Tag Archive for 'liargate'

Three Race ban For McLaren

But guess what ! The ban comes with a string attached. The ban is hereby “SUSPENDED” unless any mor fresh evidence against McLaren is revealed or if McLaren makes a smilar fiasco in the next 12 months. Is this a joke ! FIA should have made this announcement on the 1st of April instead, at least there would have been a few takers.

After all the speculations and debates as to what would be a just penalty for a team that thought lying is a better way to achieve glory, this was a shameful anti-clmax. A general sentiment echoed by most of the fans was of a constructor points deduction or of a single match ban. The earlier option was a better one as it sought to punish the team McLaren for instructing Hamilton to lie and yet allow Hamilton to maintain his stake for the world championship.

But as declared, McLaren are free to race with no punishment what so ever. However, if any fresh evidence becomes public showing McLaren scheming to grab the third place by lying, then they will be handed the three race ban. Ridiculous ! How many more reasons does one need to conclude that the pair were lying in the face of the stewards. And what other motive can there be except to gain an advantage. A second criteria for the suspended ban to become active is if McLaren indulges in any wrong doing in the next 12 months. This looks like a mother telling her child not to be mischievious, unless he wants to fofeit his chocolate for a day.

The FIA took a stance that mcLaren had brought the sport into disrepute by lying. Its intentions were always to punish McLaren. A mild pnishment for the constructors would have done. but showing complete leniency in this regard invites other teams to use unfair means too.

What the FIA chose to do was play politics. Yes, nothing but politics. The intended target was always Ron Dennis. He eventually succumbed to the overall pressure and had to throw in his towel. Mosely should now be feeling quite relaxed with Ron out of the way.

I personally did not want the McLaren team to he handed a heavy penalty. Afterall, the diffuser row was enough to distract the atention from the main agenda of the sport, and these court ruling should be kept to bare minimum. But why make all the fuss and then shy away. FIA has got no balls. Ferrari has always ruled the sport. FIA has been afraid of Ferrari breaking away. Now McLaren joins the rank. Welcome to a New World Order wherein the organisation chosen to govern the teams is being governed by the teams themselves.

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Liargate Issue Blown Out Of Proportion

No, I am no fan/supporter of McLaren F1 team and neither do I like or have any sympathetic feelings towards anyone working for the Woking based team. Yet the latest events – the Liargate issue – makes me sit up and feel sorry for McLaren.

A season already in torubled waters, thanks to the double-diffuser row, does not need another fiasco. Although three races have been raced already, the most engaging actions have taken place out of the race track. The latest of which is the hearing coming up later next week to decide a punishment for McLaren. And the rumours don’t help either.

Talks about McLaren being banned for the championship or being fined heavily is doing rounds. But taking such stern actions, is it really the need of the hour. A season which was hit by withdrawl of Honda, does not need to see the grid size reduced to 18 cars. Also, taking note of the recession, a heavy fine would cribble McLaren for the season and might perhaps leave them short of sponsorers.

Rules are not meant to be observed in words, but are just general guidelines – is what I believe in. FIA needs someone to stuff some sense into themselves to make such a big issue out of a lie. What should have ended with McLaren being banned from the Australian GP has now moved to courts and requires hearing to settle the matter. All this negative publicity has already a few fans away from the sport.

It’s high time for both Berlie and Mosely to leave their office and take a not-so-well-earned break. That’ll perhaps be the best thing they could do for the sport. It’s time for the focus to shift back to the racing grid where the bulk of action takes place.

Man proposes, God disposes – seems to be so true in this context. With the McLaren issue not out of way, Flavio has stirred up another unrest in FOTA regarding the payment of travel compensation to BrawnGP, More on that later.

Ohh, how I wish things get back to normal.

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