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This week's Grapevine brings you
information fresh from the paddock on:
- McLaren face the irony
- Williams picking up the pace
- Picked from the Bunch
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McLaren face the irony
The big talking point this week is David Coulthard, and his exclusion from the results in Brazil.
When the FIA decided the Scot's car was illegal, the argument boiled down to their decision that it is incumbent on teams to ensure their cars comply with the regulations at all times over a race weekend. That the car was legal at the start of the race was irrelevant... they believe the team had enough time over the course of the weekend to establish the damage they would receive from the punishing track, and set the car up accordingly.
But now we face a contradiction and strong irony. The contradiction is illustrated by Benetton, who pointed out that five of the top six finishers were technically in breach of the rules: the planks under the cars were worn over and above the defined limits. Benetton, compromised their ride height in order to ensure they finished legal... and in fact provided the scrutineers with the only car that cleanly passed their end of race examination.
 A decision was made - and there is plenty of speculation concerning its originator - that excluding five of the six points scoring finishers would be "a bad thing" for the sport... so the stewards accepted the teams explanations of excessive wear from the bumpy main straight, and passed the planks. Given that precedent, McLaren can certainly be forgiven for being surprised that their front wing end-plate didn't fall into the same category, and for thinking that they had a case for appealing to the FIA.
Then we face a huge irony. The Ferrari appeal. Now, after Malaysia, the Ferraris were excluded - their barge boards were measured, and it was discovered they were a full 10mm beyond the permitted size. So they made them wrong, and/or fitted them wrong, and certainly ran the whole weekend with non-compliant components on the car. However, in appeal, the argument was put forward that the components were measured incorrectly... and the argument was successful on the grounds that there is a 5mm manufacturing tolerance permitted, and when placed "just so," the boards only overlapped by 5mm on either side, have falling within the tolerance.
Where is the irony? Ferrari ran illegal boards - they argue with no noticeable performance benefit - over a whole race weekend, but on appealing their exclusion, they acquitted on a technicality. McLaren manufactured their car legally, and Coulthard runs a race distance without third gear, only to be excluded from a non-conformity resulting from race damage.
Soon after the appeal result was announced, there were dark mutterings on the McLaren shop floor that there is no point going to San Marino - a tifosi heartland - when the results are predetermined. Outside Woking, few believe the results are fixed, but popular opinion is definitely unhappy with what appears to be a scarlet bias pervading the FIA.
Williams picking up the pace
Despite celebrating what turned out to be two cars in the points at Interlagos, Williams wasted no time in getting back to testing at Silverstone.
The team have been looking forward to trying a new specification BMW engine and a number of modifications to the aerodynamic package. Despite some hiccups, pretty much everything has gone to plan, gaining the team valuable tenths in improved performance. New parts should be on the car in San Marino....
 Their performance has others in the pits bemused. The BMW engine is relatively large, and certainly the second heaviest on the track; yet the team have managed three scoring finishes - and a retirement in the points - from their four opportunities. Reliability is better than anyone other Williams and Head expected from the new engine, and their car is as competitive as any other midfield team... leading some teams to question the development route they are pursuing.
When McLaren started working with Mercedes, the whole paddock could see the excellent potential the engine had: power was great from the outset, and once reliability was sorted, the engine became every team owner's envy. However, only Ford really paid attention to what Mercedes had managed, and they stole a march on the competition when they had Cosworth build the CR-1: emphasising mass reduction and integration into the Stewart chassis.
This year, everyone wanted a light, super compact engine, well integrated with their chassis; and in doing so, they have had to make compromises in other areas. Fuel efficiency, fuel tank size, extra cooling, more complex hydraulics, and so on... except Minardi, who ran out of engine options; and Williams' Patrick Head, who told BMW to make the engine reliable first, smooth and powerful second, and fuel efficient third.
Given a manufacturer who was coming back into Formula One, Williams knew that looking for an ultra compact engine would mean using the tightest of tolerances, and compromising every other field - probably resulting in unreliable or undriveable engines. In hindsight, other teams can now see issues they previously overlooked: if you can't have everything, then ensuring you have the right compromise is important. However, in their pursuit of the benefits Cosworth demonstrated in the CR-1, the teams have also picked up the problems Stewart struggled with in 1999.
Williams are going better than anyone expected this year - and the team themselves continue to caution against raised expectations. They have not found any magic solution, and are fully aware that a lot of work is needed on their engine before they can race with the front runners again; however, in the meanwhile, showing the mid-field the error of their ways seems good way to spend a "building year."
Picked from the Bunch
Benetton have been working hard at their aerodynamics, clutch and starts - both drivers are looking forward to San Marino, where the benefits should immediately be felt.
Briatore's return to Benetton has sparked the team. A lot of staff moved on after his previous departure, but those who recall his previous time with the team are already talking of the great spirit they had then, and how it seems to be returning...
Jos Verstappen has been training with Tom Walkinshaw's Gloucester rugby team since discovering how unfit he was in Brazil. In the latter stages of the race, weak and straining neck muscles let him down, assisting his fall from a podium position to eighth.
Sauber are confident that there will be no repeat of the Brazilian situation, which resulted in the rear wings coming off their cars. A new, tougher construction has been tested.
The FIA have proposed changes to limit the feedback sensors teams may use on their cars, in an attempt to simplify the electronics and more easily police traction control and other driver aids... teams are not expected to object to making changes mid-season.
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The Grapevine