Ferrari Join Mercedes at centre of illegal tyre test investigation

[RS]

The Ferrari situation is completely different; old car, not run by the race team, and not with the race drivers.

Do Pirelli not still have their own test driver and car for track testing?

[henners88]

They are dragging Ferrari in just to take attention away from Mercedes.

This will all be called a misunderstanding, and maybe at most a slap on the wrists of Mercedes.

So now they will argue semantics.

I hope Ferrari and Mercedes just get a slap on the wrist because that is all they deserve.

I don't think anybody is 'dragging' Ferrari into anything. It would be unfair not to at least discuss what these teams have done and move forward with the type of outcome where every team understands the rules surrounding tyre testing.

[Big Ben]

perhaps Mercedes deserves a bit more than a slap on the wrist... like a punch in the face.

[SGWilko]

One would assume that, in order to properly compare tyres against each other, Pirelli mandated to Mercedes and Forti Course, that the car should remain unchanged in setup/development parts across the entire test.

This being the case, other than reliability and maybe driver fitness, what could Mercedes or Ferrari learn?

Should Michelin be shoehorned in, the rules around tyre testing would have to be changed simply to get the tyres race ready. Should this happen, and Pirelli are pushed out, I suspect there would be a rather significant lawsuit from Pirelli in respect of, at the very least, restrictive practice.

For that reason alone, I find it hard to believe that Pirelli wont be in F1 in 2014, and no team will be punished in respect to Pirelli tyre testing.

No, I see this as dirty laundry - FIA want more money, and are trying to scupper the fact (potentially) that FOM have agreed a deal with Pirelli - Bernard is saying "screw you"

[henners88]

perhaps Mercedes deserves a bit more than a slap on the wrist... like a punch in the face.

If you did that you'd have to kick a Lotus's ankles out from under them and make them walk to the hospital to level it out though.

[RS]

One would assume that, in order to properly compare tyres against each other, Pirelli mandated to Mercedes and Forti Course, that the car should remain unchanged in setup/development parts across the entire test.

If Pirelli have been testing cars on a Forti Corse it's no wonder they are falling apart

[dj_bytedisaster]

I think he meant to refer to Corse Clienti

[SGWilko]

EDIT ^^ what he said.

If Pirelli have been testing cars on a Forti Corse it's no wonder they are falling apart

Yeah - I meant Corse Cliente or whatever they are called!

[airshifter]

Pirelli have stated that the tests were "blind tests". The teams themselves don't have access to the information or know what Pirelli were testing. Stefano Domenicali has made it clear the protest from Ferrari was for clarification over testing specifics, and wants Ferrari to be allowed testing in newer cars if it is legal.

I've seen nothing providing any evidence that there were attempts to keep the testing secret. I think it's another example of the FIA not having clearly defined policies and then pointing the finger at someone else. I personally don't think either team gained advantage from the testing.

[dj_bytedisaster]

I've seen nothing providing any evidence that there were attempts to keep the testing secret. I think it's another example of the FIA not having clearly defined policies and then pointing the finger at someone else. I personally don't think either team gained advantage from the testing.

Both must have taken measures to keep the tests secret. Normally specialized media outfits like motorsport-total cover each and every little straight line test and filming day. For them to miss two massive 1000km tests just doesn't add up. So if nothing else, both Ferrari and Merc didn't communicate it in any way. Maybe that's just sloppy communication, but they've done themselves no favour with it. Mercedes DID gain an advantage. They now have 3 GP distances worth of track time more for their current drivers in the current car. That's an advantage by definition, especially for Lewis, who's still settling into the new environment.