F1 Today – 27/10/2015
Price fix veto
Ferrari has vetoed plans to fix the maximum price for the engines and gearboxes manufacturers supply to customer teams, the governing FIA said on Monday.
The plans were part of the sport’s governing body to cut the cost of Formula One and increased standardisation of parts. A statement from the FIA said “The FIA, in agreement with FOM (the commercial rights holder), suggested the principle of setting a maximum price for engine and gearbox for client teams at the last Strategy Group meeting,” it said in a statement.
The statement says the measures were put to the vote and adopted with a large majority. Adding “However, Ferrari SpA decided to go against this and exercise the right of veto long recognised under agreements governing F1.”
FIA has now got to think of another way to cut the price of engines. Mercedes boss Toto Wolff said “There was discussion about opening up the rules for next year as a main topic and whether there would be any appetite from us for a standard engine…and Ferrari decided to vote against the change in supply price.”
On Saturday rights holder Berine Ecclestone said that the plan was to offer a less complex engine as an alternative to the costly V6 turbo hybrid power units
No upgrade until we know what went wrong
McLaren will not run the updated engine on Jenson Button’s car at this weekend’s Mexican Grand Prix. The change of plan comes after his team-mate Fernando Alonso suffered problems during the closing stages of the US Grand Prix.
The power unit looked to be strong trough the race until the closing stages when it began to lose power dropping them out the points. Racing Director Eric Boullier says before they commit to running it on Button’s car he wants answers on its reliability before committing to that.
He told Motorsports.com “Fernando lost power, but we don’t know exactly why yet. We understand that there was an issue with some sensors maybe, so we had to tell him to reprogram differently the car, but the damage was done.”
The power unit is believed to deliver 20bph over the previous one and while Honda have enough parts he won’t run it until there are assurances that the power unit will last longer than the single race Alonso has used it for.
Gutierrez to be announced on Friday for Haas
Speculation has continued to grow about Esteban Gutierrez joining the Haas team over last week but the team has announced that there will be a driver announcement this week.
The Ferrari reserve and former Sauber driver has been heavily linked as the American team has a technical partnership with the team. It would also mean the owner Gene Haas would fulfil his desire to have a North American driver at the team next season.
Speaking to Sky Sports F1, Haas said: “We’re going to make an announcement in Mexico City on Friday night.” When pressed on who it would be, Haas laughed and said: “I think you can work that one out!”
Greatest of his generation – Coulthard
Former F1 driver and reporter David Coulthard says that Lewis Hamilton as the Ayrton Senna of modern day Formula One. Hamilton won his third world championship and second in succession with victory in Sunday’s United States Grand Prix.
Hamilton is now equal with Senna the person he idolised growing up and has over taken him in terms of race victories. The Scotsman labelled Hamilton as “the driver of his generation”.
Comparing Hamilton to Senna in his column in The Telegraph, Coulthard wrote: “To my mind there are plenty of similarities. You know when it comes to a qualifying lap, or they are behind someone on the track, then something special is about to happen.”
He says unlike Senna Hamilton has no one to fear and he “has all the bases covered. Both Sebastian Vettel and Fernando Alonso are exceptional drivers, but Lewis is comfortable in the knowledge that he can beat them both.”
Why we didn’t take part
Ferrari has defended their actions not to take part in the entertainment on Saturday afternoon. Many teams tried to entertain fans by creating makeshift boats, dancing or even pretend fishing in the pit-lane during the delays on Saturday.
Team Principal Maurizio Arrivabene even reckoned that what rivals did was not really good for fans. “We are a Formula 1 team, not the Cirque du Soleil,” said Arrivabene. “It’s fine if somebody entertains the public, it’s absolutely fine” he told motorsports.com.
He said the team prefers to sign autographs and take children in wheelchairs into our pit box. Rather than simulating fishing and doing funny things for the TV. That is not really doing something for the fans.
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