Quote:
Originally Posted by rice_classic
What makes you believe that? Remember the nose cone debacle in 2011. RBR has a long tradition of "testing" untested parts on Webber's cars and using what works on Vettels.
The team absolutely approaches car development between the two cars very differently. One is the winner, the other is the test mule.
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Because the
constructors championship is king. It's been very clear that constructors get money, sponsorships and prestige by fielding the best
TWO cars they can, why would a team drop Massa? Barrichello? Heidfeld? Fisichella? All drivers capable of winning and competing for championships as their careers ended, with a wealth of experience to develop the car and remain a 'number two' driver, but other drivers were faster, put up better numbers (not necessarily develop the car better as evidenced by the drop in performance as they left their teams: Williams, Renault/Lotus, Ferrari, Honda/Brawn/Mercedes, FI), you can point to specific factors to counter me but the point of this diatribe is that teams don't select number two drivers, they get the best two drivers possible, seems obvious doesn't it?
This goes hand in hand with my thought that if there is one thing that clearly gives Vettel a large advantage and clearly keeps passing tech inspection, why isn't it on both cars? No argument that they don't try different things on different cars to see what works and what doesn't, different drivers react differently (very apparent in other series like NASCAR). If there's something against the spirit of the rules that gives an advantage and passes tech inspection it would be on both cars and Webber would be capable of the same pace.
I'm not saying that there isn't something fishy, just that something so blatant and so performance altering would mean both RBR cars up front easily. Maybe they're fooling guys like me, handing Webber an inferior car to say "look see! Vettel is amazing! Webber isn't even in the same league with the 'same' car!" but why risk constructors points, money, and sponsorships just to secure the drivers championship?
I think fans forget that the engineering/team motivation is not the drivers championship, it's to build two competitive cars.
Edit: hell a couple posts ago I linked an article about the 2010 Silverstone race where Webber got the old wing and Vettel the newer wing and Webber dominated the race with Aussie fury. My favorite RBR moment, they fielded the best two cars they could and even with the "better" part on one car they were closely matched. I don't think it's traction control is my only point.