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[f1boy]

I said this after Spain, but I'll say it again here.

Pirelli tyres that last a few laps and then blow up isn't a great image for the company, especially if it is Mercedes Benz that is suffering.

Like it or not, but Merc road car buyers won't be too impressed with Pirelli's performance up until now. We all know that their road tyres are very good and 100% safe, but the memory of their F1 tyres falling apart isn't going to do them any favours.

It's a bit like Merc and Ferrari F1 cars bursting into flames or blowing an engine at every race. The public just remember the name.

Christine Horner might be p1ssed off at Merc for testing with Pirelli, but then Red Bull don't make road cars.
Pirelli need to still sell road tyres to the public and if they are seen to fall apart, especially on a Mercedes Benz......well, it doesn't look very good, does it.

I have lost some respect for Horner over this debacle, as they were the ones most vocal about how the tyres were poor.
But then, no one cares about whether they blow up on a Red Bull F1 car, as no one drives Red Bull road cars.

[vaptin]

I said this after Spain, but I'll say it again here.

Pirelli tyres that last a few laps and then blow up isn't a great image for the company, especially if it is Mercedes Benz that is suffering.

Like it or not, but Merc road car buyers won't be too impressed with Pirelli's performance up until now. We all know that their road tyres are very good and 100% safe, but the memory of their F1 tyres falling apart isn't going to do them any favours.

It's a bit like Merc and Ferrari F1 cars bursting into flames or blowing an engine at every race. The public just remember the name.

Christine Horner might be p1ssed off at Merc for testing with Pirelli, but then Red Bull don't make road cars.
Pirelli need to still sell road tyres to the public and if they are seen to fall apart, especially on a Mercedes Benz......well, it doesn't look very good, does it.

I have lost some respect for Horner over this debacle, as they were the ones most vocal about how the tyres were poor.
But then, no one cares about whether they blow up on a Red Bull F1 car, as no one drives Red Bull road cars.

This is irrelevant to the sporting regulations.

[f1boy]

Who cares about the sporting regulations?
F1 is all about product placement and advertising.

Pirelli tyres making a Mercedes Benz F1 car look like a horse and cart isn't great promotion.
Horner must know how things work in the world of F1. If he doesn't then he's in the wrong job.

[andrew]

The tyres are the same for all the teams. If Mercedes can't make them work, that is not Pirelli's fault in the slightest.

[f1boy]

Why then did Pirelli test with Mercedes Benz, mid season??

[vaptin]

Who cares about the sporting regulations?
F1 is all about product placement and advertising.

Pirelli tyres making a Mercedes Benz F1 car look like a horse and cart isn't great promotion.
Horner must know how things work in the world of F1. If he doesn't then he's in the wrong job.

Maybes it's Mercedes fault, not the tyres.. .

Also, people aren't going to watch it, if it's not got a fair standard for all, an analogy would be doping, people just lose their interest or belief.

Ferrari and Redbull have enough resources to push this far,

also, are you going to apply this to all teams? Or just the ones Lewis Hamilton drives for?

I care about the sporting regulations, if the FIA take this attitude, I won't be watching, and probably won't be spending much time on this forum, so there's little point, if that is the case, for me to discuss this topic further.

Perhaps we should poll, the people who watch f1, how many of them care about the sporting regulations?

[vaptin]

Why then did Pirelli test with Mercedes Benz, mid season??

Cos Mercedes have the most trouble with the tyres, Perelli are interested in finding out why. Doesn't mean its not Mercedes fault, just means perhaps Perelli want to fix it anyway.

Bit like cleaning the streets, doesn't mean its your fault the streets are dirty.

[andrew]

Why then did Pirelli test with Mercedes Benz, mid season??

Most likely that Pirelli didn't want to use a championship contender thus not appearing to be interfering with the championship battle.

BTW, Rosberg seemed to manage ok.

[vaptin]

Also, I wonder if the other teams, get a say in Perreli's 2014 contract. . .

---

Oh, and also again,

I doubt this test improves the chances of Redbull winning the world championship, or marketing their product or whatever, so why are you criticising Horner for protesting about this? He's playing by the rules you view as the standard code of F1, from what I can see.

[f1boy]

Ferrari have always had the upper hand in F1. Merc will be the same, as both are high end road car manufacturers.
You would have to be very green not to see that F1 is an advertisement for road car sales. Same with tyre sales.

FFS, look at the Rolex watch contract. It's all about placement and advertising. Rolex wouldn't put a clock at every race that ran 5 minutes slow. Same with the cars and tyres.

No one wants to see a Mercedes Benz or Ferrari crash or drop an engine at every race.
No one want's to see a Pirelli tyre fall apart at every race.

So obvious.

[f1boy]

Let's not forget that Red Bull were the ones complaining about Pirelli tyres the most.

[andrew]

Let's not forget that Red Bull were the ones complaining about Pirelli tyres the most.

Ferrari have been just as vocal. RBR get the most attention as they are the leading team.

[vaptin]

Let's not forget that Red Bull were the ones complaining about Pirelli tyres the most.

So? Could still mean they don't see this test to their advantage, which is surely how Redbull are going to get the most out of marketing their product (trying to manipulate stuff to their advantage), which is what all teams are supposed to be doing, according to you, no?

What would your opinion be, if Mercedes were to get punished? Or other teams were to get to test?

One could argue, Mercedes would get the most commercial value, by being seen to compete fairly and the like, if they get punished or whatever, they have therefore failed in their goal,

Also, are their limits to your idea that the sporting regulations don't matter, and F1 is all about getting the most commercial value, and the FIA should consent to that? Is that your opinion?

So, if it turns out, Ferrari just went and did 500km of testing every week, you'd be arguing good, for them, since Ferrari are all about exotic cars, and winning at F1 is how they prove they have exotic cars? And would tell the other teams to stop moaning?

[f1boy]

Horner was the one complaining on live TV today.

The trouble he has is that Red Bull make energy drinks. What influence have they got in the car building world?
That's right, zero apart form a tie up with high end Nissans.

Mercedes Benz also supply a load of engines to other teams. I think they will get what they want.

Ferrari, Mercedes Benz and Renault are the power in F1. I know Nissan are owned by Renault these days too, so Red Bull have a vested interest.

[f1boy]

It looks like Merc are going to see the benefit from this then.

If they were the worst at handing Pirelli tyres, then they could have turned the corner.
Why did Pirelli help Mercedes Benz and not Red Bull??

I think we all know the answer to that one.