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[darwin dali]

Mercedes' Norbert Haug told the German broadcaster Premiere on Friday: "We are convinced that our partner (McLaren) did nothing wrong."

This is either very audacious or very arrogant to the point where the informed public should feel highly offended: What? Do you think we're stupid and can't read?
I used to respect N. Haug, but this is not the right way to make amends and to start a healing process within F1.

[madbrad]

Except that Norbert is telling the truth.

[darwin dali]

Then his perception of the truth looks quite warped as is the case with many of the McLaren defenders. How much more evidence does he/do you need to accept the fact that McLaren acted unethically and non-sporting and that's why they got penalized?

[McLaren Fan]

Then his perception of the truth looks quite warped as is the case with many of the McLaren defenders. How much more evidence does he/do you need to accept the fact that McLaren acted unethically and non-sporting and that's why they got penalized?

Were these remarks made before or after the new evidence was released? He is partly correct in that McLaren are not corrupt; several members of the team, acting by themselves, are the ones who have done the damage. de la Rosa, Alonso and Coughlan have shamed McLaen's good name, destroyed the work of hundreds of people and should be given the boot from McLaren, never to work in motorsport again.

[darwin dali]

I don't have a time stamp for the remark to decide whether it was before the FIA published their findings. But surely he was kept posted by RD et al. about the outcome of Thursday's deliberation and the most probable content of their news release based on Thursday's events.
He didn't merely say that McLaren wasn't corrupt - no, he went a lot further and said McLaren did NOTHING wrong. So he's NOT partly correct, he's completely wrong. Significant players at McLaren cheated, which is bad in itself. What weighs heavier is the nonchalance with which the information about the data (or even a hint of such data exchange) had been dismissed by senior management instead of reporting it right away to RD and then to the FIA and Ferrari.
Industrial espionage is a big problem, worldwide. Remember the Pepsi - Coke spy case? This is how McLaren should have acted:
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/07/ ... 1920.shtml

The inability to run the team in a way that emphasizes the importance of ethical conduct despite rivalry within and outside the team is what RD has to blame himself for. He's ultimately responsible for this mess - not out of ill-will or to gain an advantage or whatever. I think he was simply overtaxed and under severe strain this season not the least because of FA's attitude problems. Time for him to go.

[vegas]

How can you fit 1.5m into a box of girl scout cookies? They were fools

[madbrad]

Actually I don't have an opinion either way. I just said that because I felt contrary that moment.
Delaerosa directly asked for the red car's data but there was never anything showing that any parts were copied, in the manufacturing end of things, or that the organization aside from some individuals, knew about it.

[Phil.T.Ho]

Actually I don't have an opinion either way. I just said that because I felt contrary that moment.
Delaerosa directly asked for the red car's data but there was never anything showing that any parts were copied, in the manufacturing end of things, or that the organization aside from some individuals, knew about it.

Pedro mentioned somewhere about a wing that was being copied; they wanted to test it; and actually stating in the e-mail that all the info WAS coming from Stepney to Coughlan was fatal really!....but wRONg only has himself to blame for this total phuq up this season!!!.....did he really think he could bring in the 2 time wdc, and pair him with a phuqing rookie!!!????....what an idiot wRONg is if he really thought for 1 second that would work!!!....hes shown Alonso so little respect this year by trying to pull that little stunt, but trouble is hes had whit(less)marsh whos been backing lewboy since the start of the year.....and between them both they have created all this animosity between FA and LH#:)

[aboldero]

If FA didn't have the sense to go for a contract stating that he was number one, then he only has himself to blame for the drivers being treated equally!!

the information that the drivers discussed in emails ie weight distribution and brake ballance would not have been in stepney's dossier, they may well have been obtained from stepney during a test, but i'd put money on it that ferrari got hold of the same info about the McLaren... there are plenty of people in the pits with access to this info, and it's not that well protected, as its not worth hiding, the settings for the mclaren would not work on the ferrari and visa versa..

the talk about copying wings does not necessarily mean the team had the designs, they could quite easily copy a consept from photos, and again, this is common practise within the paddock..

the only thing that has been proven is that coughlan had the dossier, NOT that he actually took any of it into the factory. and that the two spanish drivers within the mclaren team are too stupid to realise that info like they were discussing should not be put on paper.. I'll bet if you could go back in FA's inbox to when he was at REnault, there'll be similar emails there...

YES, it is espionage... YES, it's theoretically against the rules... but YES, its COMMON PRACTICE!!! and ferrari do it too!!!

[McLaren Fan]

Interestingly enough, Mika Salo admitted to listening to McLaren's radio conversations when he was at Ferrari. Is this not cheating? Why were Ferrari not punished? Why is there no investigation? And Ferrari have the cheek to come out with some chicken and bull story about Raikkonen earie-wigging Ferrari radio coversations. One rule for McLaren and all of the other teams, a totally different rule for Ferrari.

[racechick]

Ferrari do it loads!! Get real you lot!!

[McLaren Fan]

Ferrari do it loads!! Get real you lot!!

Yeah, can we have the 1999 constructors' cup we were shagged out of by the FIA? So, not only were Ferrari running illegal barge boards, they were listening into McLaren's radio conversations.

McLaren: Ten-times constructor's champions. You know it's true.

[Irv the Swerve]

Ferrari do it loads!! Get real you lot!!

Yeah, can we have the 1999 constructors' cup we were shagged out of by the FIA? So, not only were Ferrari running illegal barge boards, they were listening into McLaren's radio conversations.

McLaren: Ten-times constructor's champions. You know it's true.

You should just be happy with your Drivers Title!

[simulationwins]

I am new here - don't we all know that the maffia rule Ferrari ??? are we all stupid here ??

[McLaren Fan]

Ferrari do it loads!! Get real you lot!!

Yeah, can we have the 1999 constructors' cup we were shagged out of by the FIA? So, not only were Ferrari running illegal barge boards, they were listening into McLaren's radio conversations.

McLaren: Ten-times constructor's champions. You know it's true.

You should just be happy with your Drivers Title!

To be honest, I don't really care about the drivers' title. The constructors' title is more meaningful as it rewards everybody. The drivers drive and test the car to the best of their ability, the mechanics fix it, the strategists plan the races, the pitcrew service the car like clockwork, the management run the team efficiently, the designers come up with the car, even the cleaners in the factory have a part to play. This is something Alonso doesn't realise. He is only a small fraction of what goes on at a team. It's nice to see the team lift both, however, I'd take the constructors' title every time.