Williams and Toyota disqualified after...

[CDave]

post race inspection, in the Canadian GP. :eek:
http://f1.racing-live.com/en/index.html?http://f1.racing-live.com/en/headlines/news/detail/040614005908.shtml

[sms]

OOPS!
While everyone complains about Ferrari domination, all the other teams just keep beating themselves. It's pretty easy to dominate that kind of foe.

[Firestarter]

Funny I was at the race all weekend, and I have to come to work to hear about it.
Ferrari won because they were smart, not because they had the better car!.

RT

[Raceman]

I don't know about that Rob. I think Ferrari's winning like they are because they're smart, AND because they have the better car, AND because they've got the best driver who ever lived.

[BarryStrawn]

Plus when the Scuderia Schumacher gets caught cheating their friends at the FIA can find some ambiguity in the rolebook to let them off.

[CrazyHippy]

So what makes brake cooling ducts illegal??

To big?

BJH

[Firestarter]

I don't know Norris, I AM a Ferrari fan. I agree that they have the greatest driver, no question that they have the best strategy makers and crew, but the BAR cars and the Williams cars are right there.......... all be it the Bridgestone tires may be part of the Ferrari problem!.

RT

[LaserModVee]

all be it the Bridgestone tires may be part of the Ferrari problem!.

EXACTLY!!!

If BAR or Williams had Michelin all to themselves to specifically develop a tire catered to one particular car/driver/setup, things would be different.

[BarryStrawn]

Up through 2002 the tire companies were only allowed to bring two tire options. All their teams had to use one of those two types. Bridgestone made two sets to Ferrari specs and their other teams tried to figure out how to use them. Michelin tried to build tires that worked for both Williams and McLaren which didn't work out so well.

Since 2003 the tire companies are allowed to bring two options for each team. Bridgestone still makes two sets to Ferrari specs and their other teams get something else. There was a 2003 BAR test with used Ferrari tires from a previous race where they gained 1+ second a lap compared to their regular tires. But they only got those sets for that one test. None for races and notice that BAR switched rubber for 2004.

What Bridgestone seems to be most worried about is they only have Ferrari to collect useful test data. So Michelin may again dominate them. When that happens I suppose another rule "clarification" will be issued.

And you guys are leaving out Rory Burne in your Schumacher worship. He is by far the most important person involved in the Benneton and Ferrari wins with Schumacher driving.

On another Ferrari note - Jacques Villeneuve will reportedly be driving his fathers Ferrari 312 T3 at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. Same chassis Gilles won the 1978 Canadian GP with. Anyone going? On TV it looks more interesting than any of the races. To bad we will never see anyone like JV driving as a teammate to M. Schumacher.

[LaserModVee]

Barry- I read about JV driving at Goodwood. I also read that he will possibly be testing for Williams in 2005. The F1 sites and publications refer to his retirement as a "sabbatical" now. Rumors of Jeff Gordon coming to Williams have resurfaced as well?!?!!??! I'm sure in all actuality it is Coulthard and Fisichella in the running for the other seat. Frank Williams told the press that he has not talked to JV over contracts or anything for a ride next year. He says that will be of importance in August.

My hope is that McLaren gets the stiff chassis problem figured out. I heard on SpeedChannel that Kimi tested the new car at Silverstone and was a big improvement. Lets hope he gets a car worthy of his talents.

Like you said though...it's all in the tyres;)

And no, Ferrari will always have a #1 and a #2. Rubens must have accepted being second best a long while back. I guess it beats driving as the #1 driver for Minardi.

Schumacher has only one all-time record left to break; Poles. He has 60 and Senna has 65.

Maybe after that, and he clinches this year's championship, Ferrari will allow Rubens to overtake Schuey and possibly finish in front of him.

[BarryStrawn]

Down here them there are called tars.:D

One of M. Schumacher's great attributes is how he can organise a team around him. I'm sure no one else could have kept the core members of his team intact for 10 years and two constructors. Combine that with his driving skill, the FIAT and Marlboro cash, friendly relations with the FIA, exclusive tires, and there is no reason they shouldn't dominate.

I don't think anyone seriously believes Ruben's car gets the same attention or development effort as Schumacher's. My opinion is that if Rubens was faster his car would suddenly get much slower. If I remember correctly, both he and Irvine were faster in their first qualifying as teammates. It didn't last.

Villeneuve is an interesting case. I hear various experts complain about his decision to move to BAR in 1999. That he should have stayed at Williams or gone to a winning team. I've never figured out which team that was. No openings at Ferrari or McLaren. And no driver has ever been successful at Williams after winning the championship, let alone driven 8 years for them. But why is a proven world champion and son of a Ferrari legend not welcome at Ferrari? I wonder how things would be different if Enzo Ferrari was still with us. I think Il Commendatore would never have turned his team over to a mere driver.

Doubt it about Gordon. They are just using his name for free publicity in the US. But it would be fun to watch and huge for F1 in the US.

[Riverman]

I remember watching Gilles Villeneuve racing Skiroule and Alouette snowmobiles at the Beausejour oval in the late 60's -early 70's. Man, he was so smooth, nobody could come close.