For all of Fernando Alonso’s calm talk and even postings to the Ferrari website, the team — the team, I’m emphasizing — does not seem willing to let the European Grand Prix safety car issue go.
And the team has thrown a curveball into the mix. I’ll let you decide just how much of a curveball:
Maranello, 5 July – The British Grand Prix weekend is fast approaching, but the controversy over events at the Valencia race rumbles on. From many comments, one stands out from Marco Tronchetti Provera, president of Pirelli, the very same company that will be the sole tyre supplier to Formula 1 for the next three years.
Taking part in a RAI radio programme, “politics in football,” Tronchetti Provera commented on the stance taken by the Ferrari president: “Montezemolo is right, because in Valencia, we had a chaotic situation which did incredible damage to Ferrari.”
As is my usual stance with these types of posts, I think it is interesting both that and how Ferrari puts them up on the site for public consumption. Provera’s quote is his own, and that is something worth debating (although I think we’ve pretty well debated out this particular issue). But more interesting is Ferrari’s using the head of Pirelli this way and noting that Pirelli will be the tire supplier for F1.
It’s all interesting, of course, because there is the obvious and immediate conspiracy talk about these two companies having a too-close relationship, one that will benefit Ferrari over other F1 teams. Ferrari certainly knows that line of thinking exists and is playing to — or against — it.
Why? To have a bigger stalking horse? To add fire to that particular conspiracy? Just as a little thumb in the eye of the FIA and its competition?
