Saboteur?

[manchild]

There are a lot of reasons to raise eyebrows, but then again, s--t happens.
Let's take this kind of conspiracy to it's logical conclusion. IF he was paid off, it would have to be enough money to ensure a comfortable retirement. He sure wouldn't be able to work with any team, he could not be trusted. And if a competitor was able to buy off one of the important mechanics, there are better ways to sabotage a race than doing it in front of the world on a pit stop.

Yes, but mechanics in charge for the tyre change are not messing with cars during pre-session preparations. Also, no one can check and re-check what has mechanic done during 3 seconds of tyre change while everything else done on the car by technicians and engineers is checked and re-checked. BTW, doing things in public is best way to mask suspicious moves.

[bhall]

It is fishy to me for following reason - if I was him I'd feel so bad after Hungary and ask for repacement or even resign from the team while this guy didn't think about it but continued working and screwed up again.

I don't think a quitter like that would've been hired by any Formula 1 team to start with, much less a front-line team like Renault.

Besides that, Hungary wasn't even the guy's fault; it was a design problem. If it had been his fault, Renault would've canned his ass in a flash on the spot. That incident caused Alonso to retire from the race, not just lose 10 seconds.

There is no conspiracy. It was one mistake compounded by a very similar problem earlier.

[manchild]

If you care for the team more than you care for your ego than quitting because you feel pressure would be a noble thing to do - that's what I wanted to say. Mechanics are much more fans than employees, they have very common incomes and dedication to the team is what team counts on. If teams were hiring mechanics on open marked based on expertise than in every team there would be at least one spy waiting.

[f1.redbaron]

By that logic, we can say that somebody at Mercedes didn't want to give Kimi the title last year...it just doesn't make any sense!

As I already mentioned, the first time it was the design flaw. That prompted some changes.

But if we doubt that guy, are we to doubt Honda's chief mechanic, Alastair Gibson, who, at Imola, released Button too soon, and then tried to "kill" him with the lollypop? I don't buy it. Mistakes and accidents happen!

[FLC]

Kimi had problems in the pits this year too, and so did a few other drivers, including at Ferrari. The pit stop is a very tense place to work at, and mistakes are a natural part of such an environment, even when sometimes they are unnoticeable and take fractions of a sec and not a full 10.
If teams started firing mechanics after such mistakes they would soon be left with none to hire. Everyone probably remembers the story about JV's engine that "fell", and how BMW were defending him. I dont recall such a thing happening, a thousands to one incident, if you'd like, not in the hundreds, and still they were on his side.
Quitting a team because you made a mistake?! Thats a despised thing to say. Where do you see that happen? When a basketball player misses a 3 points shot on the buzzer he quits? When a goalkeeper gets one from half the field cause he wasnt at the right place he quits? When a driver makes a mistake that costs the work of hundreds of people during a whole weekend, somtimes even longer than that, he quits? Why should mechanics quit then? because manchild decided they are just 'mechanics'?!

When people who dont know how to lose - lose - every excuse is reasonable. When they have one that is so totalitarian, such as this "conspiracy" theory, their job is made a lot easier.

[manchild]

You didn't understood me right... If you're a team member and you know your actions can bring harm to team because you're under pressure than it would be fair to confess that and ask to be replaced to another duty instead of sticking to it no matter what even if that means eventualy cracking under pressure and putting team in trouble. Sacrifising your own ego, glory and success for the sake of team is what makes a player a team player and vice-versa.

I'm not leading a lynch mob here and I feel sorry for that guy if those were just accidents but they happened only to him, twice and both times on Alonso's car which unfortuantely makes it very, very suspicious.

I don't see how safety system could start malfunction after 13 races in 2006 and even stranger how and why would Renault re-design it in two-weeks time. I mean, it sounds as if they knew there was a better design but they didn't want to use it.

It never malfunctioned during winter testing, never during practice and qualifying sessions, during 36 days of testing in 2006 and it malfunctions twice on Alonso's car druing closing stages of the race when he has victory in his pocket. That's just too much coincidence.

[Tom]

I completly dissagree manchild. I would bet all my money that this guy just had two unlucky breaks and there was nothing he could have done in either circumstance. I'm 100% sure he's clean, as you say merchanics are more fans than employees and no real fan would stoop so low.

As for resigning, why should he. If you made a mistake at work (don't actually know what you do) would you resign? or would you cling onto what you love doing for all your worth?
If you care for a team more than your ego you would stay and fight for the team rather than trying to look gallant by resigning. I know I would.

MC said:

I don't see how safety system could start malfunction after 13 races in 2006 and even stranger how and why would Renault re-design it in two-weeks time. I mean, it sounds as if they knew there was a better design but they didn't want to use it.

Honda ran their engines for 1000s of miles in testing without failure, come Melbourne and Button's barbeques on the last lap, its one of these things. It can't be anticipated during relatively low pressure opperations such as testing.

I'm not leading a lynch mob here and I feel sorry for that guy if those were just accidents but they happened only to him, twice and both times on Alonso's car which unfortuantely makes it very, very suspicious.

I admit you have a point, it seems strange that this guy had two bad races but I'm sure thats all it was. I've done some really stupid things while not under pressure, I'd hope that my collegues would not see me as a lost cause just because of those. Everyone makes mistakes, his just happened to be in the middle of the race. I bet the guy next to him did something stupid the week before, maybe it cost the team valuable test time, but it wasn't in the middle of the race so it wasn't noticed. and that guy isn't going to resign for that.

[FLC]

I think you misunderstood Briatore's comment about the pressure this mechanic is under. He didnt say he was under too much pressure in the previous GP's but that "he would have felt excessive pressure this (coming) weekend". I dont see why he would be under too much pressure, since his first mistake was in hungary, 3 GP's back than China. Your first point is then ridiculous.

That same guy did an excellent job all through the season, sometimes giving Alonso the tiniest of margins he needed to win. If he was to be blamed for being paid-off or whatever, I think Monza would be a better scene, and in any case - with the same level of importance. Further more, I dont see why this guy would need to risk himself at that stage of the race since autosport.com quoted even Briatore as saying that: "In any case Fernando had already lost the race before that".

The coincidence people are trying to convince you of doesnt end with the same mechanic. It goes on to the same wheel and pretty much same weather conditions. Did you ever consider there was a faulty in any of the other two? That maybe there was a problem with the design, that menifested itself in those conditions in particular?

As for the lynch impression you're talking about - maybe next time you'd be better off with a different title to your topic, that doesnt feel like one in a cheap newspaper.

[boban-mk]

I think the pressure hit on that mechanic person. Percentage to make mistake for the first time is really small. First time probably he didn't place the nut properly. So he had presure for that error from all, not just from bosses. Percentage to repeat the 'error' (which in this case was not an error but the mechanic was not sure that he place the nut well, so he had doubt, but after second check he give a confirm that car can go) is much higher, and maybe because of presure he did the second check. I think that all from managing stuff in Reno knows that, but to enable that Alonso don't think anymore about, they let the person go.
That is normal, in such sircumstances and if the same thing happend to McLaren in the past for at least once, the team will not make most stupid mistakes.
This should be a warning for McLaren crew also that if they mess up they will be fired to, from now on.

[manchild]

IAs for the lynch impression you're talking about - maybe next time you'd be better off with a different title to your topic, that doesnt feel like one in a cheap newspaper.

Punctuation in title changed. I think its ok now

[DaveKillens]

These mechanics are proud to be in such important positions. Their actions can spell the difference between winning, and not. It's good that the thread has recognized these people as integral parts of the team. But competent, proud people don't give up easily. Who knows the true story of this unfortunate individual? Maybe after Hungary, he went home, build a mockup of a wheel and suspension, and practiced every moment he had? And if a soccer player flubs a play of shot, they are usually the first ones to ask for another opportunity because they believe in themselves and want too make up for the previous mistake. That's what I would do.
I doubt any person so much a part of the team would give up easily, accepting quitting, or being demoted. They don't like or have quitters on any team.

[pRo]

nut mechanic

Ah, that explains it!

[f1.redbaron]

Manchild,

here is something that might disprove your theory about the mechanic cracking under the pressure:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pTCG3L1wFsU

Watch the part between 5:15 and 5:50. You can see that the right rear mechanic clearly had his hand up before, at least, the front right mechanic. What does this prove? Nothing, actually. It just shows that in a crucial moments where both Alonso and Kubica were fighting for a podium (win?), the guy in question did his job right.

btw, sorry for the crappy video, I couldn't find anything better on youtube.

[manchild]

There were two possibilites:

1. pressure
2. sabotage

I'm not the one who supports cracking theory and I agree that "cracking under pressure" is hard to believe.

[FLC]

Possibility = a thing that is possible

...and I ask: Coincidence isnt a possibility? Innocent mistake isnt a possibility? Seems not, according to the just manchild.