The Emperor

Ecclestone calls for action to be taken


FIA Steward Joaquin Verdegay says McLaren should not be penalised for employing allegedly illegal 'team orders' in the weekend's Monaco Grand Prix - but F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone does not agree.

The Woking based outfit led by Ron Dennis is currently under investigation by F1's governing body, after Fernando Alonso and team-mate Lewis Hamilton were asked to safely finish in that order in the Principality last Sunday - as early as the first round of pit stops.

McLaren's tactics have already been defended as 'wise' by Sir Jackie Stewart, while Spaniard Verdegay told the broadcaster Telecinco: "For me, there is no irregularity (that needs to be punished)."

Verdegay, who was involved in the decision last year to penalise Michael Schumacher for 'parking' his Ferrari during qualifying at Monaco, said any team order issued by McLaren would have been 'minor', in order to ensure that neither driver recklessly crashed on the way to the finish.

A writer for the Spanish newspaper Diario As, meanwhile - Carlos Miquel - offered a third opinion in support of the beleaguered McLaren team.

Referring to the decision to investigate Dennis' team, he wrote: "With the exception of some Britons, there is not a single person on the planet who can see the (FIA's) logic in this.
"

Countering Verdegay and Stewart, however, Ecclestone reckons McLaren should indeed be punished - and the maximum possible penalty is total exclusion from the sport.

Recalling Ferrari's $1m fine after the Austrian GP in 2002, the 76-year-old told the Daily Mail: "If there were orders, they would be getting off lightly if they get the same sort of fine as Ferrari."

"A fine for McLaren, with its money, would not have the same effect as docking points."

Ecclestone, whose opinion is also shared by 1996 world champion Damon Hill, added that McLaren - if found guilty - would have committed a 'more serious' offence than Turkish officials last year, who got a record $5m fine for politicising the podium ceremony.

A decision is expected to be reached in advance of the next Grand Prix, which takes place in Canada on 10 June.

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Curb Zone

 

BMW_Dude

I think they should loose all their points and give them to BMW!

No seriously, I don't think any action should be taken, it's understandably for Ron to want to get both cars home, and both drivers were still racing hard right the way through the race. The British press have gone a bit mad, saying Mclaren stopped Hamilton from winning, but that's just because he's British and everyone's behind him!

The Emperor

Probably...

Imhotep Evil

This is non-sense.
McLaren probably told its drivers to slow down.

Just some brits in their dreams believed Hamilton could have won after the P2 in qualifications and his race pace, not to mention his incursions in the sidewalls.

Remy Zero

+1

i wonder...what is Hamilton expecting in his 1st season? he was just totally outclassed by Fred. Hamilton was kissing the wall too much, and he was drifting his car here and there, which is not a fast way around Monaco these days.

Fred, OTOH, was cool and calm t/out the weekend. altho i don't like him, i gotta admit, he's response to pressure is really good.

C.Charles

Pointless investigation... Mclaren can do what ever the shit they want in a leading situation.

Monster

He is expecting to be allowed to perform to his maximum level in each race which he had been able to do in the past few races, and he was expecting to be allowed to do the same in Monaco. Every driver was on the limit in qualifying and in the race, Heinfield nearly understeered his car into the wall during qualifying, but he saved it, just. Take a look at the in-car footages, most drivers were pretty much kissing the walls all the time.

It was simply awsome to see Hamilton drifting his car here and there,
Alonso was doing the same as well, but not as often, it is just a difference between their driving style. Hamilton wasn't that much slower than Alonso, plus he has a heavier car during qualifying and for most part of the race, he was just too cautious during his opening laps. As Martin Brundle said, Alonso won by experience, Hamilton has just as much raw talant as Alonso, although i must say Alonso performed better than Hamilton in this race, but he was definitely not totally outclassed by Alonso.

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