Pete,
Michael deserved to be sent to the rear--the Germans aren't very good at subterfuge: the Zimmerman letter to Mexico that got us into WW1, leaving the enigma machine on a floating and abandoned sub, and latterly cautiously feeling one's way close to the barrier but being sure not to nudge it and throw the alignment out of whack. What? Starting on inside pole wasn't good enough? It'll be interesting to see how many points behind the Spaniard big Mike finishes at the end of the season. Could Monaco have been the place he threw the championship away?
Anatoly Arutunoff
Erik,
Thank you Erik, for calling the FIA, Briatore, and the rest of the "show biz" gang for what they are. The process for determining guilt or innocence was not in place post-qualifying at Monaco. I believe one term I've heard in the past that might apply is kangaroo court. With Mickey Mouse presiding.
At this point, even if Schumacher WAS slightly guilty, the way he's been dealt with makes me a bigger fan than I ever was. Seems like people have forgotten Kimi dropping all kinds of debris on the track at Hockenheim on his cool-down lap as Fernando was coming off his warm-up lap and onto a flyer (that was spoiled by all the debris that wasn't in turn one on his warm-up lap... thanks Kimi...).
Hypocrisy in F1 and the FIA? Why, never. Ferrari a scapegoat again? Perish the thought...
Thanks again for Erik's reports, they're always interesting, even when I don't see directly eye to eye on them. This time, I agree to the letter (including the bits about that Jenson lad).
Rich Ambroson
Pete,
I have to take exception to Erik Neilsen's bias in his Monaco GP report. OK, this is for Italian car supporters, but Schumacher got away lightly. I was standing at Rascasse and it was reasonably clear what he was up to. Ferrari was forced to submit the electronic data to the investigating panel, and they were in conference for over eight hours. The data essentially seems to have established that Schumacher braked much harder than on previous laps, and stalled deliberately.
In the press conference afterwards, before the decision was made, Schumacher said they should just get on and race, and that "history is not important"...very convenient, asking people to forget his little slip-ups. He has this contemptuous attitude towards history, so perhaps he won't care that he will now go down in that history as a cheat, that he and Ferrari cheated their fans of a possible record-tying 6th win at Monaco, and cheated fans and viewers of a good race.
The stewards were pushing to exclude him altogether but were mindful of the paying crowd who wanted to see something happen. There were many examples of spectators not bothering to show up on race day because the whole place went flat after Schumacher demonstrated what F1 is about. It had been clear all week that the fast drivers were desperate to get on pole, and Alonso said Thursday that whoever got into St. Devote first would win. Raikkonen managed to show that there is just a possibility of passing at Monaco however...but not very much.
Schumacher, not for the first time, discredits F1...he has been here before. Interesting that Todt, Briatore, Horner and Berger, in their conference before qualifying, said that F1 needed to improve the show...and that didn't happen.
Monaco really isn't suited for F1 racing. If it wasn't the place for the 'celebs' to go, there would be no race. And, it is really time to stop...a car will get launched into the crowd one day. The hype generated at Monaco keeps it going, but the sight of the Red Bull drivers in Superman costumes on Saturday morning was embarrassing, but the vast sponsorship demanded it. Too much is too much.
The notion that F1 could and should go on forever is a self-perpetuating myth. It probably shouldn't.
Ed McDonough
Pete,
Really, really great publication, love all the Italian car history photos
etc....but...
You're getting to the end of how much longer I can tolerate the talent-less
Erik Nielsen.
Dimwitted nationalistic comments, the same "barbs" repeated week after week.
Yes, we know, he sweats and he's fat, now tell us something NEWSWORTHY.
No doubt some are terribly amused by the childish name-calling. I'm just
tired of it. I'll be glad when the season's over.
Richard Lane
Pete,
Can't say I liked the "throw the toys out the pram" type report by Erik Nielsen, regarding Michael Schumacher's attempt to stop Alonso gaining pole position.
While he may say he couldn't say if it was deliberate or not, Schumacher has too much form already in this direction to accept it was a mistake, how convenient!
Brian Hilton
And a correction, too--
Pete,
A slight error occurred in the Mille Miglia article.
To my knowledge Alfa Romeo never participated or built a car in the
750cc category. The car shown is from the Museum (Scuderia Portello)
and a 2-litre 4 cyl.-sports racer, a descendant of the Disco-Volante family.
Perhaps right caption, wrong photo??
Michael Catsch
