Formula 1: McLaren fined $100 million

[Matt]

After a hearing today in Paris, the McLaren Formula 1 team have been fined $100 million (49.2 million pounds), and have had all constructors points deducted this season, and next season. However, Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso will be allowed to continue in their respective positions and fight for the championship. Even in Formula 1 terms, this fine is huge.

They have been found guilty of cheating, by apparently obtaining design information on the Ferraris. The whole thing developed after the Nigel Stepney scandal (who was a Ferrari engineer), when he was supposed to have sabotaged the Ferrari cars, then was accused of giving design information to McLaren.

Although as far as I know and can remember, this is the first time Mclaren have been in the headlines like this, it isn't the first time with Ferrari. The problem is, is that Formula 1 is too secretive, so it's hard for anyone outside of the sport to know exactly what is going on sometimes.

A similar power struggle happened in the 1970's, with Ferrari again being involved, although no-one was officially charged with cheating, or fraud. It almost tore the sport apart. This, however, could spell disaster for the sport.

[NightwatchersOnlygirl]

What going on

[Raph's Girl]

DOH! 100 mil and ALL their points taken away?! Yikes! In Nascar they generally get fined 25 mil for cheating or cursing and docked a couple points but good lord! Their pocket books will definatly be empty...for the next couple weeks.

But man...they're not gonna be getting any points next season either?! Jimmony Cricket!

See.. F1 sucks...they never show their new stuff...compared to Nascar and the whole Car of Tomarrow stuff (I don't like the COT at all...the design is horrible...there's hardly any wind resistance in the front! )

[Matt]

Originally Posted by Raph's Girl

DOH! 100 mil and ALL their points taken away?! Yikes! In Nascar they generally get fined 25 mil for cheating or cursing and docked a couple points but good lord! Their pocket books will definatly be empty...for the next couple weeks.

But man...they're not gonna be getting any points next season either?! Jimmony Cricket!

See.. F1 sucks...they never show their new stuff...compared to Nascar and the whole Car of Tomarrow stuff (I don't like the COT at all...the design is horrible...there's hardly any wind resistance in the front! )

No I don't see. As far as I'm concerend F1 is the best sport in the world, it's the pinnacle of motor sport, something I am working very hard towards a career in, and as far as I am concerned not even this incident will change how I feel about it, just about that numpty Max Mosely. But that's just my opinion and that was yours, so no more said there.

But you do make a good point, something that Mr Mosely can't see. He claims that to McLaren, $100 million isn't alot. And over the long term it isn't, because they spend $300 million (150 million pounds) total on the design of the new car for the next season, but they don't spend it all at once, they couldn't afford it.

More recently: The original hearing found McLaren not guilty due to lack of evidence, but SMS messages between driver Fernando Alonso and test driver Pedro de Rosa "showed" otherwise, hence, the new hearing, and the guilty charge.

The background to this Alonso came into the team hoping for preference to teamate Lewis Hamilton, but didn't. He demanded preference recently to boss Ron Dennis and threatened to send "evidence" of design fraud to the FIA. Ron gave him the go ahead, thinking that their wasn't sufficient evidence. I doubt Alonso will be driving next season for McLaren. After all..... he did try and blackmail his boss. The idiot.

McLaren have seven days to appeal. As far as I know though, they will still be taking part next season, with Jenson Button rumoured to be replacing Alonso, their drivers can still enter the drivers' champoinship. That's all that I know for the moment.

On a good note it is nice to see Belgium back on the Calender, what a track.

[Sewer Bull]

Originally Posted by Matt

As far as I'm concerend F1 is the best sport in the world

Blasphemy! Football is the best.

Originally Posted by Matt

, it's the pinnacle of motor sport, something I am working very hard towards a career in

Oh. Now this sounds interesting. As a mechanic?

[Scandia]

Few people have that kind of money.

That is bigger than the GNP of some countries.

Somebody has been totally overreacting.

[Dinny]

Originally Posted by Raph's Girl

See.. F1 sucks...

No it doesn't... hence why so many nations are involved.

Matt are McLaren really losing all their points next season as well? I thought it was just that they lost all points for this season, meaning they finished bottom and hence have to be in the back of the pit lane. Plus they also have to downsize their office for next season and present their car in advance so the FIA can make sure that no more cheating goes on.

And Scandia, Formula 1 has a lot of money in it. The amount of money that governments have to pay to the FIA just so there will be a race on their track is huge.

[Sewer Bull]

Originally Posted by Dinny

No it doesn't... hence why so many nations are involved.

The only thing in F1 that sucks really big time is BMW Sauber, period.

[Matt]

Originally Posted by Dinny

No it doesn't... hence why so many nations are involved.

Matt are McLaren really losing all their points next season as well? I thought it was just that they lost all points for this season, meaning they finished bottom and hence have to be in the back of the pit lane. Plus they also have to downsize their office for next season and present their car in advance so the FIA can make sure that no more cheating goes on.

And Scandia, Formula 1 has a lot of money in it. The amount of money that governments have to pay to the FIA just so there will be a race on their track is huge.

Not sure now, though I did see it on the news. What has come out is that they may only have to pay $30 million out of their own pockets, the rest will come out of the prize money that they would have got for winning the constructors championship. That was announced this weekend at Spa.

Teams like McLaren spend over $400 million on design and development every year, not $300 million as stated before.

McLaren do have a sister team for next season: Prodrive return to Formula 1.

What makes the back of the pit lane even worse for McLaren is the fact that it is alot smaller. The FIA want to promote "equality" in the sport, so it seems quite amusing why the smaller teams get smaller pit areas.

For your previous question Sewer Bull, I am aming to go into the aerodynamics section, basically, designing the bodywork, wings, and cooling ducts. I am doing a couple of modules in aerodynamic design for my final year at uni, and I have used wind tunnels before too.

I would also like to pay tribute to the rally driver Colin McCrae, who died in a helicopter crash.

[Janus Prospero]

Originally Posted by Matt

As far as I'm concerend F1 is the best sport in the world, it's the pinnacle of motor sport...

I prefer the World Rally Championship, but that's just me.