2017 Formula 1 Rolex British Grand PrixFormula 1 

  • Thread starter Jimlaad43
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FIA have asked Toro Rosso to explain why they are attempting to enter an unsafe car.

A note from the FIA technical department said: "During initial scrutineering car number 55 was found to have a damaged wheel tether. The scrutineers made the team Scuderia Toro Rosso aware of this and asked the team to replace it.

"The team refused to follow the instructions of the scrutineers and therefore the technical delegate checked the damaged tether himself and found that the tether was not only damaged but also several cut fibres were knotted together.

"Therefore the team was aware of the damaged tether and presented the car in an unsafe condition for scrutineering."
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The tether in question...

f1-british-gp-2017-damaged-wheel-tether-on-the-car-of-carlos-sainz-jr-scuderia-toro-rosso.jpg


I can't even begin to understand the reasoning behind not replacing it when the scrutineers pointed it out. Honestly they should disqualify both cars on safety grounds and hold them for thorough FIA inspections.
 
boiltheocean
I can't even begin to understand the reasoning behind not replacing it when the scrutineers pointed it out.
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I'm curious to know exactly what was said. I very much doubt the team intended to enter the car in that condition. If the scrutineers pointed out the damage and the team said "we can't fix that right now", leading to Jo Bauer inspecting the cars and finding the extent of the problem, then everything played out as the FIA said it did. Given that the whole process of entering a car is on a very tight timetable, it's entirely possible that if the damage was extensive enough, the team would not be able to repair the car in time for scrutineering, in which case they would be in more trouble.
 
Under what conditions do they damage a wheel tether though? It presumably passed inspection in Austria and Sainz retired from that one with engine failure. So I'm struggling to figure out how they've managed to destroy the outer shield and cut the core cable when the car hasn't been run.

Keep in mind these are basic safety features, I'm guessing the FIA requires them to be changed any time a driver hits a wall and they are stressed so all teams should have several spares to hand. Surely if it takes a decent amount of time to replace they could ask the FIA for more time in order to comply with the scrutineers observation rather than just put a knot in it.
 
boiltheocean
Under what conditions do they damage a wheel tether though? It presumably passed inspection in Austria and Sainz retired from that one with engine failure. So I'm struggling to figure out how they've managed to destroy the outer shield and cut the core cable when the car hasn't been run.

Keep in mind these are basic safety features, I'm guessing the FIA requires them to be changed any time a driver hits a wall and they are stressed so all teams should have several spares to hand. Surely if it takes a decent amount of time to replace they could ask the FIA for more time in order to comply with the scrutineers observation rather than just put a knot in it.
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But it's not that difficult, it's all connected to the bulk and front crash structure, we've seen plenty of times a car crash in even FP3 and have a tire torn off at the tether and be ready for Quali. There is no excuse other than not having the time for scrutineering and just trying to pass it through and fix it later. However, then that begs the question well why wasn't it fixed correctly when given the chance. And to that, it seems that laziness is the only answer I can think of.

The outer is made of carbon and while strong is still very brittle. So it could have been damaged in transit.
 
LMSCorvetteGT2
However, then that begs the question well why wasn't it fixed correctly when given the chance.
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The cars were packed up in Austria on Sunday night, and shipped out on Monday. They would have arrived on Wednesday and be unpacked that afternoon. Scrutineering usually takes all day, so depending on when the team were scheduled to have their cars inspected, they may have only had two minutes to fix the issue.
 
LMSCorvetteGT2
The outer is made of carbon and while strong is still very brittle. So it could have been damaged in transit.
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Sorry, I was actually referring to the shrink-wrapped outer layer around the Zylon core, I should've made that clear. What you see in the picture that the team has knotted together is the Zylon core which should not be exposed to light.
 
So, Silverstone activated the exit clause on their contract, Lewis Hamilton didn't go to a promotional event and Toro Rosso got in trouble for an unsafe car in scrutineering. But lets just put all of that aside on focus on a really important developing story: Daniel Ricciardo might retire the shoey from podium celebrations. He thinks it's gotten out of hand.
 
prisonermonkeys
So, Silverstone activated the exit clause on their contract, Lewis Hamilton didn't go to a promotional event and Toro Rosso got in trouble for an unsafe car in scrutineering. But lets just put all of that aside on focus on a really important developing story: Daniel Ricciardo might retire the shoey from podium celebrations. He thinks it's gotten out of hand.
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I completely understand what Dan's saying. What started out as fun has ran its course, inadvertently due to its popularity.
 
Cap'n Jack
I completely understand what Dan's saying. What started out as fun has ran its course, inadvertently due to its popularity.
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Agree. A joke isn't funny when it's expected or forced to happen.
 
boiltheocean
Sorry, I was actually referring to the shrink-wrapped outer layer around the Zylon core, I should've made that clear. What you see in the picture that the team has knotted together is the Zylon core which should not be exposed to light.
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I know the zylon core shouldn't be seen but what shrink wrapped outer layer are you talking about to begin with?
 
Good news - we don't need to have a race this weekend!

A few years ago, Damon Hill went on holiday between races and won the next round in Belgium.

Just this week, Lewis Hamilton went on holiday between races and here we are in Silverstone.

#damonlogic
 
prisonermonkeys
So, Silverstone activated the exit clause on their contract, Lewis Hamilton didn't go to a promotional event and Toro Rosso got in trouble for an unsafe car in scrutineering. But lets just put all of that aside on focus on a really important developing story: Daniel Ricciardo might retire the shoey from podium celebrations. He thinks it's gotten out of hand.
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I don't really mind it was forced onto him in Austria and thats never a good sign imo. I feel like he should save it for special occasion only and not making it mainstream otherwise it will lost its appeal.
 
Why is there always a yellow truck driving through the Silverstone infield? I swear every time there's a shot of the infield, there's a yellow truck on the road between Aintree and Chappell.
 
LMSCorvetteGT2
I know the zylon core shouldn't be seen but what shrink wrapped outer layer are you talking about to begin with?
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The one that's meant to be around those yellow threads to block the light. A thin black plastic layer that appears to have been completely stripped from Carlos's car.

This is what it should look like before it's threaded through the suspension arms.

ClyANxEWgAAjW4W.jpg
 
boiltheocean
FIA have asked Toro Rosso to explain why they are attempting to enter an unsafe car.



The tether in question...

f1-british-gp-2017-damaged-wheel-tether-on-the-car-of-carlos-sainz-jr-scuderia-toro-rosso.jpg


I can't even begin to understand the reasoning behind not replacing it when the scrutineers pointed it out. Honestly they should disqualify both cars on safety grounds and hold them for thorough FIA inspections.
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Sky just explained this. The issue isn't the nylon cord that has been used to bind everything together. Rather, the tethers are made of zylon strands and those were knotted. Kinked might be a better word, like an old phone cord that has been wound the wrong way. That's what the FIA took issue with, but apparently it happens frequently in the manufacturing process.
 
boiltheocean
The one that's meant to be around those yellow threads to block the light. A thin black plastic layer that appears to have been completely stripped from Carlos's car.

This is what it should look like before it's threaded through the suspension arms.

ClyANxEWgAAjW4W.jpg
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Okay because I was confused at what you were getting at as to what the issue was, @prisonermonkeys cleared it up, because the Motorsport article says the zylon was the issue not the wrapping.
 
Like every F1 weekend Max starts FP1 fantastic, FP2 also and quali as expected p4-7. Then the race itself....
Will this be yet another same race weekend? Hopefully not!
 
LMSCorvetteGT2
Okay because I was confused at what you were getting at as to what the issue was, @prisonermonkeys cleared it up, because the Motorsport article says the zylon was the issue not the wrapping.
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I think we were all a little confused because the image posted shows parts of the car bound together with knotted string, but those aren't the knots the stewards were referring to.
 
Dotini
No, this is not where it all started. Formula 1 started in 1947, and the first race was the Swiss Grand Prix. What started at Silverstone in 1950 was the world championship for drivers. Such a championship had been proposed prior to WWII, but the war prevented its institution for a number of years. At the end of 1951, Alfa Romeo withdrew from racing, and due to lack of cars, the WDC was held for drivers of Formula 2 cars until 1954.
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No, the first races using that formula were in 1946. However, they were standalone and no championship structure or rules were ratified until 1947. That championship was for drivers and the first race of such a championship was held at Silverstone in 1950. A constructors' championship didn't follow until several years later. Formula 1 as we understand it - a multicourse championship for drivers in the highest spec of formula cars - began at Silverstone in 1950 ;)
 
TenEightyOne
Formula 1 as we understand it - a multicourse championship for drivers in the highest spec of formula cars - began at Silverstone in 1950 ;)
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We can quibble more about detailed trivia, but we can agree on this much, except not multicourse so much as multinational.
 

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