Cheating isn't confined to Bill Bellicose, F1 puts the hammer down

Several early reports out of a FIA hearing in France indicate that the Formula One McLaren team -- one of the most prominent in the sport's history (several team and driver's championships over the years, and leader of this season's constructor's championship and 1-2 in the driver's championship) -- will be excluded from the 2007 and 2008 F1 championships.

It is the most harsh punishment ever levied in a sport where cutthroat cheating and countless other Machiavellian doings are the norm.

It's a long, convoluted story, but it boils down to McLaren stealing technical data from rival Ferrari from one of its disgruntled employees. McLaren had a shot to come clean during a summer hearing, they didn't, and when further evidence came to light, the FIA apparently decided to throw the book at them.

If true, this is akin to the Patriots being kicked out of the NFL for two years. Wow.

 

Re: Cheating isn't confined to Bill Bellicose, F1 (allegedly) puts the hammer down

Wow.

 

Re: Cheating isn't confined to Bill Bellicose, F1 (allegedly) puts the hammer down

The source I got that report from (Autosport) is climbing down a bit, saying exclusion is one of the options being considered.

 

Re: Cheating isn't confined to Bill Bellicose, F1 (allegedly) puts the hammer down

I suspect Bernie E. would never allow it to come to a mutli-season ban on one of his most televisable teams.

 

Re: Cheating isn't confined to Bill Bellicose, F1 (allegedly) puts the hammer down

That was my reaction too. Not to mention the cash Mercedes pumps into the sport.

But the FIA has a history of going draconian when it feels it's been fucked over. The BAR Honda three-race ban a few years back for illegal ballast is an example, if memory serves, BAR didn't initially come clean either or they didn't heed a warning or something.

Of course the backstory to this is that FIA president Max Mosely doesn't like McLaren CEO Ron Dennis. The level of politics in F1 puts any other sport to shame.

 

Re: Cheating isn't confined to Bill Bellicose, F1 (allegedly) puts the hammer down

It has also long been suspected that Ferrari gets special protection from the FIA, so McLaren may have that working against it as well.

Having said that.. the evidence seems to suggest that McLaren really screwed up.

If they really come through with a ban... wow.

 

Re: Cheating isn't confined to Bill Bellicose, F1 (allegedly) puts the hammer down

BBC is allegedly reporting a 100 million pound fine and exclusion from the constructors championship, but Alonso and Hamilton are not excluded from driver's championship.

No confirmation that I can find, however...

 

Re: Cheating isn't confined to Bill Bellicose, F1 (allegedly) puts the hammer down

Saw that too. Not as draconian, but severe nonetheless.

 

Re: Cheating isn't confined to Bill Bellicose, F1 (allegedly) puts the hammer down

Looks like it's dollars, not pounds, but is otherwise accurate.

So Alonso and Hamilton keep the points earned while driving cars that illegal benefited from Ferrari research and design? Odd.

 

http://sports.espn.go.com/rpm/news/story?seriesId=6&id=3017450

 

According to the story I read, the only reason the drivers weren't excluded is because they were given immunity for cooperating. It's odd, but F1 justice always is.

McLaren has to turn in its technical data and pass an inspection to be on the 2008 grid too.

Ron Dennis has already seemingly aged 20 years (he looks really gaunt compared to years' past) in the last two months between this and the feud between his drivers, I wonder how losing $100 million will grab him?

 

Can/will Mercedes dump them quickly?