S1 has got a credibility problem. Last season the greasing of clutches became epidemic, culminating with over half the Jnr grid greasing their clutches at PF. Some drivers had to be pushed over the starting line as they were greasing their clutch so much and the sight of some mechanics pushing their drivers of the dummy grid was a stomach hurting laugh. YET imagine not one driver was excluded for it. Go forth to the first S1 09’ meet at Whilton and the introduction of the metal clutch (that greasing it, gives no advantage). Giant leap forward, or so we thought. Now its not greasing but machining the circumference or welding an internal part so that the clutch needs to spin at a higher range to engage. I estimate at least 6 drivers in the Jnr class were tampering with their clutches in some way. Did anyone get excluded, no but enough suspicion was arosed by what was seen and HEARED, for the top 10 drivers to have their clutches swapped for a controlled S1 clutch. Good move, but if S1 retains any credibility will be seen at Rowrah. Why, because those teams who were not tampering with their clutches will feel they have to. Will we have another fiasco as PF last year, where half the grid cheats in an effort to stay competitive? Down to S1, do they have the teeth of a 90 year old grandmother with a sweet tooth? So far they do but now I hear they have the technical CADs for the clutch so they can perform measurements, which they could not do at Whilton.
Who are the winners and losers, with weak scrutineering at S1. The race winners are losers, as they get no respect from the rest of the paddock, as everyone believes they are the best cheats rather than the best drivers. Also the race winners in a quiet moment will wonder,if he could of won without cheating, a hollow victory. But the race team is a big winner as they attract a new generation of karters to their awning. And here in lies the problem. Its not the drivers that decide to cheat it’s the teams that run them. Ban the team from S1 for cheating that would control the infringements. That would have a massive impact on the credibility of S1 and clean it up in an instant. I know that will not happen any time soon so those that want to do this within the rules have to hope that S1 start excluding drivers for clutch tampering before we have another PF. If not S1 loses all credibility and just becomes a competition between race teams, ‘whos the best at cheating’. And those that don’t cheat but keep quiet, sign up to it also.
No doubt the cheaters will justify what they are doing by rolling out the quote it only needs to move at 3000rpm but remember the rule is 'unmodified' clutch as per the finche.
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