So, let me get this straight: the FIA allowed Merc to change Schumie's number, allowed Brawn GP to change to Mercedes, allowed Toyota to exit after singing the Concorde Agreement, yet they publish a team named "BMW-Sauber Ferrari". Is that ridiculous or what? Why won't the FIA allow the change? As for Michael getting preferential treatment at Merc, that would be silly to make the old guy number 1 when they have a young driver with potential to make them a good team for the long term.
I wonder how many other special 'concessions' the FIA will allow Mercedes GP and Schumacher this year? On the one hand Todt is doing well eradicating the smell of Max but on the other he's creating his own stink by showing special treatment to his old buddy Brawn and his pseudo lovechild. Let's hope Merc don't become the new Ferrari, protected under the FIAs wing.
A while back Merc has said "Brawn can manage the drivers how he wants to" and now they're saying not quite the opposite, but certainly something more than just little bit adjacent to it! I, for one, doubt that Schumacher would entertain a contract that doesn't favour him over Nico 2, sorry, Number 2. But hey, I'm only going on the facts of the past, so what do I know?
There are some major egos in this team and it is going to be interesting to see which ones emerge on top and if the internal battles that are sure to happen will disrupt their efforts. They sure are talking the talk right now. Let's see how they walk!"
With Advent of Brawn/Schumi combo Mercedes team and their old pal Todt as FIA chief. Mercedes will become new Ferrari, meaning all that anger that Non Ferrari Fans had against Ferrari in 2000-06 era will now be directed against Merc team.
ReplyDeleteI for one became warm towards Ferrari 2007 season onwards (after exit of Schumi/Todt/Brawn).
About Team orders, driver management and managing ego, Its permanent issue with all front runners, Only just that Fan justify the team orders, and bad management of drivers by their teams, all the while expecting driver equality, and fair management in all other teams.
I agree, Mercedes could well become the new Ferrari, what with the same team coming back and Todt at the helm of the things.
ReplyDeleteTeam orders should come into effect when there is mathematically no change of the other river winning the championship.
Unfortunately, the facts are that always one driver is compromised in some way or other start of championship, so half way through it opens the door for team to openly support the other driver.
ReplyDeleteTwo recent examples come to mind are
a) It can't be sheer coincidence, that twice in early part of 2009 Rubens had "Mysterious" Clutch issue at race start. And then in Barca the strategy switch meant that he already had that element of doubt in back of mind while he was racing the race. Team backed him only on those races in later part when Jenson had really hit the slump. I have followed races from 2005 onwards on British Televisions, and the Media sets the agenda in very subtle manner. In first 3-4 races, even before the races, Martin Brundle and other Pundits used to start drumming "With age on his side Jenson is long term" solution to grow this team, so team will subconsciously gravitate towards him,and they pose those exact questions to "Team members".
b) I know you don't like this thrown in your face, but accept it from race one in 2008 Heikki was never given opportunity to go for pole, by fuelling him lighter than Lewis in Q3 . If indeed the team wanted to show it was fair , they should have given both drivers to go for pole alternately. If Heikki couldn't really make it stick then backing Lewis in last half of season was completely justifiable, having not been equal in first of season, Doubters will always raise that "What-if" in favor of Heikki.
3) Then there are always the whispers of "slight" tweak in Tyre pressures, which mess up driver's laptimes, those talks have been made in case of Alonso-2007, Rubens-2009.
Spanish Motorsports association, did ensure that there be FIA representative in final race of 2007 for those very reason.
I don't say Team principle is directly involved in these things, it maybe just the driver and his entourage, that maybe resorting to these things, who knows.
So the whole Equal treatment till one driver is mathematically out of contention can still be doctored.