Belgium website slings a right-hook at Midland F1
What is it with this team ? In the week that the team successfully take to the test track they've been sniped by the British press, and now a journalist working for the Belgian F1 World website has decided to publish what could be considered libelous comments about the team.
The full article can be found using the link below, but you'll need to translate it using Babelfish unless you can already read the native lingo. I've provided a literal translation, again below, to save you all the bother of hunting out Babelfish.
The essence of the article is that everything concerning Midland is fine on the surface but underneath, in the parts we the fans cannot see, things are not so rosy. The so called facts that point to this, according to
www.f1world.be, are:
1. The M16 will not be a completely new car, but an adaptation of the 2003 car
2. That Toyota are using their engine supply agreement with Midland to block another Japanese competitor
3. That the team are only budgetting to spend $15million which will come from TV and driver sponsorship only, with no investment from the greater Midland group. Cited as evidence of this is the recent news that Baz Leinders turned down a drive due to not being able to come up with enough sponsorship
4. The Colin Kolles is the son of a Rumanian spy, and is facing charges of arms smuggling. Apparently a London judge is already deciding his fate
5. That Annouck Heinrichs has been sacked from the team and left the country on Friday
Strikes me that someone in Belgium has an overactive imagination and needs to cut down on the coffee !
We are attempting to get clarification on some of these points from Midland, but until we do let's have a look at them shall we ?
On the car front we already know that Dallara were involved in designing a completely new chassis, but now all that work has moved in-house. With the move from V10 to V8 engines, using a two year old chassis design would be nuts - wouldn't it ? In addition, how do they know specifically that it will be the 2003 chassis ? Sounds like pretty wild guesswork to me !
The Toyota engine story is old news. We've had a statement from Midland published right here on this site, and Toyota themselves have also admitted publically that they are not involved in any actions that would block Super Aguri.
On the finances front, we already know that budgets are set to increase for 2006. I think that last week in Jerez Midland did more days testing than they did in the whole of 2005 ! The signs that things are a lot more serious are there. Where the money is coming from and how much is, and always will be, a closely guarded secret and not really a productive subject to speculate on.
The Colin Kolles stuff I'm leaving well alone, but I would not blame Midland or Colin for personally pursuing a legal action for the comments made. We may even need to remove them from the MF1O forum, they are that bad !
We do know that Annouck Heinrichs was taken to the airport on Friday, but we don't know under what circumstances. This is one of the points we are trying to clarify with Midland.
Make of this what you will readers. One message board poster has already put forward the notion that the article was written by "a peed off Jordan fan" - I can't help but feel that there just might be a shred of truth in that statement.
More on this when we get some feedback from our sources at Midland.
Article URL:
http://www.f1world.be/f1nieuws.php?id=12511_0_2_0_C
Babelfish literal translation:
Excluding: Situation at Midland is completely differently than presumption does!
Midland have will drive coming season for the first time since the adoption of Jordan under its own name, among others Christijan Albers have been already confirmed for this as of the. These yielded it was announced that the new carriage in January is presented. The situation at Midland seems therefore reasonable well be but truth is completely differently.
There is total no talk of a completely new carriage with which Midland want take part in 2006, they will use of an adapted carriage of during 2003. this explains also enigzins why Midland voted against as only team concerning the accession of super Aguri to the formula 1. super Aguri have no right to tv-gelden the first two seasons but nevertheless them a real threat to Midland is. Kolles, team boss of Midland, will have zogezegd no objection against the arrival of super Aguri but then only when them 5 millions would pay dollar.
Financially are Midland of plan finish the season 2006 with 15 millions dollar to tv-gelden, two rijders who each 12 millions pay dollar and of the must lay down that 5 millions dollar. Concerning the zitje as third of the let among others bass Leinders yesterday still know that he does not discuss the offer because 5 millions dollar simply much too much money are.
Furthermore there is still the fact that Collin Kolles its truth name are actual Kollisnicz, zoon is of an ex Rumanian spion and the nonkel of it is one of the largest arms trafficking******which even recently still in London for the judge has had come. Kolles have let change its name then he in 1983, to Germany have moved.
Also in the field of dismissals falls there still what to tell concerning Midland. Annouck Heinrichs, persverantwoordelijke at Midland and ex-FIA, the alley has been sent out the day before yesterday. They feared in November already for its job but then said them at Midland that she did not have fear for its work. The bui which she felt hang then, appeared unfortunately for its, with some weeks delay nevertheless come.
*. They're cars have been very fast this year - and as the line goes - "It's easier to make a fast car reliable than to make reliable car fast"