Scandals Ahead
an instrumental song for a tired mind
Formula 1 has entered new era with grandiose scandal. Well, it was predictable that something can provoke someone, but we could've hoped for a calm beginning. Alas, we've got an upcoming FIA hearing instead.
Red Bull is definitely not ready to lose everything from the very beginning. We've heard their concerns about bad motor's condition and we were ready to forget about them at all. Horner said that to finish this race was more than they expected. Taking into account that this finish brought Ricciardo second place and 18 points one could think that Red Bull is ready to fight.
Then we have suddenly heard about fuel sensors and how the team didn't trust them despite FIA's advices and warnings.
Red Bull has zero points in championship standings now. How long ago had we witnessed a race like this? I can't remember, I have to check statistics:
Italian Grand Prix, 2012.
Actually, there were only two other races with same result - 2009 Australian Grand Prix and 2010 Korean Grand Prix. All the other weekends always granted Red Bull with points earned by Webber and Vettel.
What is it like to have such a stable team and not prepare it well for a new season? We can ask Horner or Newey though I doubt they'll answer. One thing for sure: they aren't going to sit and watch their chances bleeding hard. When engineers are done, it's time for politics and fraud.
These two things are very well connected in Formula 1. When a team intentionally or unintentionally cheating, no one is going to give up at once. On the other hand, the bigger scandal you fire, the easier things may end.
Last season's loud case was, as you very well remember, Pirelligate. Crazy events of Great Britain Grand Prix made Pirelli change tyres and the scandal went off due to Mercedes' falling results and the sanction in a form of banning from Young Driver Tests.
This season, however, is going to be much more scandalous than the previous one. This weeks' weak point is fuel control, and I'm sure it's only a beginning. Motor's failures will put teams in bad situations ending up with penalties and a silent question: "Why can't we use more motors?"
We've seen in past few years that teams barely manage to go through season with 8 units, and now they have to make out of five unstable ones.
There are lot to be seen in new F1 season. We're all hoping to see a fight between Hamilton and Rosberg, Alonso and Raikkonen, even between Grosjean and Maldonado (this is going to be a funny one if Lotus will improve). But I can guarantee you that we well also see a season of instability, uncertainty and scandals, caused by them.
P.S. Just for fun:
