By hook or by crook

[vintly]

The motive behind starting this topic came from reading the 'no soft tyres' thread about the Barcelona GP, and the, dare I say it, predictable talk about Red Bull having got their way, by hook or by crook. I have no issue with anyone's comment, just thought I'd air some views on the subject on winning in F1.

It's no surprise that Red Bull attract this sort of criticism, as they've lobbied for a harder hard tyre compound this year. The ruling about no soft tyre in Barca seems to favour Red Bull, and it doesn't take much to think they have influenced that decision. Whether they have or not is irrelevant for my point:

Of course we'd all like to see a completely even playing field, with no team favoured more than another, and no teams having more influence than others, in any way shape or form. The idea of rich teams buying influence... ugh.

On the other hand, such a utopian view is far from realistic, and has never been the case in F1. What team wouldn't try to exert influence to aid their chances of being champions?

It's not just a driver's sport, and teams will try anything. If it suits a team to favour one driver over another, that's their right. If a team deems it a worthy risk to try and influence decisions in a way that might benefit them more than other teams, it's their right to try. I don't agree with all subterfuge, like crashing a car to stop qualifying, or any direct on-track misbehaviour, but behind the scenes lobbying is absolutely fine as far as I'm concerned. It's how countries, businesses and sport works. If you manage to swing something in your favour, then well done. It's up to the authorities to not let it happen in the first place, or other teams to successfully lobby for their interests, or against others. You can't blame a team for trying.

Yes, I have do have personal bias, being a Red Bull fan, but I don't need to defend anything. Good luck Red Bull, good luck Ferrari, Lotus, McWhatsit and all the other teams. Occupy the grey areas, plough the edge of the rules, use your skill in the car, on the phone and in the secret meeting room, do what you can to win.

[Scott]

Good points, all.  IMO Pirelli has messed up their soft compound this season anyhow, and I think most of the teams would just as soon see them changed or gone.  When the softs only last a handful of laps, it spoils the strategy for all.  If RBR managed to persuade Pirelli and the FIA to scratch the softs for Spain, good for them.  It will make a better race.   

[lkjohnson1950]

Gee, Scott, Lotus and Kimi are a bit upset. They reckoned one of the few advantages they had on R/B was the use of the soft tires. You're agreeing with them putting your man Kimi where he belongs, behind Red Bull. I'd rather see him in front.

[Jericoke]

Gee, Scott, Lotus and Kimi are a bit upset. They reckoned one of the few advantages they had on R/B was the use of the soft tires. You're agreeing with them putting your man Kimi where he belongs, behind Red Bull. I'd rather see him in front.

Seems simple to me.  Vettel is willing to gladhand whoever Pirelli asks him to, and Kimi is not

I think that Kimi should just liscence his radio transmissions for commercials.  He could become the best voice ever for a dozen companies, and without doing any work.

"Driving on a wet mountain road at night?  Kimi Raikkonen isn't worried, he's got Pirelli."  "Yeah Yeah, I know what I'm doing."

[Scott]

Gee, Scott, Lotus and Kimi are a bit upset. They reckoned one of the few advantages they had on R/B was the use of the soft tires. You're agreeing with them putting your man Kimi where he belongs, behind Red Bull. I'd rather see him in front.

I don't think Kimi is upset (I don't think much upsets him frankly, aside from annoying pit lane radio calls), and I guess Lotus is just making noise.  They may perform better on the softs, but what difference is it when they only last 5-6 laps in warm weather.   

By the way, I am a Kimi fan no matter where he drives, but I actually prefer RBR as a team (less so lately, but still...).

[Jericoke]

Gee, Scott, Lotus and Kimi are a bit upset. They reckoned one of the few advantages they had on R/B was the use of the soft tires. You're agreeing with them putting your man Kimi where he belongs, behind Red Bull. I'd rather see him in front.

I don't think Kimi is upset (I don't think much upsets him frankly, aside from annoying pit lane radio calls), and I guess Lotus is just making noise.  They may perform better on the softs, but what difference is it when they only last 5-6 laps in warm weather.   

By the way, I am a Kimi fan no matter where he drives, but I actually prefer RBR as a team (less so lately, but still...).

I've become a fan of 'Lotus'.  The team has been through more ups and downs since I started watching F1 than anyone else.  Their ownership has been a revolving door.  They've had leadership that played dirty (and got caught).  They've run with a smaller budget.

I can't say much about the owners and principles, but the men and women that keep that team competitive have got to be one of the best TEAMS in the F1 circuit.

[F1fanaticBD]

Well to be fair to RBR, they don't have to push much for the removal of the soft, as except Lotus everyone seems to scratching their head's what to do with this year Soft. So RBR might have been the loudest, but they did get certain few nods from the other teams for sure.

I like competition of teams, and hate domination of certain teams. I am a Ferrari fan, but was so bored when Schumacher ripped apart the history books in those five years. I was so relieved that Alonso won. I have kind of same feeling for the RBR, I am very bored, and would be happy to see them toppled (Hopefully by Ferrari )