"They Are A Too Slowa"

[dribbler 6]

Ferrari slams ‘GP2 pace’ of new teams

Thursday, 17 June 2010 17:05 Source; itv.com-f1

Ferrari has again lambasted the new teams bringing up the rear of the Formula 1 grid – with the company’s president Luca di Montezemolo arguing that they are so far off the pace that they should not be allowed to compete in grands prix.

Fernando Alonso lost time lapping slower traffic at two crucial stages in the Canadian Grand Prix, arguably costing him a potential victory.

First he encountered Jarno Trulli’s Lotus while lead on the in-lap before his second pit stop – ensuring that he emerged behind eventual race winner Lewis Hamilton – and later he lost second place to Jenson Button after being badly held up by the Hispania of Karun Chandhok.

Montezemolo feels the slowest cars are now mobile chicanes for the front-runners and should not be competing in the sport’s top echelon.

“In modern F1 races cars with GP2 levels of performance shouldn’t be allowed to participate – they are supposed to race on Sunday mornings,” Montezemolo was quoted as saying by Gazzetta dello Sport.

“Our car had the pace to win. I hope that in future there are no more errors with lapped traffic which work to our disadvantage, because we’ve already suffered from that.”

After last Sunday’s race Chandhok insisted the new teams’ drivers are doing their best to stay out of the leaders’ way, but said it had been particularly difficult because of the track conditions and heavy tyre degradation in Montreal.

“It was a nightmare because there are marbles off-line and everyone's on the limit with tyres, so everybody is struggling,” said the Indian rookie.

“Quicker guys are coming up behind, and we're battling just to hang on.

“To try and move out of their way is a big nightmare.

"I'm sure we upset a few people, but what can we do? We do the best job we can.”

Ferrari’s criticism of F1’s new teams has been a familiar refrain.

In May last year it warned that the loss of manufacturer outfits and an influx of small independent squads risked turning debasing F1, and it has since poured scorn on the new entrants in several articles on its website.

Montezemolo argues that allowing the major teams to field three cars would be a better way of ensuring a full grid than enticing new private teams.

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Sour grapes, or what? Would he still have complained if the roles were reversed and traffic had fallen in Fernando's favour, allowing him to have a run on Button instead? My view is that lapping backmarkers is a skill, something that requires quick thinking for opportunism, precisely what Jenson did. Not only that but would Luca prefer it if the new teams were much quicker than Ferrari instead of much slower? It's the same for everybody, so support the minnows whilst they're learning, harness their arrival, learn to drive around them and quit bitching. Anyone agree?

[freaky2 1]

´Course we agree, that's exactly why I reckon this topic won't have many answers... Old Luca just likes complaining, I think, because it's plain that the new teams are here to stay (at least as long as they have the money for it).

[Kopite Girl 0]

I agree.

[Argento Reloaded 1]

I agree to a certain level. Quit Luca, we know the kind of "godfather" he is..."it must seems an accident" he is know thinking for the next races...

But I prefer a 107% rule like many years ago. The Lotus, Hispanias and Virgin are GP2 cars; Bernie must help them to achieve a better performance in order to contribute to the show! And also talk to cosworth...

[pabloh20 1]

Sour grapes, or what? Would he still have complained if the roles were reversed and traffic had fallen in Fernando's favour, allowing him to have a run on Button instead? My view is that lapping backmarkers is a skill, something that requires quick thinking for opportunism, precisely what Jenson did. Not only that but would Luca prefer it if the new teams were much quicker than Ferrari instead of much slower? It's the same for everybody, so support the minnows whilst they're learning, harness their arrival, learn to drive around them and quit bitching. Anyone agree?

If the rolse had been reversed, I suspect he would have lamented on how thet were better at dealing with the traffic!

I agree. I think the backmarkers have been, in the main, very reasonable in their attempts at getting out of the way. We are quite a few races in, they are a known quantity, so there shouldn't be any surprises now. It's just something else for the quicker teams to deal with, no big deal.

[JHS 1]

I agree, something needs to be done. They are making progress, but not quickly enough. I personally would have expected them to be scrapping with Toro Rosso/Saubers by now, scrapping with reliability problems!

[Pucky the Whale 0]

The new teams suck.

But guess what?

The FIA selected them.

Wrong? Yes.

Wrong from day one? I thought so.

But guess what?

They're in and you can't say "just kidding guys, go home" at this point. They got the spots on the grid, rightfully or wrongfully, and guess what? They're permanent until there are rules saying otherwise. I think they're a waste of space, but hey, they run their own team...the FIA and an Internet forum and Luca can't run it for them.

Anyone who expected much more than they're getting at this point was just being silly. Starting from scratch on a limited budget when the original goal was to be on a budget-cap with a spec-engine that somehow transformed back into real F1 after the fact put them in a bad spot. I don't think they should be there, but the FIA did at the time, so guess what? They're there. All they can do is be smarter this time around for the thirteenth spot and give it to...absolutely no one.

[Schumikonen 2]

Like Dribbler said, dealing with traffic is a skill, Alonso was passed because of slow cars in front of him? maybe but it was the same for everyone, when Hamilotn passed him there were several slow cars in front and LH didn't have any problem passing them, the same for Button, what Lucas should be saying is that Alonso's failure to pass Webber was more detrimental to his race than slow cars and saying that Alonso could have won the race is just not right, Hamilton posted fasest laps when he needed to do it, Alonso mihgt have looked faster at some point of the race but at that same point Hamilton maybe was nusring the tires, he alredy said that he was not flat out so he could have been faster if not for the tires, I support new teams and I think they are doing a good job clearing the way for the leaders but that is not always an easy task.

[Jean Todt 4]

you guys take Luca seriously? seriously!!!

[Jean Todt 4]

Tommy declared the leader of church!

[Schumikonen 2]

you guys take Luca seriously? seriously!!!

Tommy declared the leader of church!

[tifosi too! 0]

Technically speaking, I think he is right!

In Monaco the slowest F1 cars would have qualified midfield in GP2, or even lower if I remember correctly!

The fact is there are categories in racing, just like every other sport! If you are not good/fast enough, you shouldn't play with the "big boys" and ruin their game!

A bit harsh, but I think it's true!

[Rainmaster 7]

Luca's statement serve no useful purpose to anyone, so I don't understand the need or desire to come out and say something like that.

[maure 1]

Luca's statement serve no useful purpose to anyone, so I don't understand the need or desire to come out and say something like that.

Pull together... but, true, it's useless.

Traffic helps sometimes and hurts sometimes. It has happend to all drivers that have been in F1 long enough. Those that claim it is not chance but a "skill" based on one race are being naive.

Besides that, letting those teams in and the way it was done was FIA crap... though, granted, FIA is crap no matter how one looks at it.

[Autumnpuma 0]

I like the old 107% rule. I haven't done the research on it, but have the new teams been within that? I seriously doubt it.

Lapping traffic is one thing, but Virgin and HRT are, literally, moving chicanes and need to be removed.

[AleHop 0]

I think Luca's comment is pointless but I don't want to see more HRTs and Virgins next year. I would like to see them competitive or gone.

In Canada I think the only complain from Ferrari can be Alonso's in lap for the 2nd pit-stop. I would like to watch the whole lap.

McLaren was quicker on the straights, the problem were not the backmarkers. The problem was the backmarkers when you have a quicker McLaren behind and both Hamilton and Button did what they had to do.

[maure 1]

McLaren was quicker on the straights, the problem were not the backmarkers. The problem was the backmarkers when you have a quicker McLaren behind and both Hamilton and Button did what they had to do.

True, the McLaren is a faster car right now. Kudos to Alonso for being there anyway, tbh (where was Massa?). But the backmakers played a role too... easier to pass them with a faster car too.

The season is slowly becoming amusing. I just feel kinda sorry for RBR that are again being cheated away. Ok, I don't care enough to feel sorry for them but, nonetheless, they are being royally fvcked.

[Schumikonen 2]

Easy to win the race with a faster car too

[maure 1]

Easier... although not for everyone to do.

It's one of the beauties of F1. It is said the drivers matter little compared to MotoGP, for instance. But I think it is precisely the opposite. To win with superior mechanichs is that. However, to win with inferior mechanics in F1 is a drivers feat... and to do it while FIA let's your competitors walk away with murder via reprimands, that is the stuff of true champions.

See you at the flag.

[yurp 0]

Luca - diddums - he just wants his 3 car teams.

[AleHop 0]

True, the McLaren is a faster car right now. Kudos to Alonso for being there anyway, tbh (where was Massa?). But the backmakers played a role too... easier to pass them with a faster car too.

I agree dealing with backmarkers is a skill, especially when it's Alonso who has to deal with them and Whiting forgets showing the blue flags for nearly a whole lap. I had heard about that before I read it on Allen's blog.

[maure 1]

I agree dealing with backmarkers is a skill, especially when it's Alonso who has to deal with them and Whiting forgets showing the blue flags for nearly a whole lap. I had heard about that before I read it on Allen's blog.

That's Whiting for us all, the worst of the worst when it comes to directly fixing, cheating, etc.

Hamilton should fire him as he has done with all those that have fixed races for him in the past.

Meanwhile, Alonso's (and others) victories are all the sweeter because they imply defeating Whiting too, a coward with god's powers.

[Schumikonen 2]

I agree dealing with backmarkers is a skill, especially when it's Alonso who has to deal with them and Whiting forgets showing the blue flags for nearly a whole lap. I had heard about that before I read it on Allen's blog.

Don't blame Whiting for this, no flag man has to wait for an order to show a blue flag and besides that Alonso have been having that problem for years, he used to complain about that when he was fighting against Schumi when he won his second WDC, he said that backmakers moved faster out of the way for Schumi but stayed longer for him, when asked about that situtation some drivers said that Schumi got right behind them faster than Alonso and Alonso never complained about that again until now.

[Schumikonen 2]

That's Whiting for us all, the worst of the worst when it comes to directly fixing, cheating, etc.

Hamilton should fire him as he has done with all those that have fixed races for him in the past.

Meanwhile, Alonso's (and others) victories are all the sweeter because they imply defeating Whiting too, a coward with god's powers.

If FIA have been fixing all this like you say, Alonso's victories are fixed by him too and those two WDC were the result of those fixing and probably you posting here is a result of CW's fixing and cheating remember Ferrari won the first race that was fixed too, don't forget Todt is FIA's boss now at the end if FIArrari wins any title is jsut the result of that.

[Jean Todt 4]

Funny that Luca being the CAPO of a very prestigious brand can come out with silly comments....I remember when he complained about the first Singapore GP turning into circus....Berine swiftly thanked him for bringing the clowns....

They must give the chance for the new teams....Virgin and Lotus are improving.....HRT can't really do anything with their current car......even Williams and Sauber sucked in few races so far this season......that too despite them having so many years of experience...

Ferrari are just p**sed off that their early efforts to focus on this season's car didn't really pay off, as they expected..(I am not saying they can't bounce back)

its funny to read the posts of some guys here.....especially the guy who posts the most amount of manure (but he does come up with some good non f1 related stuffs)

the excuses they create when their favourite driver is not winning....or in some case, when their least favourite driver is winning....