Planet-F1

'Honda To Blame For Aguri's Downfall'

Monday 5th May 2008

While some PF1ers reckons Nick Fry and Honda are doing the dirty on Super Aguri, others reckons it's just business and of course there is the huge debt Super Aguri already owe Honda.

Got something to say? letters@planet-f1.com

What Exactly Is Fry's Problem?
I'm going to keep it short. Just like most readers, I probably don't know everything going on but a sad pattern to recent stories about Super Aguri has emerged in my opinion.

That's the fact that A) Nick Fry obviously has some sort of personal issue with Super Aguri and B) Nick Fry probably needs to be taken out back and have his attitude adjusted. What's his problem?

If I was Super Aguri, I would seek legal recourse for denial of access to Istanbul against Nick himself, not Honda. aka him pay for a lawyer, and pay for damages out of his own incompetent pocket. Make Nick defend his stupid position.

Why is Formula 1 wanting me to start feeling like slapping some people in the back of the head?

Honda will never be ANYTHING, until Nick is gone. Ross Brawn anyone?
Bill Grogan

Shame On Honda
What kind of morons are in Honda?!

They set up SAF1 for Taku's sake, they give them all just to survive and now that they can't squeeze money out of them (their investors) they will just sink them.

Poor show from Honda... That is why most people will never cheer on a Honda! Now I will hate them even more!

We need privateers in F1 (Bernie do something)!!!

Long live Aguri san... Hope Honda never wins a GP again... Shame on them!!!
Matjaz Piskur, Slovenia, EU

Honda Aren't The Ones At Fault
You can't really blame Honda for not letting Super Aguri race in Turkey - they owe Honda millions in unpaid engine bills.

How would you like it if someone owed you millions, didn't pay up but still expected you to provide them with more whatever and with little sign that you may actually ever be paid back?

Sorry but that's not how you do business.

So long Aguri, you time was short and forgettable!
Julian

Barcelona Team-Mate Wars - Give Us A Break
For many years I have been a fan of David Coulthard, but his less than respectable qualifying abilities continue to handicap his race results.

I continue to regard his race-driving highly, but not his current race-attitude that continually takes himself out of a race because he doesn't accept the realities of mixing it with the inexperienced back-markers.

It's not a matter of "blame" but a matter of expecting a highly gifted and experienced driver to understand a race lasts 2 hours, and that there are no prizes for foolishly defending your position at the expense of the inevitable crash, and someone of Coulthards ability and experience should be able to hold a back-marker up to the point of being taken out.

I blame the highly experienced driver for these unnecessary crashes, regardless of whose fault it may be - AND how dare Team-Mate Wars offer excuses on David's behalf, to justify current relativities to the exceptional performances of Mark Webber.
Roger Payne, Australia

Ant Gets The Point?
I raised this point with you last year and I see you're at it again. How the hell does Davidson get the team-mate wars' point when he didn't even finish the Spanish GP and Takuma who finished the GP gets zero. Last year Takuma got points for the team, Davidson got nothing yet you picked Davidson as the better driver.

I would love an explanation of this decision and a correction as soon as possible.
Dharmesh

That Safety Car Rule
Undoubtedly the 'Safety Car' rule is unfair. However, I have yet to see any suggestions for a better way! All I see are complaints. Don't complain unless you can come up with a better idea.

Although the rule is not ideal, the possibility of a driver losing some points is infinitely preferable to someone being injured or killed in a crowded pit lane.

My only idea isn't ideal but for what it's worth, here it is: Simply remove the instant 'stop-go' penalty and make a decision after the race. Then anyone stopping during a 'pits closed' period would have the opportunity of later proving that they would have otherwise run dry. If they can prove it, they avoid punishment. If they can't, they are given a retrospective time penalty similar to that of a 'stop-go'.
Leigh Woolford, Wales

Ignorance, Thy Name Is Jock Hiddlestone
Jock Hiddleston, Wantage Oxforshire. You mention Ferrari and the pit-lane closure rule implying that Ferrari oppose the rule change as they have never suffered due to it. Just thought I'd point out to you that Ferrari did indeed fall foul of this rule and suffer. It happened in Montreal last season as you would have known had you not had your anti-red tinted glasses on or had you been a fan long enough to remember that incident...

I for one can't understand why everything that anyone feels is wrong in F1 instantly gets laid at Ferrari's doorstep by all the Johnny come latelys. The new F1 fan may have added to the viewership and the revenues, but the average IQ and knowledge on display seems to get worse with each passing race.

BTW, isn't there a Mailbox Compiler here who could perhaps correct such idiots when they exhibit such ignorance or idiocy?
Mike

...I just want to send a short response to the letter written by Jock Hiddleston, Wantage Oxforshire who seems to think that nothing will be done with the safety car rule until Ferrari are harmed by it.

Apparently he must have only started watching F1 this year or his memory is shorter than mine (and I didn't think that could happen to anyone). Or has he just chosen to block out Canada 2007? Massa was DQ'd because of the red light on in the pit lane. Not quite the same as Heidfeld's stop and go penalty, but at least Nick was able to continue the race and had a chance at points.

This has happened to numerous drivers since the rules were changed last year and many fans and F1 bigwigs have complained about it. Why it has continued is beyond anyone's guess, but I don't think anyone wants to see a championship decided because one of the contenders was penalized under those rules.

I bet if that had happened to Hamilton last year, the rules would have been changed (like other things were to try and benefit him). Some of us, and not just Ferrari fans, are tired of these people who think everything is changed/bent to favor Ferrari. Talk about some people wearing red glasses. Many antis are more obsessed about Ferrari than Tifosi are.

And since I am writing this, I just want to chuckle/laugh/guffaw at those who complained that the McLaren grid penalty at Malaysia was all done to help Ferrari, even though that penalty had been in force for many