On the one hand…

Let us understand what this involves - a somewhat uninfluential team comprising of the two most marketable drivers in F1 (the commercial sustainability of which depends in entirety on these drivers continuing to spar in the matter that they have been over the season) being charged of unbecoming conduct by a high-profile team comprising of, to say the least, two rather unknown and unexciting drivers, whose performance most of the motorsport world could not care less about. Given the commercial reality, the judgment is brilliantly conceived:

1. No penalty on the drivers: Both the exciting drivers will continue to be able to excite.

2. $100m fine: The (relatively) uninfluential team will, in the short term, at least be side-lined, with over 20% of its turnover (and we assume, a larger percentage of its 07/08 budget), disappearing overnight.

3. The high profile team gets even more marketable given both (1) and (2) above, and is assured continued success in the near term, given that its only hint of competition in the last 5 years stands de-limbed.

On the other hand….

1. It was widely reported that Hamilton was by and large ripping off Fonzo’s set-ups, looking at his telemetry, brake setups, tyres and what-have-you. Talented, isn’t he? As a driver, sure. They both are. Pity they’re also a) out and out cheats on a level Schumacher couldn’t conceive of, or b) require plagiarized data to race a car. Information that has now been proven to have been obtained in an unethical manner in the first place. Irony.

How exciting. It’s clear for anyone to see the Ferrari drivers can’t hold a candle to them. F1 would’ve died a slow and painful death if these two were excluded.

2. Here’s some facts for you, vis-a-vis McCheats budget and so on: McCheat F1 have an operating budget of around $450 million. That’s reportedly $100m more than Ferrari’s operating budget. This is not secret information. The only hit they’ve taken for 2008 is that they can no longer use the Ferrari IP they stole. Boohoo. These guys won’t even feel this ‘fine’, especially since Dennis seems to kinda sorta expect Mercedes to foot half the bill.

De-limbed? Their operating budget and existing facilities still far outstrip Ferrari’s. The only basis for this ‘de-limbing’ is depriving them of proprietary Ferrari information.

Also, how exactly are they “uninfluential”? They’re not Spyker. You need no further evidence than the judgment itself to note otherwise. Especially considering they were let off, scot-free, the first time this came up. Rest assured any team apart from the two involved would’ve been excluded lock, stock and barrel for the full two years.

3. Is it Ferrari’s fault these guys cheated? Would you have preferred it gone unpunished? Really? Ferrari have every right to exploit the situation. The constructor’s title is theirs, rightly so. How exactly would Ferrari gain from the likes of Hamilton winning the WDC, anyway? Would that benefit Ferrari in terms of marketability, or McLaren?

This judgment has given Ferrari the barest minimum it is due. The scale of the crime is enormous and unprecedented in this sport. The Ferrari drivers have been punished for no reason. I agree with you on one thing: it was a well conceived judgment, in commercial terms. That’s F1 for you. I just feel bad for the Ferrari drivers. The situation at the top would’ve been reversed if the racing had been legit from the get-go.

Also, only hint of competition in the last 5 years? I’d like to forget the Renault years too! Alonso will drive for Renault next year. Flavio worships the ground Alonso treads on. He might not win anything next year, but at least he will whip Kovalainen.

Hamilton will not drive for Ferrari next year, pigs may fly. This is money well spent for McCheats. They got away with it, gaining a superstar who they can milk indefinitely. Never mind they established him by the most dubious of means…