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If the FIA attempt to fuck Mercedes over for the sole reason of saving face, Mercedes will take them to the French courts like Flavio did and clean them out.

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Dan Wheldon ¦ 1978-2011
Marco Simoncelli ¦ 1987-2011
Jules Bianchi ¦ 1989-2015
Justin Wilson ¦ 1978-2015

Yeah, I know he's mad and I don't care. I do not care. I did not care then. I do not care now. I'm here to race him.

what a mess this whole thing is

Good old Autosprint, focusing on the sensational "anti-every-other-team-who-isn't-Ferrari" angle rather than the context of fact made clear by Ross Brawn in the interview.

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BTCC Pick Em's Champion 2010
Formula Fun Cup Champion 2013
http://www.the-fastlane.co.uk

Ted Kravitz Just said on Sky Sports News that the IT was shown a GPDA letter to Pirelli signed by all the drivers discussing safety concerns with the 2013 tyres.

Mercedes are using this letter as there reason for wanting to do the test.

they are desparate.

That's a nonsense reason.

Mercedes had the biggest problem with the tyres during the race. they were moaning and complaining the most about the tyres. They made the headlines that they fell back during the race, because of the tyres, thus very bad publicity for Pirelli.

If there were any safety concers, it should have been addressed by the drivers to the FIA, so they could give everyone the opportunity to have a test to make the tyres more safe.

Pirelli: "we do not come under the jurisdiction or authority of the FIA" - also cite case against Briatore in 09 as an example.

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Dan Wheldon | 1978 - 2011

after all this, I hope for a big penalty for Mercedes. Never mind the consequences.

Why are you taking such a negative stance on this?

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BTCC Pick Em's Champion 2010
Formula Fun Cup Champion 2013
http://www.the-fastlane.co.uk

Away from Paris, Webber says his future is in his hands
http://www.f1zone.net/news/webber-says- ... ake/19377/

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Dan Wheldon | 1978 - 2011

I also hope they will get a real penalty.

They should have just said after the Spanish Grand Prix to all the teams: "we are going to do some tyre testing. Any objection?"

The problem is that F1 somehow needs Mercedes I think. If you end up with only Ferrari and Renault as engine suppliers, it's not much... (and Honda in 2015).

Perhaps Mercedes is looking for an excuse to leave F1 after all?

Yes that maybe so, but they have already shown that by going to this hearing that they are trying to shift the blame on evryone but themselves. I can't exactly see them punishing themselves.

At least as a constructor maybe. They've been putting too much effort into next years engine to walk away all together.

If Mercedes were looking for a way out, why would they sign and continue to sign up the brains in the paddock, probably on large wages, to then leave at the end of 2013. Lewis Hamilton won't be cheap. Drop out at the end of the season, you'll still have a fair whack to pay him. People like Paddy Lowe aren't going to be cheap either.

Exactly. Mercedes won't walk. If they still are title-less in 2016 or 17 then I can imagine the picture being different, but not now.

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Dan Wheldon | 1978 - 2011

Big companies don't care. CEO's don't care.

Honda decided to leave F1 and they already had like a whole new car ready.

BMW left F1 and everyone was baffled.

Peugeot left WEC (and the 24 hours of Le Mans) while testing the new car just before the championship.

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BTCC Pick Em's Champion 2010
Formula Fun Cup Champion 2013
http://www.the-fastlane.co.uk

The first two came during the financial crisis when CEO's had to look at how to cut costs. F1 is a natural extravagance and so was cut. If Mercedes were looking for a way out, this wouldn't be the way to do it. You make your company synonomous with cheating and scandal whilst ensuring that once the disgrace has given you a reason to leave the sport, the names you were snappping up whilst you did that will cost you a few more million upon the probable fines.

Mercedes have been looking for years to find a way out of Formula 1. I think they are just waiting for the right reason to quit.

Shareholder calls on Mercedes to quit F1 (2012)
http://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/share ... o-quit-f1/

Mercedes could quit F1 over Ecclestone bribe scandal (2013)
http://grandprix247.com/2013/06/03/merc ... e-scandal/

Mercedes shareholders: 'We should leave F1 if we're punished over Pirelli-gate' (2013)
http://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/motor ... relli-gate

Looks to me like they where just waiting for the right reason, with a minimum of Image loss (referring to the fact they couldn't with other teams).

I know what you mean Ryan, but I am in the middle of a restructuring at my work currently (sadly), and I have had one at my previous job. CEO's really don't care about the cost.

I can imagine for the CEO and board of directors, you put hundreds of millions in the sport, and first of all it is all Ferrari and to some extent Renault that get all the (positive) media. I mean, Renault? Mercedes have a sound to the average man of being competitive, being better, faster and more beautiful to Renault.

Before the Monaco Grand Prix, the media were like almost 'laughin' with the race pace of Mercedes. Where is Mclaren-Mercedes? The big Woking team hardly manages to get into the points.

And now they have the potential to get in the news as being cheaters, loosers, playing it not fair towards the other teams etc etc

What i am saying is, it wouldn't surprise me that they are not happy spending hundreds of millions and having nothing but bad media about it. And thus leaving the sport.

Good thing they won the Monaco Grand Prix... (after the Barcelona test...)