Lauda lays into McLaren, Ferrari

[vcs316]

Niki Lauda has had a go at McLaren and Ferrari for designing "" cars that cannot rival the Mercedes W05.

Mercedes have dominated this year's Championship, winning nine of ten grands prix including six 1-2 results.

While Mercedes have been racing away with the titles, Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo has been complaining about the F1 rules and the general state of play.

And although McLaren have not joined in, Lauda has still had a go at them for failing to produce a car to rival the Mercedes even though it is powered by the same engine.

"McLaren have the same engine as us and the car is ," he told El Pais.

"Where are they? Nowhere.

"Watch the Ferrari: another ******* car.

"Next year will be difference because they can change half the engine.

"You cannot penalise Brixworth because others are stupid."

Asked specifically about the situation at Ferrari, Lauda said: "Montezemolo is trying everything and decided to bring in Mattiacci. But nobody believes that things will change overnight.

"He tried to convince Newey to join but could not.

"Alonso is very frustrated because for years he is driving a car that does not work.

"Right now he cannot go to McLaren because he has a contract. If you have a contract with Ferrari you cannot leave unless they allow you."

http://www.planet-f1.com/driver/3213/9389530/Lauda-lays-into-McLaren-Ferrari?

[vcs316]

They have had one season of dominant cars and they start to brag?

[Rob]

They have had one season of dominant cars and they start to brag?

they had a 5 year or so head start on these PUs, plus they wanted the freeze. And the FIA brings it in to early not giving any team the chance to develope the engine from seeing bad data in testing.

[Ed Harley]

5 years??? That surely cannot be right.

[Rob]

5 years??? That surely cannot be right.

thats in the ball park (maybe 3-4) They started developing in secret when heard about the new V6 Hybrids. Had massive head start.

[Hornet]

I have respect for him as a driver and for what he's been through during his racing career, but I wouldn't pay much attention to what Lauda says these days. He have a tendency to say strange stuff.

[SilverSpeed]

The higher they are...

[REDARMYSOJA]

As far as what Niki said about car being crap, he said the same thing when he was driving for Ferrari, told Enzo to his face. They fixed the car and he won two championships, should have been three, so hopefully that is what will happen this time as well.

[REDARMYSOJA]

I have respect for him as a driver and for what he's been through during his racing career, but I wouldn't pay much attention to what Lauda says these days. He have a tendency to say strange stuff.

Niki earned his attitude.

[Senna4Ever]

he could have used other words but in the basics he is completely right ...
but being diplomatic wasn't his strenght at any time ...

on motorsport-total.com the same story appears ...
difference: last line is from seniore Mattiacci where he is saying that he has much respect on Lauda as a person but he doesn't make a comment about a statement which is completely taken out of context


they had a 5 year or so head start on these PUs, plus they wanted the freeze. And the FIA brings it in to early not giving any team the chance to develope the engine from seeing bad data in testing.

and which team hasn't used his veto to prevent such a scenario? Right ...

[Senna4Ever]

As far as what Niki said about car being crap, he said the same thing when he was driving for Ferrari, told Enzo to his face. They fixed the car and he won two championships, should have been three, so hopefully that is what will happen this time as well.

:thumb
everytime when I'm looking "Rush" I have to laugh out lout when it comes to that scene (including the one which had been cut out) ...

[Kiwi Nick]

They have had one season of dominant cars and they start to brag?

It is very significant to be the clear leader at the beginning of a new formula. Even more so when significant parts of the PU are being frozen. But it is not merely the Merc PU which is superior, their chassis seems to be more than a match for every other car in F1. Hamilton was lapping 1.5 to 2.5 seconds a lap faster than any other car in Germany. Was he cheating? Were all the other cars saving fuel? Or, was the W05 superior?

Ferrari, Macca, RBR and every other team will have to jump through hoops to get their 2015 cars to equal the W05. Merc should be bragging...they are kicking sand in the face of the rest of F1.

[Suzie]

steelstallions, I have deleted your post and all posts that quoted it. Please refrain from using terms which some people might find questionable or offensive. Thanks.

[Stormy]

I think Lauda is beaing realistic but just one thing, i think Mclaren doesnt have the same engine as Mercedes does, i mean of course they are not going to give their competition the same engine as they have, its gotta be atleast slightly less powerfull.

[ManFromMilan]

doesnt have the same engine as Mercedes does, i mean of course they are not going to give their competition the same engine as they have, its gotta be atleast slightly less powerfull.



I think Williams might be getting Mclaren-spec engines soon.

[Stormy]

I think Williams might be getting Mclaren-spec engines soon.
And why is that?
Are Williams trusting Mclaren more then Mercedes or something?

[Hornet]

I think Lauda is beaing realistic but just one thing, i think Mclaren doesnt have the same engine as Mercedes does, i mean of course they are not going to give their competition the same engine as they have, its gotta be atleast slightly less powerfull.

But surely the FIA scrutinize every engine to ensure they are exactly as the homologated design as well as obeying any rules relating to the PU. The FIA should notice any differences in McLaren's PU.

[Stormy]

But surely the FIA scrutinize every engine to ensure they are exactly as the homologated design as well as obeying any rules relating to the PU. The FIA should notice any differences in McLaren's PU.
Of course FIA should notice but, we cant be sure that they intentionally didnt noticed and turned a blind eye, we dont know what games are played behind the curtains.
I think always the factory team who gives engines to other teams are delivering them worse engines or atleast slightly worse engines.

[Kiwi Nick]

But surely the FIA scrutinize every engine to ensure they are exactly as the homologated design as well as obeying any rules relating to the PU. The FIA should notice any differences in McLaren's PU.

That would be nice, but, as we have seen in the FRIC controversy, the FIA is reactive, not proactive. Perhaps if Macca or Williams were to lodge some sort of complaint, the FIA might look into it.

Realistically, if there is a difference between Merc team PUs and customer PUs is likely to be in the ECU software.

[stefa]

:thumb
everytime when I'm looking "Rush" I have to laugh out lout when it comes to that scene (including the one which had been cut out) ...

Which scene has been deleted?!

[Rob]

I think Williams might be getting Mclaren-spec engines soon.

all the Merc customer teams get all same spec engines. They all the same as the mother team.

[mkable1370]

all the Merc customer teams get all same spec engines. They all the same as the mother team.

All teams are supposed to get the same spec engine, but that only means the same construction/components. That doesn't mean that every engine has been blueprinted to produce exactly the same output / power curve. There will always be some natural variation in components and hence in overall engine performance. So, what's to stop Mercedes from bench testing every engine and keeping the ones that produce marginally better performance for themselves and then distributing the rest preferentially to the customer teams as they see fit?

Certainly all the engines are equal. Some are just more equal than others... :roll

[paolo lalli]

Mr lauda should be silent like a past champion should its easy to be so far in front when you have 3 to 5 years head start and now all he can do is blow mercs trumpet silence is golden nicky

[Kiwi Nick]

All teams are supposed to get the same spec engine, but that only means the same construction/components. That doesn't mean that every engine has been blueprinted to produce exactly the same output / power curve. There will always be some natural variation in components and hence in overall engine performance. So, what's to stop Mercedes from bench testing every engine and keeping the ones that produce marginally better performance for themselves and then distributing the rest preferentially to the customer teams as they see fit?

Certainly all the engines are equal. Some are just more equal than others... :roll

Unfortunately, you don't know the details of the contract between Merc and their PU customers. Who says the contract only specs construction/components? Who says they are not blueprinted? What is to stop Merc from selling subpar engines to their customers is the contract that governs the sales. So, unless you are Sir Frank Williams, Ron Dennis, CBE, Vijay Mallya or Toto Wolf I doubt that you know the details of the customer contracts.:doh

[RedRebel40]

I read somwhere Mercedes builded around 40 engines and gave them numbers, every team could choose 10 race engines(5 for every car) and handed them over to the FIA for homogolation. All the Mercedes car PU should be completely the same bar the fuel differences.

[Stormy]

Unfortunately, you don't know the details of the contract between Merc and their PU customers. Who says the contract only specs construction/components? Who says they are not blueprinted? What is to stop Merc from selling subpar engines to their customers is the contract that governs the sales. So, unless you are Sir Frank Williams, Ron Dennis, CBE, Vijay Mallya or Toto Wolf I doubt that you know the details of the customer contracts.:doh
Well i think that one reason why Mclaren are merging with Honda is because they want an engine that will be developed especially for them, and focused around their car, unlike Mercedes who are not giving them an equal engine.

[SS454]

Give Ferrari a 50 horsepower advantage and see how they do.

[Nova]

Lauda..on 1 hand he was a great Ferrari WDC...
On the other, he sure says some stupid things.
Not worth the thread really.

[Senna4Ever]

Which scene has been deleted?!

There are two scenes (on blue ray at least) which cover this scenario:

1- Lauda telling the crew: this car is crap and starts supporting them in make the right adoptions
2- a mechanic is telling Enzo (who is sitting right at the track with red socks on) directly that everything is fine and great with that car (and you see the fear of the mechanic, like a slave goes to his master ) ...

And if I remember correctly: it was 2- which is a "additional scene" you can choose to look at on Blue-Ray .,,,,

[Senna4Ever]

"I apologize to Ferrari, Luca Cordero di Montezemolo, the president and the Italian tifoso. I would not want to use that word," Lauda now argues at 'Gazzetta dello Sport'. The Austrian blames his own statement according to which he "made ​​a mistake" and is not looking for excuses. "I called Montezemolo and apologized for the error, which should not have happen," said Lauda.

Case closed ....

[sav_pap]

When I called Lauda stupid months ago I was banned from this forum

[impactX]

Reminds me of what he said in his movie:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z38qfEdlaO4

[crbassassin]

its easy to be so far in front when you have 3 to 5 years head start

Source?

[ARUN M KARUNAN]

They have had one season of dominant cars and they start to brag?

what that lauda said is slapping directly!strange!BUT THAT IS TRUTH!;-(

[vcs316]

Niki Lauda has swiftly hit reverse, after using an expletive to describe the cars fielded in 2014 by Mercedes' grandee rivals McLaren and Ferrari. "McLaren has the same engine as us and the car is ," Mercedes' F1 chairman had told the Spanish newspaper El Pais. "The same with Ferrari -- another car," the former Ferrari champion added.

After the publication of his blunt assessment, Lauda has now apologised privately and publicly to Ferrari. "I apologise to Ferrari, to Luca Cordero di Montezemolo, and to the Italian fans. I should not have used that word," the great Austrian told Italy's La Gazzetta dello Sport. "I was wrong and I do not make excuses. I called the president to explain my dismay," Lauda added. "I have not seen the interview in the Spanish daily, but I was too heavy with my words -- forgive me."

Lauda also told the German newspaper Bild: "I explained to him (Montezemolo) and he understood. We have known each other for so long. I was asked a question about the difference between Mercedes and McLaren and Ferrari. I explained that Mercedes is simply the best combination of good car with the best engine, that McLaren also has the best engine but the car is not so good. And Ferrari has weaknesses on both sides," he added.

But Lauda made a point of saying Mercedes continues to regard Ferrari as a worthy opponent, particularly ahead of this weekend's Hungarian grand prix. "I am even worried about the Ferraris in Budapest," he said, "because they have come much closer to us in the last races. Also Red Bull, who have a perfect car and only problems with the engine. But at the right moment also Ferrari can catch us on the wrong foot, as they are more dangerous than we thought before," Lauda insisted.

Also in the pages of La Gazzetta, Lauda made clear he actually does not regard Ferrari as having produced merely a " car". "I have noticed at Hockenheim a Ferrari in progress," he said, "and I'm amused to see Fernando Alonso in the duels he has been in. I hope Kimi Raikkonen can recover, as he is a champion in a position that he does not belong."

As for Mercedes, Lauda sees the outcome of the 2014 championship as a straight fight between teammates Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton. "Lewis was unlucky at Hockenheim but drove a great race anyway, while Nico had obviously an easier time and won. The championship will be decided by the alternating fortunes and misfortunes of our two drivers. But the others are approaching and I understand that Ferrari will soon be very dangerous for everyone, starting with us," he added. (GMM)

Thanks Niki, but we're still gonna humiliate your precious Merc engine next year!

[diesel08]

http://www.racingfanatic.net/2014/07/fernando-alonso-could-be-free-to-leave.html

[hogo]

Is this season really dead boring that leading team has to trash talk the others? Seriously, what is the point unless to make an artificial drama out of nothing so remaining few spectators would have something to talk about.

[Alfa159]

I think Lauda is more qualified than anyone here to express an opinion on Formula 1, you may not like it but that's his opinion.

[stefa]

Thanks Niki, but we're still gonna humiliate your precious Merc engine next year!

Strong statement....

[Nova]

I guess there is no loyalty...He became WDC with both Ferrari and Mac.
I take that back..there is loyalty...to whoever is signing your checks. Hey, Im guessing here.

[XXX132]

I think Lauda is more qualified than anyone here to express an opinion on Formula 1, you may not like it but that's his opinion.

He may be qualified to have an opinion, but it feels too much like kicking a man when he's down. It's funny he's back-pedalling furiously now his brain has caught up with his mouth. I guess the Horse Whisperer had a quiet word.... ;)

[pakossium]

Mr Lauda is totally stupid. I wonder what such a person stands for Mercedes.

[vcs316]

Strong statement....

And I hope & pray everyday that we dominate 2015 like we did in 2004!

[ARUN M KARUNAN]

"his words" may be stupid.but we can't fully blame that because we have engine and car under a roof more over budget and talent people but still lagging.he said it in a different hurting scuderia fans

[abbottcostello]

Niki being Niki, gotta love him but sometimes you hate him.

It is accurate statement, just surprising he put it that way, but he's always been one to tell it like it is without sugar-coating it!