5 replies to this topic

[busternuck]

They have always been used as points of reference as the accepted standard legal car during races.

Witness:

Commentators are partly to blame for this - in Brazil when Ferrari appeared to run away with the race at a blistering pace - one of the commentators suggested that something illegal must be afoot. He based the Mac as the standard speed of a legal car. To exceed it would mean the car must be somehow illegal. Isn't it an acceptable proposition that a manufacturer can actually find more speed? Why no similar imputations when the Macs go even faster?

Qualifying - its ok for the Macs to dominate these sessions with gaps as big as a second and no questions will be asked. But should Ferrari outqualify a Mac by a second the exact opposite would happen.

Any plausible explanations anyone??

[Mosquito]

One can't answer this without being stabbed to death by the MS bashers, but the answer is quite simple:
The McLaren has been the fastest car in the perception of most people.
However, it has been discussed in a lot of topics, this is best potential speed. A lot of other factors determine if the possible fastest car will also be the best car. The McLaren has on of the most powerfull engines (and some say most smooth) of the last years combined with a very stable chasis.
Remember how people have been wondering how good and stable the McLaren was even on the bumpiets of tracks?
The McLaren always looks smooth compared to the more nervous Ferrari. Wether this is a pure driver issue or to do with being the ~faster~ car is hard, if not impossible, to judge.

And, last but not least: Exceptional performance (be it MS, RB or Ferrari as a team) will ALWAYS be regarded suspicious in this high tech world where anybody mistrusts the legality of the other cars on forehand. Verstappen drove a good race (at least the first half). So, he must have been aided by TC....???

[Bruce]

busternuck - I don't recall either Murray or Martin suggesting that there was anything illegal going on - just that there was obviously SOMETHING going on - most likely a pit strategy...

The macLs ahve set the standard since late 97 early 98 in outright speed, therefore people can be forgiven if they use them as a yardstick. At this point it still looks as though the Macs have the edge on the Ferraris in the speed dept. If Ferrari overtake them and produce the fastest cars for 2 or 3 years consistently, then they will be the standard, and anyone passing them in terms of outright speed would be accused of some jiggery-pokery...

[Daemon]

Mclaren are just trying to take attention away from the whipping they know Ferrari is gonna give them this year, by 'suggesting' that other teams are cheating by use of traction control and other such devices which Mclaren would be above using. Refilling the fuel tanks after a race, before scrutineering, the 2nd brake pedal, etc etc - sound familiar Mr Dennis?????

[busternuck]

Good points Bruce and all.

I guess in this day and age - should the Jordans for example - outqualify the Macs and the Reds at Imola - NOBODY would ever believe it is down to the power of the Mugen. So much distrust going around!

Like gambling - making some things legal may sometimes have its own benefits. Have you ever wondered that if FIA should allow TC, ABS etc - the mud slinging and accusations would actually stop?

[Mobile_Chicane]

Daemon,

The 2nd peddle wasn't illegal before ferrari pulled a spastic and had it banned in Brazil 1998. It was driver operated brake steering.

Maybe, now it is McLaren payback and that is why the team offered info on the TC/illegal software in Melbourne to the FIA that some teams allegedly have or now are known to use.

The teams will do anything if they can see their car can gain a performance advantage out of it.