Zitat Red Bull reportedly threaten to run in their own private test after testgate ruling Are World Champs considering withdrawing from Young Driver Test?
By Pete Gill. Last Updated: June 24, 2013 12:22pm
Red Bull are reportedly threatening to run their own private three-day test in a direct challenge to the authority of the FIA after Mercedes 'escaped' with a reprimand for their role in the 'testgate' saga.
According to The Times newspaper, Red Bull - and possibly Ferrari - are considering 'boycotting the young drivers' test to set up their private session in a mirror of the Mercedes case' in an act which would amount to open rebellion against the governing body amid widespread incredulity about the leniency of the punishment meted out against Mercedes on Friday by the International Tribunal.
Both Red Bull and Ferrari - who triggered the investigation after launching a protest against Mercedes when news of the test became public in Monaco - are reported to have 'set out their grievances to Bernie Ecclestone' after Friday's verdict was announced and informed F1's ringmaster 'they would take the risk of a reprimand - the punishment meted out to Mercedes - for the benefit of three days of testing.'
Brawn: Proportional penalty
Although The Times suggests that 'Ferrari would pull back from any threat to stage a private test', the Scuderia are said to be 'seething' about the verdict handed down by the Tribunal.
In a post on the team's official website, Ferrari's anonymous infamous 'Horse Whisperer' blogger openly ridiculed the ruling, arguing: "Today we learned, that even if one is guilty and in this case that is an indisputable and verified fact, there is always a way of muddling through as best one can.
"One only has to suggest to the judge what the penalty should be and even better, why not make it something light like a rap across the knuckles.
"It is somewhat perplexing to say the least to see that the guilty party can get away virtually scot free for having derived "an unfair sporting advantage."
Red Bull are yet to publicly speak about the Tribunal's ruling.
I'm not surprised at all to see RB and Ferrari want to push the limits of the FIA and their (lack of) ruling authority.
I personally hope they do it. It's incredulous to think ecclestone gets mention. He should be scheduling races and finalizing the calendar. Not having his hand in everything from races to regulations. This goes to show that no one really knows who is in charge
Perez: no qualms about upsetting rivals with aggressive driving By Jonathan Noble Friday, June 28th 2013, 10:53 GMT
ZitatSergio Perez says he has no qualms about continuing to upset rival drivers, as long as he knows he is doing the best he can for McLaren.
The Mexican has faced the wrath of some leading stars this year - including Kimi Raikkonen, Fernando Alonso and Jenson Button – for some aggressive driving over the start of this campaign.
And although his actions have put him under the spotlight, he says that criticisms have left him totally unmoved because his bosses are happy with what he is doing.
"At the end of the day I am here to fight for my team and to give my very best for my team," he said ahead of the British Grand Prix.
"People are working day and night for you to make this team go a bit quicker, so I maximise everything I have got.
"And if that means I upset other drivers or other people, I really don't care. I just want to do the best for my team and I will keep doing it until I retire.
"I will always try to give my very best for the team I am driving."
Perez says his only regret over the opening part of the campaign is that he has not had the car to fight with the likes of Alonso and Raikkonen on even terms, so has had to take his chances with them.
"I think it is a bit of a shame that I cannot be that often fighting with those guys," he said. "I would definitely like to be in a different position. "Right now I am fighting hard and, if they are in front, I have nothing to lose. So I fight them differently. I have a lot of respect for all of those guys but on the track they are one more rival."
Is this idiot ever going to learn?
"I have nothing to loose." What an attitude. How about the drivers who are fighting for the title and have a title to loose because of your stupid antics! " title="facepalm" />
And he wonders why people are upset with him.. " title="roll" />
Pirelli set for tyre tests Last Updated: July 1 2013, 13:54 BST Pirelli is to be allowed to run two three-day tests in an effort to resolve its current tyre woes following the blow-out chaos that unfolded in the British Grand Prix.
Zitat "They (Pirelli) have complained in the past when these tyres have delaminated - which is certainly nothing to do with it (what happened yesterday)," said Ecclestone.
"They've said they'd like to sort it out, but they don't have a chance to do any testing because of these bloody silly restrictions we have.
"But I spoke to Jean Todt over the weekend and he has said 'Let them test'.
"So he has allowed them to run two three-day tests between now and...well, when they want, to try and do something for next year, as well as this year, so that's exactly what's going to happen."
Asked whether Pirelli would be allowed to use this year's car, the 82-year-old added: "They can use what they like. No restrictions. None at all, so they can do what they want."
Sunday's race was overshadowed by a string of high-speed blowouts as drivers put their lives on the line at one of the fastest circuits on the Formula One calendar.
Silverstone was awash with shredded rubber as Lewis Hamilton, Felipe Massa, Jean-Eric Vergne and Sergio Perez all suffered failures to the left-rears, whilst Esteban Gutierrez had a front-left issue.
"We obviously wish it hadn't happened," added Ecclestone.
"There could have been big accidents in the race, but we have to be careful and know exactly what went wrong before we say anything more.
"One thing for sure is Pirelli don't want problems and would rather there be no troubles.
"So they will have to investigate and see if it was anything to do with the kerbs. Even one or two of the drivers said it might have been the kerbs."
British Racing Drivers' Club president Derek Warwick, however, has categorically dismissed that theory, stating it to be "absolute rubbish".
Warwick added: "These kerbs have been in since 2009 and we have had thousands and thousands of cars go over these kerbs and they have been absolutely fine.
"We have had them checked by the FIA and they conform fully with the FIA."
When it comes to the possibility of the Pirelli tests, the fact there will be "no restrictions", according to Ecclestone, opposes the current FIA ban on in-season testing.
Just 11 days ago Mercedes were reprimanded and banned from running in the young driver test at Silverstone later this month for using a 2013 car in a Pirelli test in mid-May in Barcelona.
Pirelli was also given a reprimand.
Sir Jackie Stewart had earlier suggested to Press Association Sport that free testing was the way forward for Pirelli.
He said: "They've got to open up the regulations and do as many tests as they need to drive in order to feel comfortable their tyres are durable," said Stewart.
"You have to lift the no-testing regulation. That's more important right now than anything else.
"We've already seen it happen with Mercedes-Benz...let everybody else get out there.
"We've got to have a harder construction (of tyre), a harder compound or whatever it is, and then let's get going.
"If we've got to run with hard tyres that mean there's going to be no pitstops for three or four grands prix, let's do that.
"But the amount of debris that was flying around, at the height and speed it was travelling at, is a great concern."
The tests will be strictly controlled by Pirelli, and will allow the under-fire Italian manufacturer to finally overcome the plethora of issues that have plagued them this season.
As for a short-term fix, with the German Grand Prix just days away and with drivers having expressed their concerns over safety with regard to the current crop of tyres, there have been murmurings of a potential boycott.
But Ecclestone said: "I don't think that will happen, to be honest with you. I don't think it's something we need to address."