F1 Silly Season is upon us

[Kestonian]

I'm going to ride the circuit this week

 

[cchris2lou]

Renault might carry on , with Prost as team manager according to some french papers .

 

[Anthony]

Renault might carry on , with Prost as team manager according to some french papers .

If they could hire Raikkonen and Kubica, they could be in a good position, but operationally I think they would miss Symonds - a lot more than they would miss Briatore.

 

[Neil]

Renault might carry on , with Prost as team manager according to some french papers .

If they could hire Raikkonen and Kubica, they could be in a good position, but operationally I think they would miss Symonds - a lot more than they would miss Briatore.

Kinda makes you wonder where the idea came from. I don't figure Briatore to be that clued up - by that I mean I don't think he's so big on that kind of understanding of strategy. I've read some theories that people have suggested it came from Piquet - as Symonds has apparently claimed - but I don't buy that. I just don't think he's quite that clever, nor selfless (of his own back).

Which, I suppose, leaves either somebody else within the team, and / or Symonds? Now I know F1 is probably significantly dirtier than most give it credit for (especially if you read the likes of Irvine and Herbert, recently) but I (I suppose kind of naively) figured that Symonds seemed a pretty good guy. I guess the whole affair leads you to question teams and people you always thought were pretty trustworthy.

 

[Anthony]

Kinda makes you wonder where the idea came from. I don't figure Briatore to be that clued up - by that I mean I don't think he's so big on that kind of understanding of strategy. I've read some theories that people have suggested it came from Piquet - as Symonds has apparently claimed - but I don't buy that. I just don't think he's quite that clever, nor selfless (of his own back).

Which, I suppose, leaves either somebody else within the team, and / or Symonds? Now I know F1 is probably significantly dirtier than most give it credit for (especially if you read the likes of Irvine and Herbert, recently) but I (I suppose kind of naively) figured that Symonds seemed a pretty good guy. I guess the whole affair leads you to question teams and people you always thought were pretty trustworthy.

I haven't seen this discussed, but according to Piquet's story, the crash was discussed after qualifying. If that's so, it was after they had decided to short-fuel Alonso. On the face of it, this was a suicidal strategy, but Symonds has often adopted strategies simply on the grounds of being different from everybody else around you. And he had nothing to lose - at such a silly track, starting 15th means finishing 10th at best.

So everyone knew that Alonso had a suicidal strategy that would work only if something unexpected happened - specifically, they would have been hoping for a conveniently-timed safety car. Then it occured to somebody in the team that they could arrange a conveniently-timed safety car. Which one out of Briatore, Symonds, Alonso or Piquet Senior might that have been?

 

[Neil]

Kinda makes you wonder where the idea came from. I don't figure Briatore to be that clued up - by that I mean I don't think he's so big on that kind of understanding of strategy. I've read some theories that people have suggested it came from Piquet - as Symonds has apparently claimed - but I don't buy that. I just don't think he's quite that clever, nor selfless (of his own back).

Which, I suppose, leaves either somebody else within the team, and / or Symonds? Now I know F1 is probably significantly dirtier than most give it credit for (especially if you read the likes of Irvine and Herbert, recently) but I (I suppose kind of naively) figured that Symonds seemed a pretty good guy. I guess the whole affair leads you to question teams and people you always thought were pretty trustworthy.

I haven't seen this discussed, but according to Piquet's story, the crash was discussed after qualifying. If that's so, it was after they had decided to short-fuel Alonso. On the face of it, this was a suicidal strategy, but Symonds has often adopted strategies simply on the grounds of being different from everybody else around you. And he had nothing to lose - at such a silly track, starting 15th means finishing 10th at best.

So everyone knew that Alonso had a suicidal strategy that would work only if something unexpected happened - specifically, they would have been hoping for a conveniently-timed safety car. Then it occured to somebody in the team that they could arrange a conveniently-timed safety car. Which one out of Briatore, Symonds, Alonso or Piquet Senior might that have been?

Well from what I've read, Briatore has said nothing. And I'm not entirely convinced he's that sharp on strategy to initiate the idea. Piquet says that he was called to Briatore's office, where Briatore and Symonds were, and that Symonds did practically all the talking, and raised the idea. Symonds has largely said "no comment", but I think said that Piquet raised the idea.

I simply don't believe that Piquet (either one) came up with the idea, I don't think Alonso had any involvement in it, so it leaves Briatore, Symonds or somebody else in the team. And I get what you are saying about who seems most likely, but I'm also weighing who seems a bit "dubious" and who would have the nous.

 

[Anthony]

Well from what I've read, Briatore has said nothing. And I'm not entirely convinced he's that sharp on strategy to initiate the idea. Piquet says that he was called to Briatore's office, where Briatore and Symonds were, and that Symonds did practically all the talking, and raised the idea. Symonds has largely said "no comment", but I think said that Piquet raised the idea.

I simply don't believe that Piquet (either one) came up with the idea, I don't think Alonso had any involvement in it, so it leaves Briatore, Symonds or somebody else in the team. And I get what you are saying about who seems most likely, but I'm also weighing who seems a bit "dubious" and who would have the nous.

It's not always the case that the one whose idea it was is in the room when an idea is discussed. Sometimes the cleverest one is the one who makes sure he isn't there, and against whom there is no evidence.

As I said in another thread, there is someone who is very clever indeed and very glamorous, two of whose spouses have now died in mysterious circumstances and who is off to marry a third.

 

[Neil]

Well from what I've read, Briatore has said nothing. And I'm not entirely convinced he's that sharp on strategy to initiate the idea. Piquet says that he was called to Briatore's office, where Briatore and Symonds were, and that Symonds did practically all the talking, and raised the idea. Symonds has largely said "no comment", but I think said that Piquet raised the idea.

I simply don't believe that Piquet (either one) came up with the idea, I don't think Alonso had any involvement in it, so it leaves Briatore, Symonds or somebody else in the team. And I get what you are saying about who seems most likely, but I'm also weighing who seems a bit "dubious" and who would have the nous.

It's not always the case that the one whose idea it was is in the room when an idea is discussed. Sometimes the cleverest one is the one who makes sure he isn't there, and against whom there is no evidence.

As I said in another thread, there is someone who is very clever indeed and very glamorous, two of whose spouses have now died in mysterious circumstances and who is off to marry a third.

I'm unconvinced. I think if it was sombody more junior, they would be implicated - after all, that's what happened with filtergate in 94.

I get that somebody else could have been planting the seed, yet retreating, but the transcripts of the radio conversations gave the impression that the only people who seemed to know what was going on, was Flav, Pat and Nelsinho.

I just inclined to go with Occam's Razor - there's 3 guys implicated, I believe that Piquet didn't instigate it - not for any reason of support for him, just based on the situation. To me it seems more likely the other two. And with both not saying anything, tangible, I guess we may never know.

I found it curious that Symonds said that his recollection being that Piquet brought up the idea, and I think Piquet suggests that Symonds did. That's probably not an accident.

I have heard people floating the idea that why would you sack a guy who had that dirt on you, but I guess arrogance and power corrupts. I do wonder, though, what on earth Piquet thought he'd gain by this. It's one thing to say something in the heat of the moment, but another to follow through with it.

Surely he's damaged goods, now - his performances hardly set the world alight, and now surely even if any teams were considering him, they'd give him a wide berth, now.

Contrast that to Alonso apparently throwing down ultimatums at McLaren, well at least he was a double world champion, and if nothing else, is an exceptional driver.

 

[Defiant]

as expected : Alonso -> Ferrari

 

[Dr S]

Yes, no big supprise there. So what else this week...

Rubens is going to Williams with Hulkenberg?

Raikkonen going to McLaren with Hamilton

Rosberg to Brawn (bad move for Nico as Brawn won't be ahead next year for sure). Button cannot agree wages bill and is yet to sign.

Its like musical chairs this year!