F1: The Right Punishment?

[JSR]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/8266090.stm

I'm not sure I understand what's going on with F1 these days. The FIA purport to want to clean up the sport and ensure that it doesn't have a bad reputation, but I'm not sure if they're going far enough.

Earlier in the year, a driver and his team boss conspired to pervert the results of a race by purposefully and with all knowledge and forethought lying to the stewards and they got a metaphorical slap on the wrist.

Today, we hear the punishment meted out to a team that cheated to pervert the results of a race and arguably altered the course of the entire world championship for the drivers' title - and what is that punishment? Another metaphorical slap on the wrist.

A two-year suspended ban? And that's it?

So, the message the FIA is consistently giving out is that it's okay to lie, cheat, fix race results and distort the entire world championship outcome. Is that what they mean by cleaning up the sport? If so, it doesn't make sense to me.

I suggest that if Red Bull want to win the championship this year they should send one of their drivers around like they're in a Demolition Derby, take out both Brawns in the next four races, and their remaining driver will win the WDC. Why not? After all, they'll only get a slap on the wrist for doing it. Why should anyone race a fair race when the message from the FIA is that "crime does pay".

There needs to be tougher punishments for this degree of breaking the rules in F1 - otherwise there's no incentive for all the other teams to "do the right thing" next time. They should stop these "suspended" punishments. There should be zero tolerance for cheating - particularly in the case of a driver being forced to crash during a race with potential for disaster and loss of life.

The more of these "light punishments" that are dished out, the less chance F1 has of recovering from all these scandals.

[Ian]

Re: F1: The Right Punishment?

Doesn't the FIA have to think about the sport in general? Get rid of Renault and it could have damaging repercussions on F1 (as an engine supplier, as well as a team), GP2 - in which GP2 is heavily involved, and surely is it right to threaten the jobs of literally thousands of innocent people because of the stupidity of a very small number of people?

Renault has done the right thing and I think the penalty is fitting. It's still hugely embarrassing for them. Briatore has been banned for good. Symonds has cooperated in the investigation and his ban is only for 5 years. I can't believe he actively condoned the con, but he clearly didn't do enough to stop it.

Ian

[JSR]

Re: F1: The Right Punishment?

Don't get me wrong, I don't want Renault to leave the sport.

It's just that these "light sentences" are doing nothing to rebuild the tarnished reputation of F1.

Reputation is the toughest thing to build, but the easiest to destroy. The FIA are doing themselves no favours in trying to repair the damage done to F1 by all these scandals. Light sentences just encourages the perpetration of the next scandal.

If there was a zero tolerance policy then teams, drivers, and managers would be incredibly reticent to risk it. As it stands today, there is no risk because cheating merits no punishment beyond the metaphorical equivalent of a note to their mother's saying "don't do it again".

[Ian]

Re: F1: The Right Punishment?

Don't get me wrong, I don't want Renault to leave the sport.

It's just that these "light sentences" are doing nothing to rebuild the tarnished reputation of F1.

Reputation is the toughest thing to build, but the easiest to destroy. The FIA are doing themselves no favours in trying to repair the damage done to F1 by all these scandals. Light sentences just encourages the perpetration of the next scandal.

If there was a zero tolerance policy then teams, drivers, and managers would be incredibly reticent to risk it. As it stands today, there is no risk because cheating merits no punishment beyond the metaphorical equivalent of a note to their mother's saying "don't do it again".

What do you think the FIA should have done?

Ian

[JSR]

Re: F1: The Right Punishment?

What do you think the FIA should have done?

Ian

That's the crux, though. I'm not the one making the decisions.

I just don't see how these punishments will deter teams or people from cheating in the future. Do the FIA want to clamp down on cheats and race-fixers, or do they just want to pay lip-service to repairing the damage done to F1 by all these scandals?

The way the punishments are handed out, the scandals will not stop. There's no deterrent. The FIA may as well just pack up and go home, let the teams tear up the rule books, and allow F1 to turn into a free for all - because that's what's happening anyway.

[coupekid]

Re: F1: The Right Punishment?

I couldnt agree more, a suspended ban means absolutely nothing, and they should be seen to be heavy on things light this. I would suggest maybe a two year suspended, accompanied by a two race suspension,, or something similar.

I have heard many of the old school racers (Hill, Stewart etc) suggesting this has gone on for years behind closed doors, this to my mind is all the more reason to be harsher with the penalties.

Look at what Mclaren got for 'spygate' and that essentially put no person in harms way........makes you wonder really!

[Ian]

Re: F1: The Right Punishment?

I couldnt agree more, a suspended ban means absolutely nothing, and they should be seen to be heavy on things light this. I would suggest maybe a two year suspended, accompanied by a two race suspension,, or something similar.

I have heard many of the old school racers (Hill, Stewart etc) suggesting this has gone on for years behind closed doors, this to my mind is all the more reason to be harsher with the penalties.

Look at what Mclaren got for 'spygate' and that essentially put no person in harms way........makes you wonder really!

I do feel that they should have been disqualified from the Singapore race last year, even a year later.

But the fact is that F1 (and other formulae) need Renault more than they need the FIA.

Ian

[JSR]

Re: F1: The Right Punishment?

But the fact is that F1 (and other formulae) need Renault more than they need the FIA.

That's the whole problem with the situation as it stands. It shouldn't be that a team can get away with race fixing on a scale that could potentially kill drivers just because the FIA are afraid that they might pull out. What kind of message does that send? Only the little teams need to abide by the rules and regulations? I thought they wanted to avoid a two-tier championship?

I think the people I feel most sorry for is the world championship rivals from 2008. Massa lost out on the WDC by one point and Hamilton gained six points from a fixed race. There will always be a doubt about whether Hamilton would have become WDC if not for all the scandals - of race fixing and stolen Ferrari documents, etc. I can't imagine that he's the kind of guy who'd be happy at winning the world championship knowing that six of his points came from a fixed race, albeit caused by another team cheating. A fixed race is a sham and the whole thing should be disqualified from the championship.

Looking at other aspects of this latest scandal, I think the FIA need to do something about Piquet JR. Lots of people on the internet are calling for his blood, but I think he needs to be commended, or rewarded in some way.

There's no doubt that what he did was wrong - yes, he should have said "no" at the time and yes, he should have blown the whistle before now, but the fact of the matter is that he was terrified. If the reports of Briatore's bullying tactics are true and his treatment of Piquet is true, then there are clear mitigating circumstances to explain why Piquet only got the guts to do something about this after he'd been kicked out of the team.

Earlier in the year we had another "nearly rookie" driver lying to the stewards at the behest of his team. Hamilton blatantly lied and continued lying even though evidence proved he was lying. Why did he do this? Why did someone as strong-willed and edge-of-the-seat brave as Hamilton lack the nerve to stand up and say "no, I'm not going to lie for you"..? Was he just as terrified of whistle-blowing as Piquet was over the crash? If the FIA had previously set a precedent that a driver would be protected for telling the truth to the stewards, maybe Hamilton wouldn't have felt pressured into lying?

So, I think the FIA should in some way reward or commend Piquet - to set a precedent that no one (drivers or non-drivers) will be penalised and will, in fact, be rewarded for whistle-blowing on any corrupt elements they find within the sport. Teams should be encouraged to hire former whistle-blowers, in the knowledge that having someone in their car who's not afraid to oust corrupt elements can only enhance their reputation. The driver is, thus, rewarded by maintaining a seat in F1 and the team that hires them improves their reputation while the sport becomes cleaner as a result - everybody wins.

That'd surely be a more positive lesson to take away from this than just giving someone a token slap-on-the-wrist on the grounds that F1 needs them and the FIA is afraid of offending them.