FORUMula1.com

[Denthúl]

As tex said, Magneti Marelli could've done it. That way, the playing field would've been even from the start. New ECU for all teams.

[onelapdown]

Didn't Renault use Magnetti Marelli last year?

[Denthúl]

A number of teams did. But it would have to be a completely new ECU because of the new regulations. The McLaren ECU won't be the one that they used last year, but they will have had the opportunity to test it whilst it was still in development, whilst others only got it once it was completed.

[onelapdown]

Which is pretty much the same situation Ferrari used to have with Bridgestone, and tyres are MUCH more significant than electronics in performance terms.

[Denthúl]

I thought all teams were given the chance to test tyres throughout development so that they could adjust their cars to suit?

[texasmr2]

This whole season or atleast the first half will be frought with accusation's which imho hold not water concerning the ECU. Accusation's will be made but I honestly believe in the integrity of the McLaren entity for their developement assistance with the ECU.

[onelapdown]

I thought all teams were given the chance to test tyres throughout development so that they could adjust their cars to suit?

When standard Bridgestones were introduced last year they were based on the tyre constructions and compounds developed for Ferrari a couple of years before in about 2004/2005, when most teams had subtly different bespoke tyres. I don't begrudge them that, they have to base them on something and the ECU is the same.

[Denthúl]

It is, but I still think it would have been better to base it on something that no team would have experience with. But what's done is done, so we'll just have to hope they sort out whatever problems they may have with it.

[nikon133]

Here we go. I wondered how long we'd last this year before Ferrari started their little games, well its one race! They're blaming the ECU units for their woes. Oh dear , oh dear

They didn't have any problems with ECU durring the testing period, now, have they?

I'm not surprised complains are coming from Ferrari and good ole Flavio. Figure that out.

[Jensonb]

Once again, noone reasonable is suggestign McLaren did anything wrong. Just that by selecting the McLaren system, the FIA created at the very least the appearance of an unfair situation.

[racechick]

Here we go. I wondered how long we'd last this year before Ferrari started their little games, well its one race! They're blaming the ECU units for their woes. Oh dear , oh dear

They didn't have any problems with ECU durring the testing period, now, have they?

I'm not surprised complains are coming from Ferrari and good ole Flavio. Figure that out.

Yeah ive figured it. Done bad in first race, I know lets target the ECU

[Mikep99]

McLaren have done nothing wrong in the design of this ECU & it is ridiculous to think they have intentionally designed it to work perfectly only on their cars. And this is not what Ferrari are saying so please don’t twist the words around to once again make Ferrari out as the bad guys.
The only ones that are responsible for this decision are the FIA & in my opinion they have dropped the ball big time again.

I don’t know & I don’t profess to know anything about ECU design or the process or mandate McLaren were given but I don’t think it can be disputed that McLaren would have designed the ECU with their car as the Test bed & it would not have been deemed finish & ready until it was working perfectly on this test bed.
It is only logic that the car the ECU was designed around will work perfectly strait out of the box versus a car that is given an ECU and told – Now make it work.
A good example is try loading Windows XP on 5 different hardware configured computers & I will guarantee they won’t all work the same. (But I bet it worked perfectly on all the configuration Microsoft tested it on)

It cannot be disputed that McLaren do have an advantage because of this (which the other teams will catch up to in time). It also cannot be disputed that Ferrari had an advantage with the Bridgestone’s.
Is either fair – NO Is either cheating – NO
They are the rules the FIA decided on and everyone has to make the best of it end of story.
But it is funny that the Bridgestone / Ferrari thing was perceived by some people as another example of Ferrari/FIA collusion & this ECU thing now smells of roses. Which by the way it should because McLaren have done nothing wrong – It’s all because of that amateur organisation called the FIA
It is also now funny that some of the McLaren lambs are now saying Ferrari are making excuses now after they went crap in the first race. Short memories – who were making excuses for there team’s possible problems even before the season started.
Do I smell

[Denthúl]

^ I agree with a lot of that.

[racechick]

^ I agree with a lot of that.

Yeah strangely I agree with most of it too

[Mikep99]

^ I agree with a lot of that.

Yeah strangely I agree with most of it too