Ferrari threaten to leave Formula 1......again

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Originally Posted by Mr. Mister

I think Ferrari should look at hiring some new drivers. I think their current drivers aren't too good. I'd look at the USAC drivers like Bryan Clauson, Levi Jones, or Jason Leffler.

Mario Andretti came from USAC. I think these paved ovals really teach you car control. I'd watch out. One team's going to do it one day and the entire sport will be more exciting when we have a real American hero beating Sébastien Bourdais in his Red Bull. Man, that guy doesn't know how to lose...but he'll have to learn if Ferrari take on a USAC guy!

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I'd rather hire Emerson Fittipaldi, I mean the guy was awesome in 1974. Jackie Stewart could be another candidate, those two experienced drivers would surely lift Ferrari to new heights.

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Originally Posted by Dr. Krogshöj

I'll believe this threat when they build an actual IndyCar to show they're serious about leaving F1.

Or maybe not even then.

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Mm, like Ferrari build around 1986? Although they never raced that car at Indy AFAIK.

You've got to admire Ferrari's persistance with their 3-car idea, and at least they seem to have ended their disturbing love affair with Rossi. 3-car teams is a big no-no for me: it would hurt the midfield and back-of-grid teams to have the entire top ten pretty much decided before a race.

More testing isn't such a bad idea but we can't go back to the days of teams pounding their own private tracks for weeks at a time. I'd like to see some Monday test days after a Grand Prix. The equipment would already be there so costs would be minimal, and by holding the test after a race you avoid a "Borecalona" situation where the teams have familiarised themselves with a circuit to the extent that the race becomes predictable.

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Originally Posted by Dave B

... I'd like to see some Monday test days after a Grand Prix. ...

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What's the point of testing on a circuit that was just competed on? I think an additional test day on the Thursday prior to the next event would make more sense.

I think testing is about car development and not tuning a car for a specific circuit. Testing on Monday will allow reference of new parts against data acquired over a whole weekend.

Deja vu all over again. I'd actually respect Ferrari more if they had the balls to walk away but they don't.

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Originally Posted by schmenke

What's the point of testing on a circuit that was just competed on? I think an additional test day on the Thursday prior to the next event would make more sense.

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Testing prior to the event would just focus on setups for that race, and no team would squander the time evaluating young drivers. A session after the race means the teams can concentrate on more generic testing, or give an opportunity to new faces.

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Originally Posted by I am evil Homer

Deja vu all over again. I'd actually respect Ferrari more if they had the balls to walk away but they don't.

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Indeed, which only goes to show that Ferrari need to be in F1. It's an empty threat. At least Enzo had the bottle to withdraw his team. and it always makes be chuckle that he did so at the first world championship event in 1950, which makes Ferrari's "continuous history in F1" rather hollow :p

Its the same every year when they don't win either championship. You win some loose some, you can't win then all, unless your in a redbull.....
That's almost poetic.

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Originally Posted by kfzmeister

Aside from all the Luca/ Ferrari bashing, i see good points in his argument.

He talks of more testing for the drivers and young guns, a third car for the teams (more competition towards the front, rather than too much traffic from the backmarkers), less aerodynamics controlling the show, more innovation (and trying to keep costs down), etc.,...

How is this bad? Perhaps it's time for some good arguments about why or why not!!

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I agree that he has some legitimate concerns. But Ferrari has a history of threatening to "go home to mother" whenever they don't get their way. And that's the part that people have grown tired of. Ferrari has always had a sweetheart deal with F1 - so they should make the best of whatever advantage that gives them. The pressure Luca is feeling probably results more from them not being able to build a winning car lately than anything F1 or the FIA has done. If Ferrari was winning, would Montezemolo be barking now? I don't believe so. My advice to him: fix what is broken in your own garage and let the FIA take care of the rules in F1.