1 post tagged “what-if”

Planet-F1 is reporting that McLaren is being brought back before the World Motor Sport Council
in relation to the espionage saga:

The Stepneygate crisis has exploded once again with the FIA confirming that they are in possession of new evidence relating to the spying and espionage scandal...

and quotes an FIA spokesman, at the initial July hearing, as saying any ban could extend to the 2008 season as well:

If it is found in the future that the Ferrari information has been used to the detriment of the championship, we reserve the right to invite...McLaren back in front of the WMSC where it will face the possibility of exclusion from not only the 2007 championship but also the 2008 championship

Now, left unsaid is that 2008 is the first year consumer teams are officially allowed to enter Formula 1 (leaving aside the technicalities of whether Super Aguri and Scuderia Toro Rosso are legitimate -- had they been more competitive, there would have been louder complaints and an official investigation). Dave Richards' new Prodrive outfit is close to a deal with McLaren to run same-specification cars next year. Prodrive has not announced its driver line-up..

If the hearing is over quickly, and McLaren *is* indeed banned from the rest of 2007 and 2008, what's stopping them from loaning Hamilton to Prodrive? In such a situation Alonso would presumably manage to break his contract and go back to Renault, but provided enough personnel is loaned to Prodrive as well -- Hamilton might well be world champion with a rookie team?

It all depends on whether the ban would include supplying cars, in addition to racing them, and whether certain key personnel will be barred from working in F1 or not. But intriguing thought exercise, nonetheless.