Why F1's car cloning saga was an inevitable time-bomb
Formula 1 teams have been cherry-picking their rivals' best ideas throughout the history of the world championship. But sharing or copying complete cars has proved to be a step too far, says STUART CODLING
"We are what you might call a traditionalist racing team which believes that we are out there competing for two world championships, one for the best driver in the world and one for the constructor who builds the best car in the world. As far as I'm concerned it is absolutely in the regulations, in black and white, that every team must make its own chassis."
These are the words of Sir Frank Williams - in 2007. Thirteen years ago, Formula 1 was in the grip of an identity crisis thanks to the audacity of a carbonated drinks company fielding four broadly identical cars, and Williams was prepared to go to court to preserve the status quo.
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