F1: Formula 1 Infamous Controversies and Disputes

Formula 1 has a rich history of run-ins involving its drivers, teams and even the structural designs of their race cars.  Head to head battles between F1 drivers are common frills in the Grand Prix.  Even to the point that teammates are also battling each other for the championship podium.  F1 teams have their own internal squabbles involving their drivers and management.  Here are some infamous controversies in the Formula 1 racing in the past and current seasons.

Ferrari Team Order

Ferrari made another headline in the German F1 GP in July 2010 with its controversial team order on its drivers.  Fernando Alonso and Felipe Massa finished 1-2 in the podium in Hockenheim after both Ferrari leading most of the race.  Controversy sets in after Felipe Massa, who was leading the race, gave way to Alonso in the latter lap for the podium finish.  Alonso is still in contention for the season’s driver championship and with his win at Hockenheim improved his position for a championship finish. 

The Italian team was fined with US $100,000 for the breach of the regulations.  The Hockenheim stewards cited an infringement by Ferrari of Article 39.1 of the 2010 Sporting Regulations which states that "Team orders which interfere with a race result are prohibited" and Article 151 c) of the International Sporting Code "Any of the following offences (…) shall be deemed to be a breach of these rules (...) any fraudulent conduct or any act prejudicial to the interests of any competition or to the interests of motor sport generally".

The Scuderia Ferrari team might be facing a disciplinary action from FIA World Motor Sport Council for this team action during the race.  It might cost their chance of finishing in the top three of both driver and constructor’s championship once disciplinary actions will be meted out.  The disciplinary hearing of the FIA World Council will be on September 8, 2010 in Paris France to be headed by the FIA Deputy President for Sport.

F1 Spygate Scandal

In 2007, McLaren were booted out from the constructors’ championship in 2007 because of a controversy involving its team and championship rival Ferrari.  Team McLaren was also fined with a record $100 M after important documents proved the controversy.

The hullabaloo involves Ferrari’s Nigel Stepney providing McLaren’s senior engineer Mike Coughlan with technical information on Ferrari’s race cars.  Both F1 personnel were suspended by their team and causing an internal spat within McLaren.

Documents collected revealed that there were emails between McLaren driver Fernando Alonso, test drivers Mike Coughlan and Pedro Dela Rosa showing signs of incriminatory behavior to their team.  There could have been prior team instructions from management wherein these drivers behave indifferently.  Team principal driver Lewis Hamilton and Alonso have already established a grudging rivalry between themselves sans the intervention of their team officials.  With the turmoil going on between the McLarens, the Prancing Horse of Ferrari came from behind the Silver Arrows in the last GP race to steal the driver’s title from the battling McLarens by only a single point.  The Spygate Scandal of F1 has divided the McLaren F1 team into shambles with Ferrari’s Kimi Raikonnen winning the title by a single point over the warring Alonso and Hamilton.  This controversy in the 2007 GP season has broken the potential winning driver combo of both Hamilton and Alonso for McLaren.

Flexi-wing Disputes

Before the GP season starts, McLaren protested that Red Bull Racing and Ferrari F1 teams have installed performance-enhancing front wings deemed to be illegally attached structures in F1 cars.    These flexi-wings, as McLaren alleged, do not conform to FIA regulations on structural enhancement of team’s race cars.  These wings provide more downward thrust to the chassis of the car providing more traction and maneuverability in corners and chicanes of the race circuits.

The Double Diffusers Row

Brawn Mercedes constructor’s championship was the talk of the FIA F1 Grand Prix season in 2009.   In the first grand prix race at Australia, F1 teams of Brawn, Toyota and Williams came out with their double decker diffusers during the qualifying race.  These new, enhanced structural designs have made great impressions and results leaving other teams in awe.  These F1 teams blew their competition to pieces in the qualifying records.  FIA made enquiries on the protests on the technical issues surrounding the double diffusers on some F1 teams after the Malaysian Grand Prix.  It finally came out a decision that these enhancements are legal and did not violate any rulings on the F1 race car structural designs.   Other teams accepted the decision of the ruling board on their protests and made their own diffuser designs.      

Most of the teams had made great strides on their own custom-made diffusers in the GP races.  However, Jenson Button and Brawn F1 had already secured six of the seven GP races of the 2009 season.  Button and his team had amassed championship points leaving their competition behind and claiming both championships.

Images courtesy of Getty Images

MotoGP: No Valentino Rossi Deal for 2011 season – Ducati

Ducati has denied speculations on signing of Valentino Rossi for its team participation in the 2011 MotoGP World Championship.  Once Rossi will be signed for the team, he will be riding along Nicky Hayden and make up one of the most exceptional riding duo in MotoGp history.

Ducati CEO Ganriele Del Torchio was quoted by Cycle World website saying “… Nikcy is a wonderful person and great rider.  This year, he greatly contributed to improving our Desmosedici race.  Next season, he and Valentino will hone the bike to its ultimate winning potential.”  This statement quoted from Del Torchio might be misconstrued as a prelude to the signing of the two top MotoGP race drivers.

Due to this event, Team Ducati issued a statement denying any formal agreements between the two superstars for 2011 season.   The team statement states:

“Regarding the recent allegations attributed to Gabriele Del Torchio, Ducati CEO and President, Ducati states that no final agreement has been reached with the riders Valentino Rossi and Nicky Hayden for the future Moto GP season, although our interest in these riders remains.  We would like to say that the recent news which has appeared on the US website Cycle World and other websites has been misreported and must be attributed to the many rumors circulating lately. Whether and when an agreement is reached, official press releases will be issued.”

Rossi, principal rider for Fiat Yamaha, is yet to confirm his plans for the upcoming GP races.  Everyone awaits his decision to announce his future plans after the Czech Grand Prix at Brno.

Cycle World has stick to its reports on the alleged transfer of Rossi to Ducati in 2011 MotoGP season.  Whether the story is true or not, Cycle World remains the first one to publicize on the Rossi deal.

One speculation that Ducati did not admit the reported deal is to avoid upsetting Fiat Yamaha by breaching the established protocol of a high-profile rider and team divorce split up.  This separation protocol is done by announcing a rider leaving the team on a presscon of thanks and appreciation on both parties.  It will then be followed with the new team confirming the signing of the driver.

Yamaha is also contemplating to sign Ben Spies to race alongside Jorge Lorenzo in its full 2011 factory line-up taking Rossi’s place in the team.  It will be a high-octane MotoGP fanfare event at Czech Grand Prix at Brno whether The Doctor will race with Ducati.

Photo: motoGP.com

Formula 1: Webber, Red Bull for a 2010 F1 Championship Finish

Mark Webber and his Red Bull F1 team could be in for an Formula 1 championship in the current FIA F1 World Championship.  Webber leads the drivers’ championship with 161 points over McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton 157 points after coming off a phenomenal race in the Hungaroring Circuit in Budapest last weekend. 

Red Bull Racing-Renault is the frontrunner in the Constructor’s Championship with 312 points after 12 GP races for the season.  Second-running McLaren Mercedes has 304 points with Ferrari in a distant third place with 238 points.

Red Bull teammate Sebastian Vettel is at third place with 151 points to his name.  It seems that the Red Bull teammates and their management have already settled their internal spat resulting to this impressive wins over their Formula 1 adversaries.

Renault F1 managing director Flavio Briatore issued a statement over La Gazzetta dello Sport that his Australian prodigy Webber will go all the way to the F1 driver’s championship following his remarkable race finish. He believed that his ward has already matured into one of the finest F1 drivers of his time and used this intelligence to outmaneuver everyone in Budapest.  

Webber was very patient to queue up behind his race-leading RBR teammate Vettel after the safety car appeared on Lap 14.  The Australian completed another 29 laps without changing his ‘Option’ tires to outpace and register fastest laps over his RBR teammate and the second-running Fernando Alonso of Ferrari.  When he changed tires, he was way ahead of the pack and claimed his fourth podium finish for the current F1 season.

Red Bull Racing-Renault has done a remarkable job in maintaining their racing cars’ consistency and performance for a season-leading finish over the McLarens and Ferraris.  Many racing critics questioned the RB6 performance most specifically its innovative front wing if it can maintain the same level of performance it produce at the Hungaroring Circuit to the seven remaining circuits of the season. 

The Australian Webber told Red Bull’s official website, “We’ve shown this year that the car is performing on all tracks so we hope we don’t have any weak circuits,” he told Red Bull’s official website. “Singapore should be good, Suzuka, Brazil and Abu Dhabi. We’re a little bit worried about how the long straights might go at some of the other venues, at Monza maybe. But the car is very, very strong at most tracks so we’re ready to take on anyone at any venue.”

He was very optimistic as well as his team on their chances of claiming both the driver and constructor’s championship at the end of the F1 championship season.  Next stop is the Belgium Formula 1 Grand Prix on its Spa-Francorchamps race circuit on August 27-29, 2010.