- 17 Sep 07, 18:11#14240
McLaren have been fined and disqualified for using information from the Ferrari team.
I've worked in the F1 paddock, and i'm sorry, but the dossier given to Mike Coughlan by Nigel Stepney is in no way relevant to the info talked about in the emails between De La Rosa and Alonso.
The info they were talking about was weight distribution and brake ballance settings, these are both items that can be changed in minutes in the pits as a test or race meeting goes on, therefore if the info WAS current, then it could have been obtained from any of a large number of team personnel, as all members of crew on each car can hear the conversations that go on over the radio between the driver and his engineer, and these things, if changed will be told to the driver.
Contrary to common belief, there is a very close community in the F1 paddock between teams, especially the tyre crews, and senior management and low level information like that can get passed over all the time... i say low level, as weight distribution info is not something worth hiding, because the weight distribution of one car, would make any other car in the pitlane practically undriveable, due to the wheelbase, suspension, ride height and many othe differences. and brake ballance can be adjsted by the driver on a corner by corner basis.
so effectively all McLaren have been penalised for is the stupidity of their spanish drivers in putting this info on paper!!
is that really worth $100million and disqualification?? I guarantee that Ferrari have held similar info on McLaren at times in the past...
I've worked in the F1 paddock, and i'm sorry, but the dossier given to Mike Coughlan by Nigel Stepney is in no way relevant to the info talked about in the emails between De La Rosa and Alonso.
The info they were talking about was weight distribution and brake ballance settings, these are both items that can be changed in minutes in the pits as a test or race meeting goes on, therefore if the info WAS current, then it could have been obtained from any of a large number of team personnel, as all members of crew on each car can hear the conversations that go on over the radio between the driver and his engineer, and these things, if changed will be told to the driver.
Contrary to common belief, there is a very close community in the F1 paddock between teams, especially the tyre crews, and senior management and low level information like that can get passed over all the time... i say low level, as weight distribution info is not something worth hiding, because the weight distribution of one car, would make any other car in the pitlane practically undriveable, due to the wheelbase, suspension, ride height and many othe differences. and brake ballance can be adjsted by the driver on a corner by corner basis.
so effectively all McLaren have been penalised for is the stupidity of their spanish drivers in putting this info on paper!!
is that really worth $100million and disqualification?? I guarantee that Ferrari have held similar info on McLaren at times in the past...