Currently watching F1, courtesy of Adam's Slingbox media streamer (whee!), and Peter Windsor just interviewed Toyota's pilot Jarno Trulli who was quoted affirming Windsor's comment that the car's aerodynamic development has taken it more "pointy" and that's not to Jarno's liking.

Arithmetic 101: if you have two pilots, one of them (Trulli) tends to outqualify and outperform the other, better-paid driver (Ralf Schumacher) at the beginning of the year, why on earth would you then compromise your entire team by compromising in favour of the weaker driver?

Hypothesis:

1. Toyota can't afford to not let Ralf drive. Might be in his contract or something
2. Likewise with "equal treatment" that might be defined in such a way that Ralf had to feel equally comfortable in the car
3. Trulli does not know how to impose himself on the team. Language trouble, in a German-based team?

Thankfully Ralf is most likely out after this year. It's a joke that the best Japanese-owned team this year is.. Super Aguri ! And that's the team that's struggling with funding too.

Originally posted on hircus.vox.com

The past weekend marked the death of F-1 in the United States. After Michelin, which supplies 7 of the 10 teams, brought two tyre specifications that both turn out to be unsafe at the high loads experienced at the final, banked corner, the FIA and the teams could not agree on a compromise to allow the Michelin-clad teams to run.

I watched a repeat broadcast of the race, so leaks from the news have already reached me through my dad, but still, I was optimistic (and in denial) when I saw all the cars lined up on the grid for the formation lap. Something just died in me when 14 cars headed into the pits at the end, though. What a sham. The race fans agree, giving the Bridgestone runners (especially Ferrari) the thumbs-down and throwing bottles on the track.

Question: if FIA's Charlie Whiting (and Ferrari?) refuse to allow a chicane to be put before the final turn to slow down cars, and to bend the rules to allow Michelin teams to use safer Barcelona-spec tyres for the race (or fix the penalty in advance so teams know what they'd be facing in that case), why could they not build a chicane just for the Michelin runners? Bridgestone runners could still race on the main track, the fans might be a bit confused and Ferrari would most likely win, but we would still have gotten a race between the Michelin runners. And the Jordans at least would get to race other cars for positions!