Say That One More Time, Ron
Published
By Mr. C.
There's been some unusual activity surrounding F1 sites these past few days. Yesterday, I read an article on grandprix.com relating to information that the FIA has about the impending Renault hearing. However, soon after reading the article, it had disappeared.
In the early hours of this morning pitpass.com reported a similar story, listing The Times newspaper as their source, and also making reference to the still missing grandprix.com article. Around 8am this morning, said article reappeared on grandprix.com, and as far as I can tell nothing has been changed.
Worth noting, is that the source of all these stories is a briefing memo leaked by McLaren. Here's what The Times had to say on the subject:
The leak from McLaren was being seen as an attempt by the Woking-based team to dispel the impression within the sport that the illegal transfer of technical information from McLaren to Renault is of an altogether lesser order of importance than McLaren’s possession of Ferrari secrets.
Wait a second. McLaren are leaking documents to the media in order to raise the profile of its case? Does that remind you of anything? Like Ron Dennis bemoaning the way Ferrari handled the media during the summer spy scandal. Let's remind ourselves of what Ron wrote in a public letter to Luigi Macaluso back in August:
In the period leading up to and since the WMSC hearing, McLaren's reputation has been attacked by a series of incorrect press reports from Italy and grossly misleading statements from Ferrari itself.
Reputation, attacked, press reports. It's amazing what a difference a couple of months makes isn't it?
Manipulating the media is nothing new in the world of F1, but I do wonder what prompted grandprix.com to first remove and then restore an article McLaren clearly wants the to world to hear.
13 Responses
Ah, very astutely observed. You're quite right - McLaren releasing information in this manner is just like what Ferrari did during the original spying case.
"What's good for the goose..."
"Luigi Macaluso"
Who is given a free Ferrari. He's a worthless lump of garbage who is a paid up mouth for Ferrari. He knows absolutely nothing about motor sport, and is a beard, nothing more.
Briatore gobbed off incessantly, largely because he loathes RD, and wanted McLaren to get seriously damaged.
Now he is on the spit, far as I'm concerned I hope the miserable tightwad twerp gets fined 100 million dollars too.
What's sauce for the goose, indeed.
McLaren, and RD deserved a fair hearing, he didn't get it because Max hates RD. McLaren got hammered because of the idiot Alonso, and remember it was RD himself who reported the emails.
Frankly, its my opinion that McLaren have behaved really, really well during a cruel trial. They are entitled to want to see Renault as savagely punished as themselves. The real winners of this years constructors title were McLaren, in this lads opinion.
I'm beginning to believe that part of the reason that Alonso isn't changing seats so smoothly, is that he's finding trouble finding a team that wants him. Sure: they want his driving ability, but do they want the rest of the nonsense. What he did at Hungary was the act of a childish fool, and he did it in the eyes of the world.
brendan
how in the world can you describe what they did today as "behaving really well"?
i'd call it blatant hypocrisy.
i'm all for the fia stuffing renault if they have done wrong. but for mclaren to turn around and leak documents, after everything that ron said, stinks something rotten.
and this on top of last weeks "we don't want to win in court / wait, we do really / oh no, we really don't" nonsense, just adds fuel to the argument that the team and it's proprietor are a walking contradiction.
"how in the world can you describe what they did today as “behaving really well”?"
Me,
With all due respect: Senor: I am not blind to the faults of Renault and Ferrari. I am of the opinion that at times, you can be.
One of the things I have always appreciated about RD, is that no matter how bad the news: he still appears. If you stick a mike under his nose, he talks. Even when the wording is dense and carefully considered: he's still up there, rapping.
Briatore and the Nasty big nosed frog only appear when they choose. I used to have to address press conferences when I was a cop, and I know how tough it can be to field the difficult questions and how expert some officers can be at finding other things to do when the poop hits the fan.
"i’m all for the fia stuffing renault if they have done wrong."
I love that IF.
"just adds fuel to the argument that the team and it’s proprietor are a walking contradiction."
Life is contradiction. There are 600 employees at Renault, and over a thousand at McLaren. Contradictions will abound:)
Renaults issues are far, far worse than those of McLarens: and I'm rather pleased that bum Briatore is getting some egg on his face for a change. The man has cheated his entire career, and he's a nasty tightwad.
brendan
not at all. we defended mclaren earlier this year when ferrari were giving them 'trial by media'. and now mclaren are doing the same, we'll chastise them just as quickly.
not entirely true. there is no flow of text messages this time, during testing or race weekends. renault didn't know on what lap mclaren would stop during the australian gp. for example.
"not at all. we defended mclaren earlier this year when ferrari were giving them ‘trial by media’. and now mclaren are doing the same, we’ll chastise them just as quickly."
Me,
Thank you for not getting the hump, I do disagree with you, but that's fair enough.
Time will tell, I do think you are a bit biased towards Ferrari and Renault in particular.
"renault didn’t know on what lap mclaren would stop during the australian gp. for example."
But these were the actions of the drivers Alonso and De La Rosa, nothing to do with the team.
Some eighteen Renault engineers were aware of the stuff that went into McLarens car.
IF the FIA are just, they will hammer Renault like they did McLaren, but you and me both know that they won't, because.
1. Briatore is connected, he's a freemason.
2. Bernie is terrified of Renault walking away from the sport, which is going to happen anyway.
Frankly, what happened to McLaren was completely wrong, and the sport will suffer as a result. It was purely a Max involved punishment job because he hates Ron.
brendan
I'm sorry, I tend to stay out of debates like this normally, but I just have to put this out there.
Say what you like about us being biased about Renault, I don't think in this case we are, but I can see how it could come across like that.
But PLEASE don't say we are biased towards Ferrari. I don't remember the last time we ever had a good word to say about Ferrari, and I don't think we intend to start anytime soon.
agreed, but that still doesn't justify what mclaren did today.
as we said during the show on sunday, we're looking at the beginning of the end of renault. maybe prodrive can pick up the pieces?
"But PLEASE don’t say we"
Christine,
Please understand my comments were addressed particularly toward "me", and not Sidepodcast. If I were having a go at you, I'd jokingly grumble about Jensen, or Franck:)
I do think the general tone is somewhat anti McLaren here: and while that's okay, because opinion is free, I intend to put up a defence to it, when permitted to do so.
Please also be sure that though I disagree completely with "me" on this issue..it does not sway my position as regards Sidepodcast per se.
We can differ and debate in perfect harmony.
brendan
i'd agree with that, but should point out that it wasn't at the beginning of the year and has only been swayed as a result of the teams actions / reactions to events throughout 2007. the more i learn, the less i like.
agreed.
Don't worry, I wasn't taking it personally.
Differences of opinion are actively encouraged here at Sidepodcast. Jeez, if everyone agreed with the man he would be impossible to work with.
I just don't want Sidepodcast to get a name for being biased towards Ferrari - that definitely would hurt my feelings.
"I just don’t want Sidepodcast to get a name for being biased towards Ferrari - that definitely would hurt my feelings.",
Christine,
Then Madam, I apologize abjectly and will go stand in the corner with a dunces cap on, in shame.
Sorry,
brendan
Hmmm, looks like I don't have to do a Dennis defence job this time around. Ah well, back to business as usual then. Right, you Ferrari fansite, you, as I was saying about Scott Speed... :D
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