The San Marino Grand Prix may have reached an entertaining and climactic conclusion, but the post-race talk is all controversy and skullduggery. The ‘group of sevem’ teams have lined up to condemn Ferrari’s rejection of the testing agreement and the huge testing programme that has led to their massive improvement in performance at Imola. But the FIA, too, deserve equal criticism for refusing to side with the sensible proposal of the majority of the teams, and expose Ferrari’s dubious counter-solution (that testing mileage per tyre manufacturer should be limited – an unworkable proposal for most of the teams as they allrun on Michelins) for what it is – a sham.
Controversy, too, over Jenson Button’s BAR, which spent six hours in scrutineering before it was declared race-legal and not underweight. And further controversy over British broadcaster ITV’s decision to screen advertisements instead of the dying seconds of action in Imola. “ITV has accepted responsibility for late screening of ad breaks,” claims their own website, which is hardly very big of them considering that it could not possible be anyone else’s fault. ?â?ó?óÔÇÜ?¼?àÔÇ£There is no scientific method to it – we try to put them in at the least contentious point of the race,?â?ó?óÔÇÜ?¼?é?Ø claimed ITV sport spokesperson Mark Whittle.
“Must try harder,” as my English teacher always told me.
