Cheaters tend not to be as smart as they might think. Already this year, in Nascar, several teams have been caught cheating. Sometimes, as simple as speeding on pit road. Penalty: go to the end of the longest line (if under caution). Sometimes it gets a bit more serious. Such as happened to Kevin Harvick and team. They were caught using a false fuel cell. Penalty: Crew chief suspended for several races, a fine, and loss of points.
People really cried that the penalty was too much.
Here's a new standard.
BAR Honda was caught cheating in the last Formula One race. During a weight check after the race, the team was asked to empty the fuel. After doing so, the car met the minimum spec. Another inspector found a second fuel tank, still holding some gas. After draining it, the car was now too light. This could create a huge advantage. Often the fastest laps are run with very little fuel weighing them down.
FIA, the ruling body of Formula 1, said they want to see BAR Honda excluded from the 2005 championship, and a fine minimum of a MILLION euros!
They must have been seriously cheating. That 11 lbs short on weight is expensive.
Keep in mind, the penalty of exclusion would apply to both cars in the team, although only one was found to be illegal.
Of course, BAR Honda appealed. Their final sentence was to be banned for the next two races and placed on some probation. They also had their points taken away from the last race (where their car was found to be 11 lbs light). The chiefs at BAR Honda still want to fight this. Why, I do not know. This penalty sounds much better than the one I first listed. The fight continues, as the head of Formula 1 has told the teams not to appear at the Spanish Grand Prix in Spain this week. BAR Honda is looking for options to get on the track.
Cheating just doesn't seem to pay off.
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