According to the Spa website half the circuit remains public roads, even with the most recent modifications. Albert Park can be considered a “public road” circuit as well, even though it is entirely within a city park. Not sure if the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve is open to cars or not, it is certainly open to the public for jogging and cycling…
McLaren will also have to pay for all of their transport next season. If a team gets at least 1 constructors point in a season then the FIA pays for all of next seasons transport. They did this to ween out the independent no hopes and keep the sport competitive. Assuming this rule is enforced Mclaren will find themselves budgeting for something they haven’t paid for in the last decade.
They haven’t been punished for cheating. The FIA have not released their findings yet, however the punishment has been made based on Mclaren having possession of the dossier, there has been nothing released by either Mclaren or the FIA that suggests Ferrari IP has been used in the McLaren cars.
Hamilton, Alonso and De La Rosa have categorically stated that there is no Ferrari IP on the McLaren cars, so they have not opted for driver immunity.
Ferrari are bad losers, I wouldn’t be at all surprised if this was a well organsied framing. Dose anyone else remember that Renault were doing well last year until their car was deemed illegal in Italy ? Ferrari brought to the attention of the FIA that Renault were using active dampers in their cars, although these dampers were concealed in the nose of the car. How did Ferrari know they were there ? hmm ?
Its a simple case of one rule for Ferrari and one rule for every one else.
The punishment certainly isn’t consistant with those for previous offences.
And as was mentioned on Speed Channel’s Spa practice show this morning, starting next year McLaren will also be exiled to the opposite end of the pit lane with Spyker & Toro Rossa where the garage space is much more limited. Also, paddock space is assigned by constructor rankings, so they may have to downsize their gigantic “motorhome”.
Obviously they’ll be taking a major hit on their budget next year even if this $100 million fine gets reduced on appeal. I’m not sure if this will be the F1 equivalent of the SMU football death penalty or if they’ll manage to recover quickly.
The coverage also mentioned a “confirmed rumor” that Alonso tried to blackmail Dennis for undisputed #1 status in exchange for his silence in the legal proceedings. That’s about as ugly as anything in this affair. Did Alonso just cost himself his career? I can’t imagine that level of disloyalty will be looked on kindly throughout the paddock…even his old buddy Briatore.
110M fine? Next year it will be easy to spot the McLaren team members.
They will be the ones standing on the street corner out in front of the track holding signs that read “Will race for food” and “Spare Change?”
I skimmed a few versions of the story this morning and they mentioned exchanges between Alonso and de la Rosa concerning the “leaked info”, but I didn’t see any mention of Hamilton. Also, Hamilton was the only McLaren driver to attend the hearing yesterday. Makes you wonder if he was trying to keep clean or distance himself from Alonso or if any of this was an underlying cause for the animosity between the 2 (all TOTAL conjecture on my part).
I still hate to see Hamilton’s 2007 season tainted by this BS, it appears that he really has what it takes to be the next superstar in the sport…even moreso than Alonso.
and @ Chew Barker
I read yesterday that the drivers HAD testified in exchange for immunity, it was on the F1 website though. Can’t imagine any of them having jobs today if that was the case. Might take a while for the “facts” to shake out, if ever.