Ferrari ruin race!!

[MacWull 0]

What a race!!!   I cannot believe what ferrari done. What a joke. Not many people have a chance of catching schumi anyway. I bet Rubens is now kicking himself for signin that 2 yr deal.  2 years of seond place!  I hope all the other teams realise what a BIG mistake Ferrari have done and realise that team orders may win championships but wont win fans.  This has been one of the best races ive watched and its because Schumi got Booed!!!!!!!!!!!!!

As for Villeneuve another joke!  Knocking poor Frentzen chances in the race then allowing to get up to 6. I enjoyed near the end when he didn't finish!  Serves him right. With tatics like that no wonder he passed so many people!  The marshalls shouldn't of allowed him to do the penalty when the saftey car was out because its not much of a penalty.

[TotalF1 Jens 0]

Well I actually was rooting for Villeneuve to take a podium. I dont think he intentionally hit HHF. But Ferrari really kicked their own arses today, as I dont think too many fans will root for them next race. The American TV announcers immediately said "OMG this is a PR disaster for Ferrari and it wont end for a while."

[nichosnz 0]

It was actually an exciting race until the final 100 yards or so.  Releived that Sato's OK, suprised but releived.

[igillman 0]

I can't say I'm surprised at Ferrari.

[TotalF1 Jens 0]

Villeneuve deserves either DC's seat or then a Renault/Williams drive. He is still as excellent as he was before, better, much better, than Montoya.

[eff1 0]

I thought Jacques' performance merited driver of the race consideration. He just outbraked himself a bit and understeered into Heinz...it's not the first time that situation has occurred. I also agree that he deserves a better seat than the one he's got.

[Guest]

"manipulated" the result?

I have been watching Formula 1 since 1995 and this things have been happening as far as I can remember. I can expect statements like this from new F1 fans but not from someone like RENAULT boss Flavio Briatore.

All the top team contending for the Championship had and would have done it. It is a team sport. If you always can't get both your cars running or your car is always at the back of the field outside of the points where such a move is not necessary doesn't make such a move unacceptable. In fact team work like this has made F1 more interesting. I remember the days when Eddie Irvine was still racing in Ferari and the McLarens were powerful. At those times team work among the two drivers were very important. For example, Eddie would block and slow down Mika Hakkinen or David during the

pit stop window (period) so that Schumacher can still be ahead after his pit stop at the cost of Eddie's placing. In the past, both Eddie and David had let their team mates past to take the win without making their team mates work hard for it because the teams did not want to risk an accident or mechanical failures. Or at another even more interesting incident at Indianapolis where Hakkinen pulled David in his slip stream during his last lap of qualifying right up to the end of the straights and then move over so that David have a better result. All this for one purpose-the drivers championship.

In fact, Rubens Barrichello understands the importants of this and is going along with it. Barrichello wasn't defeated by Team Ferrari, he was a part of it. And indeed Rubens was paid to support Schumacher and only take the win when Schumacher is not in position to do so. Rubens has said that Ferari has always been his first choice, and as a team, this is the way things work at Ferari. If he can't take it he can always join Eddie Irvine at Jaguar.

[igillman 0]

"It is a team sport. If you always can't get both your cars running or your car is always at the back of the field outside of the points where such a move is not necessary doesn't make such a move unacceptable."

If it truly is a team sport, then why is there a driver's championship?

[nichosnz 0]

He can't want to win the this way, and has said so.  He is a sportsman even win at all costs has some limitations.

[Guest]

If it truly is a team sport, then why is there a driver's championship?

[Guest]

I dont know what everyone is complaining about this has been happening since the beggining of formula one williams, mclaren have done it too. I think is because the press that controls formula one is all british and they crearly dont like MS so all this stuff is because they cant produce a good enough team and want to create more than it is.

You cant say that it wasnt a good race because it was one of the best if not the best race of the season it was clear that the winner was Barrichelo so the points are just to ensure the money and work of the team.

So please stop this nosense of ferrari riuned the race, punish them, and all this stuff tell britain to rather go and find a good driver instead because button their only hopes wont go far....

[igillman 0]

The maneuver at the Austrian Grand Prix was for purpose of the drivers championship and did not put the constructors championship title at risk . . .

. . . Unlike most other teams, Ferrari is a team build around Schumacher. They are out for both the constructors and driver title. They just want to make sure they win both. It is better safe than sorry.

That's just my point.  Teams should not be interfering in the driver's title.  It isn't for them.  Ferrari's objective should be to get their cars 1 and 2, but not to decide which one is 1 and which one is 2!

If Ferrari is "built around Schumacher", then let's have all the teams only enter 1 car.  Then we could really know who has the best car and who is the best driver.  Now, who knows?

Just because this has happened in the past doesn't make it right!  This has certainly been the most blatant occurence since I started following F1 in 1996.

All I'm saying is the driver's title should be for the drivers, and that the teams should keep their noses out of it!

[nichosnz 0]

I get the impression that the only reason you claim this is the most blatent is because it happened almost of the finish line.

I feel that since 1996 the most blatent was Jerez 1997, as this involved 2 teams working together to impose team orders.

[TotalF1 Jens 0]

Jerez 1997 though was just Mclaren and Williams way to say screw you to Ferrari after what Schumacher tried to pull. It was also a gesture of kindness from both Frank Williams and Ron Dennis who wanted to let Mika win his first GP. I still remember that press conference when it took about 5 minutes for Mika to answer his two questions. Thank GOD his English improved quite fast since then. His best show of English was Suzuka 2000.

Returning to the point, Jerez 1997 was the last race of the season, Villeneuve had the title as long as he reached the finish, and Coulthard had already won GPs and finished the season ahead of Mika (for the first/last time!). So it was only nice, I would have done the same.

But the difference is that no matter how much Dennis likes Mika he hasn't ever pulled off an early season team order like Todt has. Dont say Australia 98 cuz that prerace agreement was known before it occured.

[nichosnz 0]

Yes but most observers didn't know that at the time, and a lot of them never found out 'cos they just wach the races, they never read the F1 news.

[Guest]

This is the most discussing thing I have ever witnessed!

[nichosnz 0]

All those drivers you named have been involved in team orders in their careers, so he fits well into that category.

You also state he is champion by title only.  What about 1995, 2000 no dodgy tactics and no team orders.  2001 no dodgy tactics and team orders totalled 2 points, MS won the championship by 58 points.

[TotalF1 Jens 0]

But you must admit, 2000 was Mika's season. If it just weren't for that idiot on track in Hockenheim or the engine failure in Indy...

[nichosnz 0]

Or Schumacher melted suspension in Monaco, or pitstop problem in Spain.....

[igillman 0]

Hey Guys,

I don't think anyone disagrees that team orders have occured in the past, or even that they will occur again in the future.

[MacWull 0]

I think is because the press that controls formula one is all british and they crearly dont like MS so all this stuff is because they cant produce a good enough team and want to create more than it is.

So please stop this nosense of ferrari riuned the race, punish them, and all this stuff tell britain to rather go and find a good driver instead because button their only hopes wont go far....

Britain has proved that it can produce good F1 teams   The best in the world (Maybe not this season) Both Mclaren and Williams has won the Championships!  Now Ferrari is dominant with the BMW Williams closing in!

Britain have also had good drivers and still do in the sport  e.g DC, button, irvine!  Just because MS has criticised by the press you can't take it. Its obvious u like MS.

[nichosnz 0]

rjbran is right, the British are very one sided.

I read an article in 1998, complaining that Britian only had 4 drivers (Hill, Herbert, Irvine, and DC), [we are under-represented and it's not fair] paraphrases the whole 4 page article.  I found this ironic, as that year no other nation had 4 drivers.  And some countries hadn't been represented for years.

MacWull, claiming rjbran must like Schumacher just because he doesn't like the British press.  That's a bit of an unfounded comment.  I don't like American sitcoms, so you must think I like Osama Bin Laden.

[TotalF1 Jens 0]

Haha!

[MacWull 0]

I didn't say anything bout the british press being one sided!

Most countries press will be.

I bet he is a schumi fan though!!  Aren't U!

[nichosnz 0]

Yes I am!  And whenever it is Schumacher vs [other], the British press always place the blame on MS.  eg I know of people that placed the blame of 1994 and 1997 on MS shoulders before seeing the incident for themselves, they had already made up their minds.  And this is one major reason why, no matter what he does in the future, I will always be a Schumacher fan.

And rjbran may be too, but the point of what I was saying is, your reasons for assuming he is, are not very good.