Bob Barnard Track Engineering

So the World Council of the FIA decided Ferrari had been punished enough for the "team orders" at Hockenheim. It seems they are to revisit the rule so we can assume that team orders are going to be allowed in some form. Jean Todt obviously has a different view to Max Mosely on the subject, which I guess is no surprise as the man in charge at Ferrari when the issue arose in Austria that resulted in the rule. So, what will it be? Teams can order drivers to let their team mate go by as long as it is not done in a way to be seen or heard by the fans? If you listen to some teams that is what is happening anyway, and most fans know it is happening, they just do not want their nose rubbed in it. That is going to take the cooperation of the driver being told to move over, which is where the problem will lie. Rubens and Felipe both clearly wanted everyone to know what was going on. The bottom line is the average fan wants to see racing, and if one driver is quicker than the other then he should be able to pass him on the track without the help of team orders. If this were not the case then why is there an outcry when it happens? So good luck FIA in framing that rule.

The World Council also decided not to accept any of the entries for the additional team for the 2011 season. Not a  big surprise, but disappointing. I think the two applicants were probably better prepared than the three who joined this year, but it seems that the USF1 debacle, and the form of the new teams has made the FIA gun shy.

On a busy day they also released the 2011 schedule, with twenty races including India. Abu Dhabi lost the cherished last race spot to Brazil. That did not take long for that gloss to wear off. So who is going off for 2012, or are we seeing even more races? Bernie's mate Tavo has a date for 2012, if the track is ready, and we know Bernie wants Russia in, and then there is Qatar, Bulgaria etc. The teams are going to need that three week break in August.