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Formula 1 is heading towards 2021 with a whole load of questions and unknown to the general public occurrences, which, for better or for worse, do not escape the attention of the experts. Moreover, these are questions that can undermine the great business that Bernie Ecclestone has gradually managed to develop since it was founded in the 1970s.
For many, Formula 1 means Ferrari, but Maranello, for which the Formula One World Championship title has been unattainable for 13 seasons, was sentenced to go through one of the worst years in its long history.
Yes, “sentenced” is the appropriate word: not everyone knows that the current mediocre performance of the red Italian cars is actually a result of a confidential “pact” with the International Automobile Federation (FIA). The reason probably lies in the final of the 2019 season when, at the end of yet another year dominated by Mercedes, Ferrari unexpectedly marked three consecutive victories – in Belgium, Italy and Singapore, with Leclerc and Vettel. This winning streak was looked upon with suspicion in some circles.
Indeed, it is rumored that some former members of the Italian team have revealed before the FIA (and also before rival teams) how Ferrari exploited some loopholes in the regulations in order to obtain a surplus of power of their engines. At that point, the Federation had to intervene.
What happened next? The rest of the story has remained carefully shrouded in mystery, as the FIA has neither wanted, nor been able to issue the details about the fine imposed on Ferrari. In fact, it seems that, under the pressure of the opposing teams, the Federation has ascertained that Ferrari had gone beyond the limits of the regulation. However, having no definite proof of the breach, the FIA “agreed” on a sanction with the Italian team which remained a well-guarded secret.
The protests of the other teams and the not so mild statements, such as those of Max Verstappen, were futile. In fact, Ferrari has claimed full confidentiality of the intellectual property of its projects. In any case, judging by the poor efficiency of the car and the engine, it is difficult not to see a certain link between the “secret punishment” and Ferrari’s performance. In view of 2021, it is likely that the Maranello cars will continue to race, but will underperform due to the current regulations, which do not allow for much improvement. This is a big problem for the entire Formula 1 whose audience suffers heavily from the Mercedes dictatorship and the Ferrari mediocrity.
It would not be surprising if, after a year in the “purgatory”, Ferrari receives some “help” to go back to winning at least a few races and to help the declining ratings of the television audience which happens to be decreasing and losing interest in paying the fee for watching the exclusive Sky Sports channel. After all, Formula 1 has always been a shark tank, where sportsmanship is often dominated by economic interests.
Among other things, some still remember the spy story that shook the category in 2007. At that time, McLaren was the main opponent of Ferrari, unlike now, when Mercedes holds that place. They had obtained Ferrari’s plans with the help of a technician who had sent them to the English team. That came to light thanks to the shopkeeper whom a McLaren technician had gone to photocopy the schemes. McLaren, sanctioned with a 100 million euro fine, was disqualified from the World Constructors’ Championship, but in order to prevent Ferrari from remaining practically alone on the track and winning easily, and thus to provoke interest in the races, the English team was granted participation in Formula 1 and Alonso and Hamilton were allowed to continue competing against Ferrari’s racers, Raikkonen and Massa. The story is not new: with a tactical “suicide” in the last two Grand Prix races, the rookie Hamilton squandered the great advantage and the Championship was won by Raikkonen.
Yet, the question still remains: could Formula 1 have allowed a driver (Hamilton) to become world champion with a car, which was deemed illegal and a result of “stealing” projects? There was also that journalist who bet money on Raikkonen’s victory the evening before the final round of the season at Interlagos, when Hamilton was still the favorite, precisely because he thought of the possible hypothesis that a “compromise” might have been born in Ecclestone’s mind, namely for the McLaren pilots to participate in the last few races, but for the title to go to Ferrari in the end.
You might think this is science fiction. Who knows? In the meantime, that journalist won the bet. Also, despite the “frozen” regulations, it is not certain that a new compromise will not be found to allow Ferrari to re-emerge from the rear. The show demands it and therefore the business does too.
-Text by Francesco Ferrandino.
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