2006 Monza, Italy

[prodigy]

Yeah, i meantioned they're using common tyre brands, that is Bridgestone.

As for the choice of tyres, generally they have 3 type of tyres, that is the the dry, intermediate and full wet tyres. For dry tyres, they have soft and hard compounds and you can only choose one compound and have to use it for qualifying and race day.

 

[si|verfish]

That's irregardless. The fact of the matter is that Bridgestone has been a close partner with Ferrari forever, which kind of gives them an unfair advantage even when Michelin hasn't joined the fray yet. Which prompted all of Ferrari's close rivals to swap immediately to Michelin when they did. And now that Michelin is leaving again, that means Ferrari will once again have that edge over their competitors.

 

[David_1211]

YOu think that wil happen again?
At that time when Michelin haven't came into F1..i oso think that Bridgestone is focusing on big team...Ferrari especially...
i got a question..Y michelin pull out from F1?is it becoz the stupid regulation again?
everyteam still have more than 3choice..dry, inter, wet..from dry...they have soft..medium and hard?

 

[Slipknot Fanatic]

Michelin were suppose to pull out of F1 end of next year but decided to leave end of the 2006 season. They did not agree with the FIA for introducing tyre changes back for this season and had been in a bad relationship with the FIA since the 2005 USGP.

 

[Slipknot Fanatic]

That's irregardless. The fact of the matter is that Bridgestone has been a close partner with Ferrari forever, which kind of gives them an unfair advantage even when Michelin hasn't joined the fray yet. Which prompted all of Ferrari's close rivals to swap immediately to Michelin when they did. And now that Michelin is leaving again, that means Ferrari will once again have that edge over their competitors.

Last year when Ferrari had a tough time, they did not blame Bridgestone for their bad results unlike Renault blaming Michelin for not winning races. The teams which switched to Bridgestone this year will surely have an advantage against the teams that are currently using Michelin this year. I think Flavio's idea of wanting the FIA to tell Bridgestone to change tyre designs for the 2007 season won't make a difference.

 

[prodigy]

Michelin were suppose to pull out of F1 end of next year but decided to leave end of the 2006 season. They did not agree with the FIA for introducing tyre changes back for this season and had been in a bad relationship with the FIA since the 2005 USGP.

I think the real beef was that FIA wanted to introduce a single tyre manufacturer by 2008. Michelin were unhappy about that as they very well know Bridgestone will be the preferred partner so they had no choice but to prematurely pull themselves out of F1.

And of coz they were pissed off the FIA reintroduced tyre change this season as they felt they were starting to be really competetive when the single tyre ruling were in effect.

All that compounded with the USGP fiasco really made life difficult for Michelin and they just quit the sports completely.

 

[Slipknot Fanatic]

Williams, Toyota and Super Aguri made the right move to choose Bridgestone as their tyre supplier for this season.

 

[prodigy]

I think the FIA sort of made them switch over to Bridgestone. Maybe they had a small say in it. Apparently Ferrari were complaining that their tyres suck badly last year and thats because all the top teams were using Michelins and that left them without much tyre testing input. As a result, they struggled and they talked to FIA to get Williams and Toyota to switch over to Bridgestone so to even out the tyre war between Michelin and Bridgestone.

 

[BlackSamurai]

there are pros and cons about single tyre supplier.

Bridgestone became the sole tyre supplier after Goodyear withdraw their participant in F1 at end of 1998. Ferrari "smell" a better way to run faster - stick close with the sole rubber supplier.

Before Michelin make their return back to F1, there is no secret that Bridgestone have a dedicated engineers and specific "channel" with Ferrari. Rumours were saying, Bridgestone more or less was building the tyre which "suite more" to Ferrari specification than others, which is unfair for other team.

But think about it, Ferrari did spend lot of money, time and afford in tyre testing compare with other team, and in return, Bridgestone collect most data from Ferrari (You just can't expect team run with tiny budget like Minardi to send their cars to Monza or Spa solely for tyre testing).

We are doing business talk here, let's say Ferrari spend 10 millions Euro on typre testing (to understand the tyre more) and you build the tyre which suite Minardi more, who do not spend any penny on tyre testing, it just doesn't make sense.

I just hope that the "Bridgestone dedicated engineer" shall be removed from Ferrari team.

 

[munpeng]

Hehe, Minardi is it?

:D

 

[BlackSamurai]

thanks for the correction, munpeng.

 

[munpeng]

No need to thank me lar, it happens all the time :D

 

[BlackSamurai]

oh shit, it means i was wrong all this while?...

Update
Alonso slams Schumacher
12 September 2006
http://www.f1racing.net/en/news.php?newsID=129826

http://images.f1racing.net/news/64093.jpg​

According to the Spaniard Michael Schumacher is the most unsporting F1 driver of all times. Alonso made it clear he won't be missing the German when he retires at the end of the season.

During the Italian Grand prix weekend Fernando Alonso received a penalty after qualifying because the Renault driver blocked Schumacher's teammate Felipe Massa. Alonso obviously didn't agree with his punishment, and slammed Schumacher earlier this year for trying to mess up Monaco's qualifying session when the German blocked the track in the final qualifying minute.

"Michael is the most unsporting driver F1 has ever seen," Alonso told Spanish radio station Marca.

"Zidane retired with more glory than Schumacher," he added.

The Spaniard did, however, admit how much he enjoyed the opportunity to race against the seven-time Worl Champion.

"That doesn't mean he hasn't been the best driver, and fighting against him has been an honour and a pleasure," Alonso said.

Alonso has a two point lead over Schumacher with only three races to go this season but disagrees with his Team Principal Flavio Briatore that a run of decisions against the Renault team has gifted Schumacher the drivers' title.

"I don't agree with Flavio. They haven't given the title to Schumacher already. It's true there have been a lot of decisions against some and in favour of other but that's it."

Looks like the youngest F1 WDC champion still have many to learn, I do agree that steward's decision on Saturday qualifying is an unfair move for Alonso, but at the same time, he need to admit that it's his engine that didn't bring him to the finish line.

He must have forgot that his tyre puncture during Saturday qualifying should have bring certain level of damage to his car.

is Paul Stodart Alonso's step-father? I remember Paul Stodart give the same hand signal at the end of USGP 2005 , and his cars are on the grid).

 

[si|verfish]

Alonso's got a point. For all of Schumacher's statistical invincibility, he has a dirty streak. It is this "win at all costs" attitude, that will sulley his great legacy, although it is also this that gave him 7 WDCs and dare I say it, the 8th as well.

 

[si|verfish]

Source: http://uk.sports.yahoo.com/11092006/3/briatore-backtracks-f1-rigging-claims.html

Briatore backtracks on F1 rigging claims
Mon 11 Sep, 1:28 PM

--AFP/Damien Meyer
AFP/Damien Meyer
view photo

MONZA, Italy (AFP) - Renault team chief Flavio Briatore backtracked on remarks he made where he said that Formula One was manipulated.

Italian Briatore told Italy's state television company RAI that the drivers' championship race had been already decided "around a table".

This interview, conducted at Monza, where his Renault team gave up even more ground to their Ferrari rivals, came under scrutiny from motor sport's governing body, the FIA.

Briatore saw reigning world champion Fernando Alonso's margin to Michael Schumacher, of Germany, cut to just two points after the Spanish driver failed to finish the Italian Grand Prix.

Schumacher's win, which was followed up by a confirmation that he would be retiring at the end of the season, brought the title race even closer together.

Briatore also said that the recent controversy surrounding corruption in football in Serie A paled in comparison to the state of Formula One, where he believes that it has already been decided that Ferrari will be title winners.

Briatore has since indicated that his comments were made in jest and should not have been taken seriously.

"These comments, which have been attributed to me in the press today, have been completely taken out of context," Briatore said in a statement Monday.

"A jokey remark has been turned into something it was not intended to be.

"I have every confidence in the governance of our sport and look forward to our team fighting and winning the Formula One World Championship this season."

Alonso had on Saturday said that Formula One was "no longer a sport" after the authorities penalised him for alleged blocking of Schumacher's team-mate Felipe Massa, of Brazil, in qualifying for the race.

Schumacher has the momentum in the title race and will travel to the next race, in China at the start of October, having clawed back a once substantial gap to Alonso.

With three races to go, Schumacher could end his career in the sport with an eighth drivers' title.

Briatore chickens out. Didn't Alonso also chicken out of Rossi's challenge? Must be a common trait between those two.

 

[si|verfish]

On other news, Kimi was fastest at Monza.

Who was it that said Kimi was cruising behind Schumacher ? Could it be that Kimi held back as a sort of welcome gift to his new team? ;)

The Italian Grand Prix - 10/09/2006

1 . K. Raikkonen - McLaren Mercedes MP4-21 - 1:22.559 (+ 0.000 ) - lap 13

2 . M. Schumacher - Ferrari 248 F1 - 1:22.575 (+ 0.016 ) - lap 14

3 . F. Massa - Ferrari 248 F1 - 1:23.003 (+ 0.444 ) - lap 41

4 . R. Kubica - BMW Sauber F1.06 - 1:23.111 (+ 0.552 ) - lap 21

5 . F. Alonso - Renault R26 - 1:23.121 (+ 0.562 ) - lap 38

6 . N. Heidfeld - BMW Sauber F1.06 - 1:23.294 (+ 0.735 ) - lap 20

7 . J. Button - Honda RA106 - 1:23.518 (+ 0.959 ) - lap 51

8 . G. Fisichella - Renault R26 - 1:23.617 (+ 1.058 ) - lap 25

9 . P. de la Rosa - McLaren Mercedes MP4-21 - 1:23.702 (+ 1.143 ) - lap 8

10 . R. Barrichello - Honda RA106 - 1:23.794 (+ 1.235 ) - lap 27

11 . J. Trulli - Toyota TF106 - 1:23.869 (+ 1.310 ) - lap 25

12 . M. Webber - Williams Cosworth FW28 - 1:24.197 (+ 1.638 ) - lap 27

13 . C. Klien - Red Bull Ferrari RB2 - 1:24.571 (+ 2.012 ) - lap 37

14 . V. Liuzzi - Toro Rosso Cosworth STR1 - 1:24.764 (+ 2.205 ) - lap 52

15 . T. Monteiro - MF1 Toyota M16 - 1:24.822 (+ 2.263 ) - lap 27

16 . R. Schumacher - Toyota TF106 - 1:24.837 (+ 2.278 ) - lap 41

17 . D. Coulthard - Red Bull Ferrari RB2 - 1:24.984 (+ 2.425 ) - lap 51

18 . S. Speed - Toro Rosso Cosworth STR1 - 1:25.094 (+ 2.535 ) - lap 50

19 . N. Rosberg - Williams Cosworth FW28 - 1:25.362 (+ 2.803 ) - lap 8

20 . C. Albers - MF1 Toyota M16 - 1:25.494 (+ 2.935 ) - lap 17

21 . T. Sato - Super Aguri Honda SA06 - 1:25.676 (+ 3.117 ) - lap 15

22 . S. Yamamoto - Super Aguri Honda SA06 - 1:26.548 (+ 3.989 ) - lap 15.

 

[zan]

Last year when Ferrari had a tough time, they did not blame Bridgestone for their bad results unlike Renault blaming Michelin for not winning races. The teams which switched to Bridgestone this year will surely have an advantage against the teams that are currently using Michelin this year. I think Flavio's idea of wanting the FIA to tell Bridgestone to change tyre designs for the 2007 season won't make a difference.

yeah, Michael never said bad things about Bridgestone even when they lack Michelin's performance. that's how professional he is.

IMO, renault and alonso won 2005 championship is due to only one reason - the regulations of one set tyres per race. To me FIA should have not compromise and put driver's safety in jeopardy. Without such rules, last season championship would be as wide open as this season. Renault did not win on total power, total driver skill nor total car excellence but rather a complete package which include tyres that last well for the entire race.

they may withdraw end of this season, but when Bridgstone contract expires in 2010, we may see all teams switching to Michelin as FIA's act of balance.

 

[munpeng]

Nolar Black Samurai :D

Alonso is acting just like Jose Mourinho, no wonder I was thinking "How come I haven't heard those kind of words for quite some time from Chelsea?"

 

[butthead]

Alonso's got a point. For all of Schumacher's statistical invincibility, he has a dirty streak. It is this "win at all costs" attitude, that will sulley his great legacy, although it is also this that gave him 7 WDCs and dare I say it, the 8th as well.

both Alonso and MSC is very much the same person when talking about winning... Alonso is more like MSC in his early years...although not playing as dirty though... but a lot of anger in his driving...

MSC might have did a lot of irreversile things that are not so well to be remembered by... but that is what made him what he is today... if Senna had not done the same would he be regarded as what he is today? and Senna was the first one who brought in the "Win at all cost" mentality...Senna went even further by applying the "win at all cost" even on his own teammate Prost during their McLaren years...

 

[evo3]

that is racing.... either u win or u lose....so they made sure that they wan to win it at all cost.... MSC had a better anger management then ALonso.... as u can see Alonso always give the middle finger when he is delay by the back markers but since both the back markers are fighting for position lo...