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Sep 03, 2003, 1:15 PM
Hey i'm new and found this news...chek out. :lol:
Ferrari have admitted that they complained to the FIA about Michelin's tyres
03/09/03
The FIA sparked a furore when they informed all teams last week that they would now be measuring tyre width after races and not beforehand. Ferrari's influence was suspected and Ross Brawn has now admitted to the Gazzetta dello Sport that Ferrari had reported Michelin to the FIA after seeing photographs of their competitors’ tyres.
According to Ferrari's Technical Director, "It all started in Budapest when Bridgestone got hold of some photos taken in the paddock by a Japanese photographer. They showed in an unequivocal way that the front Michelin tyres had an excessively large tread at the end of the race or after being used.
"We turned to Charlie Whiting who, on the basis of his measurements and the photos, then sent the famous letter."
Quite marvellously, Brawn even claimed that it was in the best interests of the Michelin teams that Ferrari had reported them.
"We could have pretended to have seen nothing, to not let the FIA know and then lodge a complaint at the following race," he said, "but that didn't seem like the right thing to do."
Brawn's confession is also likely to turn the spotlight onto FIA President Max Mosley. Just hours before Brawn came clean, Mosley had admitted visiting Ferrari's HQ - along with Whiting - the day before the change in procedure was announced. Mosley claimed, though, that it was just a coincidence and said "the subject [tyres] was mentioned but not discussed in any detail."
Ferrari have admitted that they complained to the FIA about Michelin's tyres
03/09/03
The FIA sparked a furore when they informed all teams last week that they would now be measuring tyre width after races and not beforehand. Ferrari's influence was suspected and Ross Brawn has now admitted to the Gazzetta dello Sport that Ferrari had reported Michelin to the FIA after seeing photographs of their competitors’ tyres.
According to Ferrari's Technical Director, "It all started in Budapest when Bridgestone got hold of some photos taken in the paddock by a Japanese photographer. They showed in an unequivocal way that the front Michelin tyres had an excessively large tread at the end of the race or after being used.
"We turned to Charlie Whiting who, on the basis of his measurements and the photos, then sent the famous letter."
Quite marvellously, Brawn even claimed that it was in the best interests of the Michelin teams that Ferrari had reported them.
"We could have pretended to have seen nothing, to not let the FIA know and then lodge a complaint at the following race," he said, "but that didn't seem like the right thing to do."
Brawn's confession is also likely to turn the spotlight onto FIA President Max Mosley. Just hours before Brawn came clean, Mosley had admitted visiting Ferrari's HQ - along with Whiting - the day before the change in procedure was announced. Mosley claimed, though, that it was just a coincidence and said "the subject [tyres] was mentioned but not discussed in any detail."