Bahrain pits is McLaren penalty - report
Quote selected text Published by clive April 2nd, 2008 in Formula 1
McLaren’s demotion to the bottom of the pitlane pecking order in Bahrain is an unofficial sanction by the governing body, a major German newspaper claims.
It emerged last week that, despite settling into the fifth allocation of garages at the opening two races of 2008, the Mercedes powered team would be relocated to the farthest end of the pits for the Bahrain grand prix this weekend.
McLaren’s higher pitlane residence in Australia and Malaysia was the result of a deal with F1 chief executive Bernie Ecclestone, despite the team’s exclusion from the 2007 constructors’ championship.
But because the garage allocations are ultimately governed by FIA regulations, and not the commercial rights holder, the Paris body led by president Max Mosley has the final say about how the teams line up at races.
Ecclestone had agreed to the reprieve so that one of F1’s two title contenders can still have access to the highest level of facilities at all the circuits this year.
At modern venues like Malaysia and Bahrain, the lower garage allocations still afford top class facilities that are comparable to the teams at the premier end of pitlane.
But at some of the later rounds, including at Barcelona, Silverstone and Brazil, McLaren will indeed be disadvantaged if the FIA has not agreed to let McLaren return to the business end of the paddock.
Some observers predict that, for example, McLaren will struggle to fit its huge ‘Communications Centre’ into the smaller paddock allocations at European rounds.
Bild claims that the FIA’s annulment of the McLaren-Ecclestone concession is related to the governing body’s understanding that - at the end of the ’spygate’ scandal - Ron Dennis would be stepping down as team boss in 2008.
The Briton reportedly came close to quitting before the start of the season, but at the last minute turned up in Australia and even held aloft the winning constructors’ trophy on the Albert Park podium.
Bild said the FIA is therefore “frustrated” with Dennis’ position, and regards his Melbourne podium antics as “provocation”.
“This is the result,” the newspaper said, referring to the pitlane demotion.
Bookmark to:
- McLaren shuffled down the pits in Bahrain
- Report of McLaren Penalty
- Sutil to start Aus GP from pits
- Speedy Massa fined 1400 eur in Bahrain
- Slow Button on fire in Bahrain
I’m thinking the FIA does not like McLaren.
If Bild is correct, it goes deeper than that - the FIA does not like Ron Dennis.
this is stupid! If there was an agreement stick to it!
If there were an agreement that Ron Dennis was to leave as part of the plea bargain for the Ferrari/McLaren mess, then it should have been published at the time. Indeed, given that Max was not scared to look very anti-McLaren last year, I think it would have been published had such an agreement been made. My guess is that McLaren are guilty of some more recent infraction that has annoyed Max, but that the infraction wasn’t anything written in the formal FIA regulations.
If Bild is correct (which is admittedly quite a big “if”), this is clearly evidence that the FIA conducted the anti-McLaren campaign of last year with the intention of getting Ron Dennis out of the sport. Since Mosley was the driving force behind the FIA’s actions, he has shown himself to be guided by a personal agenda and not by the good of the sport. The squalid sex scandal of the last few days is not the only reason Max should resign from his post as president of the FIA.
Since there is not a shred of evidence against Ron for anything then if the FIA are taking action against him personally then that is a bigger scandal than Max’s recent activities.
Agreed, Steven. But it is the Bild…
…if top spots are allocated the way it is now, witch sounds irreal to me,
my concern is not about whether Someone or Sometwo…
…it is about me being Mr.«I-got-moved-somewhere-on-the-pitlane»…???
…or about being called Mr.Small Change…!
…being a team principal, I would realy like to meet Sometwo of FIA fame,
entitled to inform me: «Er Uber Dr. Thiesen»…«Hey you Flavio»…just move out of
the way for McS… to ensure them «highest level of facilities»…!!!
…just ask a Reinhold Joest, Roger Penske, Chip Ganassi…
…try it on A.J. just for fun…!!!
You are quite right, Pasta - Bernie must have met a lot of resistance in persuading other teams to move down a slot. But that work has been done - now the FIA have undone it all and face it all over again if they change their minds again.
…is Concorde agreement imply unanumous voice ?
… if it i$ the ca$e, con$irable per$uasive action$ mu$t have taken place…!!!
…is Concorde agreement imply unanimous voice ?
… if it i$ the ca$e, con$irable per$uasive action$ mu$t have taken place…!!!
Concorde Agreement? I thought there wasn’t one anymore.
Interesting point, Pasta. If the relevant teams were persuaded by money to let McLaren have a higher pit position, do they have to give it back now?
…try to pry the purse at Willams first…ha ha ha !!!
Concorde Agrement may not be «at officiate» as of today but,
there should be a «rollover» procedure to prevent legal void…?
The teams are saying that, since no new Concorde Agreement has been signed, the old one remains in force. Max, however, maintains that it means that the powers of the CA return to the FIA in this case. It has not been tested yet to see who is right…
The trouble is that the agreement the FIA signed with Ferrari in 2005 obliges a Concorde Agreement to exist, so in the absence of a new Concorde Agreement, the old one has to roll over. Apparently the FIA cannot remember its own decisions…
…Alianora, please… the FIA is denying when it is more accomodating
to deny, as always…
…so-called top-brass there are only a bunch of pseudo-aritocrats out of law schools,
this institution became way more relevant than any of its officials…
…compliant for busine$$ necessity it was folded to uncle Bernie’s plans…
…sorry to think that way but, I do not recognize any stature to
these people…altough, exception must be mentioned about those «in the field»…