American GP

[James]

What kind of morons wouldn't allow that ?

The kind that have always been pre-disposed to ferrari wining of course!

[James]

And despite only 6 cars, Schumacher still had to push his team mate off.

What can I say its in the blood hes got to find something to push of otherwise hes just not happy remind anyone of adelade 94?

[PhilH]

ITV are showing it AGAIN !!!!!!!!!! 1.45 2moz morning

mmmmmm must set the alarm

[geelhoed]

I say it's fair that the bridgestones went out. If Michelin makes a tyre that can't handle thr track they shouldn't complain when they find out that the tyre can't handle the track!

Change the track to suit a tyremaker? Kudo's to the FIA that they didn't change it, teams should obey the rules and not change them as it suits them.

/rant over

[Coxy]

I say it's fair that the bridgestones went out. If Michelin makes a tyre that can't handle thr track they shouldn't complain when they find out that the tyre can't handle the track!

Change the track to suit a tyremaker? Kudo's to the FIA that they didn't change it, teams should obey the rules and not change them as it suits them.

/rant over

Fair point, but I cant help but feel that the bigger picture was ignored somewhat.

I know that rules are in place, but surely the rules were not designed to create the kind of shambolic farce we saw on Sunday.

I would have thought that they could have allowed Michelin to bring in suitable tyres, penalise the teams by allowing Bridgestone runners to the front 6 places on the starting grid, look at punitive fines/points deductions/time penalties etc for the Michelin and the teams for allowing it to happen and then review things to make sure it never happens again.  At least we could have had a full grid and something for the millions of fans to watch.

As it stands I cant see that anybody other than the Ferrari drivers and team gained anything and after trying for so long to break into the US I think the powers that be have scored a huge own goal.

Having said that I think F1 has been heading in this direction for a while, so perhaps this might turn out to be a catalyst that changes things going forward (well I can dream can't I)

[Blatman]

Is this *totally* Michelins fault? Do the FIA allow tyre testing at Indianapolis? Did they allow tyre testing after the new "Diamond Cut" surface was laid? If not, then how were Michelin to know what to expect? I have some sympathy for their position in this. They also offered a solution which, whilst perhaps not ideal, should have meant that a better spectacle could have been shown...

I agree that the FIA should have had the balls to make a decision, rather than let Ferrari veto the chicane proposal, although who's to say that a chicane on a banked track is a very good idea?

I disagree that the FIA should have deducted points *if* the Michelin runners had raced, as it patently wasn't the fault of the teams, so why should they be punished for something which is mostly outside their direct control?

[geelhoed]

Why is everybody so bothered about the spectacle? As if there is any even with the Michelins.

All I am saying is that the Bridgestones seemed to have their bussines on order with the same restrictions as Michelin.

That's race engineering, if you make stuff that makes your car reach the finish line and your competitor doesn't, you win.

A tyre is just another part of a car and if you design it so marginally that it breaks, don't complain about it!

[Coxy]

I disagree that the FIA should have deducted points *if* the Michelin runners had raced, as it patently wasn't the fault of the teams, so why should they be punished for something which is mostly outside their direct control?

I was under the impression that teams could take two types of tyre, a 'performance' and a 'safe' option if you will.  If this is the case (and I may be wrong) I find it strange that both types of tyre were unsuitable, and hence maybe the Michelin teams are partly at fault too for not having sufficient margin of error in their choice?.

Blatman I agree in terms of Michelin, I think they are being made the scapegoat in all of this, and apparently Bridgestone had the advantage of their sister company Firestone competing at Indianapolis a month early and so potentially had warning of the impact of the new surface.

I still can't believe that the FIA couldn't find a suitable compromise given that Michelin raised issues on the Friday.

[Carl]

as it patently wasn't the fault of the teams, so why should they be punished for something which is mostly outside their direct control?

But the teams have a choice of tyre supplier, thus they must also share the blame (and successes).

Did they allow tyre testing after the new "Diamond Cut" surface was laid? If not, then how were Michelin to know what to expect?

They could do no testing but were informed of the track surface a month beforehand apparently.

Crux is Michelin have been more agressive on pushing the tyres than Bridgestone, at all previous races this has paid off. However this time they went too far.

Michelin and the teams should be punished.

However some sort of race should have been run for the public with maybe a penalty for all Michelin teams.

[Blatman]

However some sort of race should have been run for the public with maybe a penalty for all Michelin teams.

You feel that the teams ordering their drivers to risk serious injury or death isn't penalty enough, given the advice received?

[Buzz Billsberry]

I agree with most of the comments and as been said on many occasions The FIA and White haired short A*** have lost the plot that’s why the majority of them have a thick brown coloured matted texture to the hair, normally associated with walking round with your head up your A***. While you can't totally blame Michelin or the teams. Plus at the end of the day both tyre suppliers must have known about the diamond cutting on the circuit but yet it didn’t affect Bridgestone. I just thing the frogs dropped the ball, however, there is so much politics and BS went on nobody took the responsibility to step back and look at the bigger picture. This shambles has caused a lot of damage to the Championship/administration and overall ethos of F1 and it will take a long time before the ripples of this latest ‘coronary’ to dissipate.

The one think that complete Foooked my head in is how they treated the fans at the circuit, it was utter contempt. They never had the bottle to announce what was gonna happen. It seemed “right we've got ya money we're gonna put a race on but "not as we know it Jim".

Then when u get the poisoned dwarf saying to Martin Brundle “Just wait and see what happens" You thought ey-up there could be some racing? But true to form PD throw in a curved ball.

I'll be surprised if Indie will have them back for a long, long time It will have severely damaged the reputation regarding F1 and embarrassed them Hugely. I think there is a place for F1 in the States but it will be hard pushed to find a new home

Buzz

[RICHARD+PHILIP]

A fantastic Race

I'm winning my work Fantasy F1 season because of it!

£50 will come in handy thank you Christien Albers!

[Carl]

You feel that the teams ordering their drivers to risk serious injury or death isn't penalty enough, given the advice received?

No what I meant what that some race should have been run (with chicane / speed limit for all teams) however all Michelin teams wouldn't be eligable for points.

[Coxy]

A fantastic Race

I'm winning my work Fantasy F1 season because of it!

£50 will come in handy thank you Christien Albers!

Thats you and Schuey then!!      

[mattf]

Something to remember is that Bridgestone (through their US subsiderary Firestone) would have known all about the new surface as all of the IRL teams used Firestone tyres at the Indy 500!