Ferrari in Austria

[C M Smith <cmsmith@domain.elided>]

What needs to change is the rules, if Ferrari is not to be permitted to 
arrange which car finishes first. In the old days the better driver could 
and did commandeer the lesser driver's car with track position, or in the 
event of failure of his mount. Now how fair is that?

If the object is to see who the best driver is in the best car, what's 
wrong with team orders? More to the point, how does FIA ensure that no team 
orders are in effect? Impossible I'd say. "My brakes were fading, my engine 
was overheating, my tires went off, I couldn't select third gear.... etc etc."

What bothered me more was the totally weird attempt to celebrate Rubens' 
victory when he actually came in second. Automobile racing has to be done 
under some sort of Rule Book, it is after all just a game people play. No 
one should be criticized for exploiting the rules. If the rules don't work, 
change 'em.

However, Ferrari needed to be more sensitive in this particular race. Many 
believe, and probably correctly, that Gilles Villeneuve died in practice at 
Zolder because his judgement was still clouded from Pironi's double cross 
at Imola the previous race. That was a case when team orders were NOT 
followed by one driver. Given that the race also included a reminder of how 
even the best intentioned of drivers can cause a nearly fatal accident for 
another driver (how Sato survived is beyond my understanding) Ferrari were 
most unwise to deprive Barrichello of a richly deserved win on a circuit 
that consistently reveals M Schumacher to be less than invincible.


Michael Smith
Calgary, Alberta,Canada
91 Alfa 164L
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