the field? Or if it affects the points leaders but not the backmarkers? IMO, as unfortunate as the result was, I think the FIA made the right call.

 

#3 it is the same as if a team shows up to a race with only low down force parts at a high down force race. They got caught asleep at the wheel they pay the price but they still race with the limitations of there equipment.

 

Tell that to the 100,000+ fans. Tell that to the millions of fans who tuned in on the TV. Tell that to the sponsors who pay millions to have their cars on TV in front of a global audience. Tell that to the car manufacturers who spend billions to compete and sell their cars on Monday.

F1 is big entertainment and big business. It is not a puristic olympic concept or Holy Grail that couldn't be adapted to avert a major crisis.

And loosing the biggest consumer market on the planet because the egos of some senile decision makers got in the way is unacceptable.

F1 will get its bill next year.

PS: George, I'm not picking on you. Just used your quote. I'm extremely angry at the powerless powers that be.

 

I think that how things turned out were the best under the circumstances. Everyone got their way to a degree. Yea the fans got screwed but they'll forget and be back. Let's just not see a repeat of this kind of nonsense.

 

No offense taken. It was a PR disaster without question. But it's still a question of where to draw the line. Let's suppose Renault and McLaren were the only teams on Michelins. Would it have been acceptable to go forward with the race with 8 teams? Wouldn't the fans still have been pissed (maybe not as much) to attend a race with the front runners taken out?

 

Interesting question.

I'd say the race needs at least 51% of the cars to be held. So a line ought to be drawn at 11 cars (presently). If you can't get 11 cars on the field, something has to give.

Just how ridiculous the Sunday "race" was, is the fact that there were more points available than cars.

Whether or not the Championship contenders are in the running I wouldn't make a decision point for a race during the season, but it would certainly come to play for a race towards the end of the season or (Yikes!) the last one.

 

I voted for the third choice, but there is a part of me that finds the first choice acceptable as well.

IMO & after much thought, the only (and best) solution was for Michelin teams to run through the pits each lap thereby avoiding turn 13 altogether.
Speed limits could have been easily imposed earlier in the pit lane entrance to ensure no one is racing between it's concrete walls.
Michelin teams would've scored points, FIA and F1 rules would've stayed intact, fairness to everyone would've been in effect, Ferrari would've won & most importantly the fans would've seen a very interesting race for positions 7-20.

In fact, this solution was ready-made for IMS and should NOT have escaped the intellect of Michelin team principals. Eau Rouge obviously doesn't allow for the same remedy.

 

I think that a compromise should have been made to still provide a show for the fans and uphold the reputation of F1. This is obviously a rare situation and not something that frequently happens.

Michelin was unprepared for the GP - unfortunately they have 7 times on the grid. Should the teams who are on Michelin tires make their drivers race even though they know their lives are in danger? What if someone dies because of a faulty tire or is seriously injured when a Bridgestone runner going 200 mph hits their car that is going 100 mph from behind?

So basically I think it is a combination. Since this was not done purposely, then the FIA and the Michelin teams should have worked together to find a solution to avert this rare problem.

 

I still cannot understand how Michelin could have screwed the pooch so mightily here - somehow as soon as Michelin declares its tires unsafe for the race the culpability shifts to the FIA to make it work? The outcome sucks for the fans but at least the folks that were there will get to tell their grandkids about the time they went to the last F1 race in America...

I voted #3.

Cheers
Kevin

 

Common sense should rule the day, or rather, the poll.

I voted for #3.

 

No question about it.

Mark

 

Nobody was too upset at the begining of the year when Ferrari didn't have the right tires to finish a race. So part of me says #1. We are half way thru the season and we have 3 teams fighting for the Championship. Throw out the Tire rule. Give the teams a full set to change into and this problem would have never happened.

I also think #3. I have raced with bad tires and I have raced with oil presure problems. You have to SLOW DOWN. Period. It was my problem, just as it was the problem of the Michelin teams.
If Michelin had not stated the tires were UNSAFE, teams could have gone out and pitted every 10 laps or so. For sure the last 2 point paying positions would have gone to someone. I am guessing that they *may* have even beaten Jordan and Minardi.....