FIA World Council Meeting

[Martin Keene]

Formula 1's seven Michelin-shod teams will head into this weekend's French Grand Prix uncertain of their fate after being found guilty on two counts of bringing Formula 1 into disrepute by the FIA World Motor Sport Council in Paris.

The FIA has announced that it has adjourned discussion of any penalty for Williams, McLaren, Renault, Toyota, BAR, Red Bull and Sauber until an extraordinary meeting of the World Motorsport Council, to be held on September 14.

The seven teams were called to Paris on Wednesday to give evidence to the FIA's WMC after they withdrew en masse from the race at Indianapolis on safety grounds following a series of Michelin tyre failures over the US GP weekend.

A week of recrimination and politicking between the FIA, the teams and Michelin followed before Wednesday's hearing.

The teams were found guilty of failing to ensure that they were in possession of suitable tyres at the US Grand Prix.

It was also ruled that the teams were guilty of refusing to allow their cars to start the race because they had a right to use the pitlane on each lap.

The teams were cleared of all other charges against them.

These included refusing to race at Indy with speed restrictions at Turn 13 and combining to make a deliberate demonstration of not racing because they had the intention to race up until last minute

They were also found not guilty of failing to inform stewards not to race for the same reason

goodness me How long did it take them to come up with that little gem thats highlight...

[Frau Vesty]

I wonder if they've deferred penalty discussions for fear of the teams boycotting future events this season [/cynic]

[ChrisG]

No, they've just deferred the penalty so they can see how Ferrari do in the next couple of months and then apply the points deductions / bans appropriately    

[Martin Keene]

But, if they bans all seven teams, are the FIA going to charge themselves with bring the sport into disrpute...

[KerryS]

Still strikes me that the Michelin runners have the moral high ground. They made an error, but they put safety first.

As Martin says, the FIA are bringing themselves into disrepute IMHO

Kerry S

[Paul Hurdsfield - Joint Manchester AO]

I wonder if they've deferred penalty discussions for fear of the teams boycotting future events this season [/cynic]

Got it in one Frau  

They're just playing for time  

[grs]

Michelin were wrong and thats that.

Michelin have enjoyed a huge performance advantage this year because they have operated so close to the edge of the tyres limits and at Indy they were too close, so close that they went over it!

The other teams on bridgestones should not have been penalised for michelins mistakes.

The biggest disapointment from it all was Paul Stoddart showing his true colours as a two face lying tw@t. The self appointed shop steward of F1 said live on camera that he would not race if the FIA did not put in the chicane at turn 13. When he of course did race he said it was Jordans fault for reneging on a deal not to race!

And he is now using the whole disaster in his argument with Max Mosely.

[Martin Keene]

Michelin were wrong and thats that.

True...

Michelin have enjoyed a huge performance advantage this year because they have operated so close to the edge of the tyres limits and at Indy they were too close, so close that they went over it!

True...

The other teams on bridgestones should not have been penalised for michelins mistakes.

Again true, but should the whole sport been penalised for the FIA decision to stick wholey to the rules when the have been known to bend them in very similar circumstances before. In Brazil 2003, Bridgestone turn up without wets, only inters, Michelin had both. It was deemed too wet for the bridgestone runners to start on inters, therefore the FIA made the whole field start, including Michelin runners who had the correct tyres, behind the safety car...

The only thing that has been penalised in this is F1's reputation which I fear may never recover, with the treat of the GPWC hanging over it. The irony of it is, it looks like IRL & Champs Cars are moving ever closer to unison again, just as F1 is moving ever closer to tearing itself apart

[ChrisG]

You can blame Michelin for getting their sums wrong but you cant blame them for pushing the boundaries, the whole blinkin point of F1 is to push the boundaries! If the FIA really wanted safer tyres they would re-write the regs to ensure the tyres would never fail in a month of Sundays.

Its not just that though, as Martin pointed out, the FIA's lack of consistency compared to the Brazil 2003 incident pretty much sums it all up really, every decision they make is politically motivated rather than motivated by the concern for the wellbeing of the sport.

[grs]

Although most Americans will never admit it, F1 torn apart is still a damn site better than IRL and Cart coming back together!

[grs]

the most likely end result of this will be to go back to a one tyre series and take it away from a tyre championship towards a driver and constructors championship

[Martin Keene]

About bl**** time to!

[Pete Collins]

I'm sure that there's very good reasons why not - but:

Why didn't the seven Michelin shod teams run Bridgestones instead?

Do the negatives outway the positives?

Open to discussion    

[Nick M]

Why didn't the seven Michelin shod teams run Bridgestones instead?

Contractual issues with Michelin primarily.

Plus the cars have been designed around Michelin tyres and would require potentially radical changes to get them to work on Bridgestones.

[oldfrau]

probably as big as safety risk running with unknown tires