Flav on the warpath

[Captain Hammer]

Flav's at it again! Formula One's worst team manager (at least to me he is ... his Prodigal Son appoach to Alonso is pretty poor) has made himself be heard again, this time talking with Italy's La Gazetta dello Sport:

Renault boss Flavio Briatore reckons the ruling in favour of the 'diffuser three' has made a farce of this season's world championship. He reportedly told La Gazzetta dello Sport: "Our (McLaren, Ferrari and Renault) drivers are or have been world champions, and then you have a (Brawn) driver who was almost retired, and another who is a 'paracarro' (Italian for a roadside concrete post) fighting for the championship. I don't know how we can say we have credibility."

Flav, do you know what a galah is? It's an Australian word for a loud-mouthed bloody idiot, and that's probably the kindest deinition. Ignoring or the moment that you're just showing sour grapes, let's consider something for a moment: it's not Brawn's responsibility to make Renault and the R29 look like they suck less than they do. If it's the car that makes the driver as he seems to be implying, what does that say about his golden boy's two World Championships? Did he win them on merit, or did he win them because he had the best car and skill played no part in it? The fact that Renault consistently sucked until 2005 and consistently sucked from 2007 onwards suggests the latter. If it's all about the diffusers, why are Red Bull so quick, Flav?

[Debaser]

Renault boss Flavio Briatore thinks his team's hopes of winning the title this year are all but over now in the wake of the FIA's decision to approve the use of double-decker diffusers.

The Italian thinks that it will take too much time for Brawn GP, Toyota and Williams's rivals to catch up with the diffuser gang and has questioned the credibility of the the world championship because of it.

"The drivers in our teams have been and are world champions, while the championship is now fought between a driver who was almost retired and another one who is a good guy but a paracarro (Italian saying for being as slow as a milepost at the side of a road)," Briatore told Gazzetta dello Sport.

"I don't know where credibility has ended up with all this. To make up the gap we have to those teams is impossible."

While rival teams now set about working on their own double-decker diffusers, Briatore is convinced that the three teams who already have the concepts well honed will pull out enough of a title advantage in the next few races to secure the crown.

"In three or four grands prix, the title will be already decided, and I can't see what interest TV and spectators can have in seeing a race when Button has 60 points, [Kazuki] Nakajima 50, and someone else 80: it's better to listen to a race like that on the radio, and watch anything but that.

"Just when there's talk of setting a budget cap to 30 million, we've spent 15m for KERS and 10m more for the diffusers. We're left with five to travel and to pay the employees."


For Briatore to describe Button as nearly retired and Barrichello to be as slow as a milepost is quite rich seeing as he employs Piquet who needs a warning sign on his rear wing. Also how dare he criticise Nakakakakajima, without his crap driving we'd struggle to find an ROTR at some races. Well Flav, at least your football team are doing well! Oh no, they suck as well...

[rffp]

What a sore loser!

This is a guy that adultered Benetton's fueling system in 1994 resulting in a serious fire in Verstappen's car. He also had tractio control software in that Benetton, but claimed he was not using it. Now he cries foul? Don't make me laugh!

[LukeB]

I tried to read Briatores comments yet for some reason all I read was a transcript of a baby having a tantrum.
Oh wait....

[Chilled Phill]

I tried to read Briatores comments yet for some reason all I read was a transcript of a baby having a tantrum.
Oh wait....

Sums up my thoughts on the matter as well...

And rffp, the FIA found Traction Control hardware (presumably with the software stored on it...apologies for being too technical...) inside the Benetton after a race, however, the point made by Benetton was that it wasn't in use during the race. Since the FIA couldn't prove it and, going by the logic of "innocent until proven guilty", Benetton were pretty much left off the hook although the Italian...British...whatever team had their fair share of controversy and penalties over the rest of the '94 season.

[Barbazza]

I'm sure the fans of QPR FC would also have an opinion on Flav - mostly containing swear words I suspect.

[Paul Hayes]

What's most intriguing about all this is Button's suggestion that Briatore wanted to sign him for 2009 - presumably in place of Piquet. Doesn't speak volumes for the confidence Renault feel in Nelson Junior! But then again, that's hardly much of a surprise.

[Enforcer]

His team was never going to win the World Championship, even if the FIA got everyone to replace their diffusers with bricks.

Interesting question though, if the big-hitters don't catch up, will the novelty of Brawn hegemony wane and it'll become as boring as Ferrari hegemony of the early 2000s?

I know Williams & Toyota are close in qualifying, but they look well off in terms of race pace.

And rffp, the FIA found Traction Control hardware (presumably with the software stored on it...apologies for being too technical...) inside the Benetton after a race, however, the point made by Benetton was that it wasn't in use during the race. Since the FIA couldn't prove it and, going by the logic of "innocent until proven guilty", Benetton were pretty much left off the hook although the Italian...British...whatever team had their fair share of controversy and penalties over the rest of the '94 season.

Like at the British GP when they told Schumacher to ignore the Black Flag whilst they whinged at Charlie Whiting. Then they had the illegal plank-wear job in Belgium. Only a refueling problem for Hill in Jerez prevented it from costing Schumacher the championship. Fabulous management by Flavio there.

[alvaro3d]

With statements like this, Flavio is taking Reject status from Nelson Jr.

[Henrique]

I respect Flavio, but resorting to insults like that is totally inappropriate

[Captain Hammer]

Inappropriate they may be, but if Button just lets his driving do the talking, justice is delivered. I think JB was right in responding to Briatore's comments when he said unless Renault is the team out front, Briatore thinks the sport is in trouble. After all, who can recall him complaining about anything between 2005 and 2006?

[StoneColdSpider]

Flavio in a bad mood on a race weekend...
watch out Piquet Jr!!!!....

[Enforcer]

Don't higlight the text below if you haven't heard about qualifying yet.


[spoilers]Alonso's updated Renault 2nd ahead of both Brawns. A smokescreen from Flavio?[spoilers]

[Ross Prawn]

Apparently Flav now wants to deprive Brawn of all their TV money, because he has had to spend extra for a new diffuser. http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/74562

He obviously thinks there hasn't been enough argument and politics this year.

Interestingly, he seems more relaxed about Piquet. When interviewed on the BBC he burbled on for ages about the need for team unity, and how he would have hated to run Prost and Senna. Apparently Alonso gets on very well with Piquet.

Which I think means, Piquet may be crap, but I can't risk getting anyone who will worry Fernando.

[tristan1117]

I'm guessing Flavio was talking about Button as slow as a concrete block and Barichello as nearly retired. I actually thought he was talking about Nelsinho Piquet Jr. myself!

[CarlosFerreira]

Apparently Flav now wants to deprive Brawn of all their TV money, because he has had to spend extra for a new diffuser. http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/74562

I would tend to believe that's a load of cr*p, but F1's politicking has been prone to allowing for some STRANGE decisions in the past. We'll see. I suppose this would violate the Concorde Agreement, but am not really sure.

I wonder how long will it take for Carlos Ghosn to drop this farce and either nominate a new Team Principal or sell the team to IKEA or something.

[Alianora La Canta]

I can only assume that the concrete posts around Flavio's place have turbochargers as standard...

Unfortunately I think he's right to say that Brawn GP should not have the money because the FIA classed it as a new team. I say "unfortunately" for two reasons:

1) The only precedent I can think of for the decision on Brawn was when Andrea Sassetti bought out Coloni's equipment but not its entry. Simply because Brawn can't use Honda's name does not invalidate the entry it bought.

2) Everything Flavio brought up in defense of his position was irrelevant, wrong or both. Brawn received $130m to pay for the team's running this year.

The only other money it's received from Honda is whatever funding was put into the development of the 2009 car before Honda withdrew, plus salary money for the interim period until Brawn entered. Otherwise, Squadra Toro Rosso could turn round and say, "Flavio, you've got a big external sponsor in ING and we haven't. Why don't you share your money from that sponsor between the other nine teams including ourselves?"

It would violate the Concorde Agreement (and existing FOTA agreement), but the FIA doesn't care about it and if too many people in the teams listen to Flavio, they may be too keen on destroying themselves to remember they still exist.

[CarlosFerreira]

I can only assume that the concrete posts around Flavio's place have turbochargers as standard...

Unfortunately I think he's right to say that Brawn GP should not have the money because the FIA classed it as a new team. I say "unfortunately" for two reasons:

1) The only precedent I can think of for the decision on Brawn was when Andrea Sassetti bought out Coloni's equipment but not its entry. Simply because Brawn can't use Honda's name does not invalidate the entry it bought.

2) Everything Flavio brought up in defense of his position was irrelevant, wrong or both. Brawn received $130m to pay for the team's running this year.

The only other money it's received from Honda is whatever funding was put into the development of the 2009 car before Honda withdrew, plus salary money for the interim period until Brawn entered. Otherwise, Squadra Toro Rosso could turn round and say, "Flavio, you've got a big external sponsor in ING and we haven't. Why don't you share your money from that sponsor between the other nine teams including ourselves?"

It would violate the Concorde Agreement (and existing FOTA agreement), but the FIA doesn't care about it and if too many people in the teams listen to Flavio, they may be too keen on destroying themselves to remember they still exist.

Exactly what I am afraid of. Is there any way we can forward your post to the team principles and the FIA/FOTA/FOM? I surely hope they read this...

[StoneColdSpider]

yeap... sadly its true....
its not who is right or wrong its who ever whinges the loudest....

[Captain Hammer]

Ross Brawn has hit back, saying what happens in FOTA stays in FOTA and that Briatore shouldn't be discussing this thing in the public arena; beyond that, he refuses to comment, but he certainly insinsuates that his team's results speak for themselves and that Briatore isn't good for much more than one-liners.

I can only assume that the concrete posts around Flavio's place have turbochargers as standard...

Unfortunately I think he's right to say that Brawn GP should not have the money because the FIA classed it as a new team. I say "unfortunately" for two reasons:

1) The only precedent I can think of for the decision on Brawn was when Andrea Sassetti bought out Coloni's equipment but not its entry. Simply because Brawn can't use Honda's name does not invalidate the entry it bought.

2) Everything Flavio brought up in defense of his position was irrelevant, wrong or both. Brawn received $130m to pay for the team's running this year.

The only other money it's received from Honda is whatever funding was put into the development of the 2009 car before Honda withdrew, plus salary money for the interim period until Brawn entered. Otherwise, Squadra Toro Rosso could turn round and say, "Flavio, you've got a big external sponsor in ING and we haven't. Why don't you share your money from that sponsor between the other nine teams including ourselves?"

It would violate the Concorde Agreement (and existing FOTA agreement), but the FIA doesn't care about it and if too many people in the teams listen to Flavio, they may be too keen on destroying themselves to remember they still exist.

I don't think FOTA will forget the fact that Briatore was paid in Renault's first year when the Frnech team purchased Benetton ...

[wombat]

Pat Symonds has refused to back his boss Flavio Briatore over claims Jenson Button is too slow to be a worthy world champion.

Jenson Button has revealed that Renault's Flavio Briatore ‘tried to employ me’ for the 2009 season.

I reckon Flav's problem might be that the new missus might have been talking to Bernie's ex and figured out she can be real well off without having to live with the old porker

[wombat]

Maybe he and Max and Bernie can get together and form FOGA - the Formula One Geriatrics Association

[Faustus]

Far from me from leaping to the defence of Flavio Briatore, but the issue of the FOTA money is a bit more complicated. I'm not entirely certain so please feel free to correct me if you are otherwise certain, but Brawn GP was registered as a new team, not as a change of name from Honda. I'm sure I read somewhere that the FIA waived the usual US $48 million fee for a new team, 'for the good of the sport' or something along those lines. Therefore if Brawn GP is a new team, they are not eligible to receive the money that would previously have gone to Honda.

[runningboots]

galah

Long live Alf !

[midgrid]

Far from me from leaping to the defence of Flavio Briatore, but the issue of the FOTA money is a bit more complicated. I'm not entirely certain so please feel free to correct me if you are otherwise certain, but Brawn GP was registered as a new team, not as a change of name from Honda. I'm sure I read somewhere that the FIA waived the usual US $48 million fee for a new team, 'for the good of the sport' or something along those lines. Therefore if Brawn GP is a new team, they are not eligible to receive the money that would previously have gone to Honda.

The FIA did indeed waive the standard entry fee, but all this was made public before the start of the season. The timing of Flavio's outburst: after Brawn had won the first two races of the season with Renault scoring four points, in addition to Renault's loss at the FIA hearing over the legality of the double-decker diffusers, makes him seem like a whiner, even if he makes some points which are correct. There were also his personal attacks on Button and Barrichello, which seem like sour grapes, especially after Pat Symonds and Button contradicted him in response.

[Captain Hammer]

He's basically hiding behind the rulebook to justify his attempts at sabotaging Brawn. You'll notice he doesn't make a single mention of Williams or Toyota and somehow suspeding their payments (even though they're not new teams), and why? Because Brawn have been successful where Renault haven't. This is a pretty thinly-veiled attack on Ross Brawn, and Briatore is willing to tear FOTA apart just to get his way. Even then, all it's going to do is place a little extra financial strain on the Brackley-based outfit; it's not going to slow them down an ounce. But I doubt it will follow through. Martin Whitmarsh has already stated that he doesn't agree with Briatore's outburst, if only because do do so would make hypocrites out of every team on the grid, though I gather he isn't motivated by such a lowest-common-denominator attitude; his comments only serve to underscore the fact that Briatore is having another dummy spit because Renault are sucking. After all, can anyone recall him saying Formula One was in deep trouble in 2005 and 2006 when he was winning?

[wombat]

This year it was because they weren't smart enough to develop their diffueser
last year it was because they weren't smart enough to develop their engine
year before that it was because they got caught using McLaren technical stuff (how come they didn't get a $100M fine)
etc

Serial whinger - interspersed by the occassional win