Patrick Mordaunt DQ Broken Down and Explained
Posted by Wrecked Magazine on 10 May 2009 at 10:34 am | Tagged as: Formula D, Patrick Mordaunt
In some very confusing events that took place at Formula D Atlanta (Round 2) yesterday we wanted to explain why Patrick Mordaunt was disqualified and had to give Joon Maeng his spot in the top 8. After the top 16 runs between Patrick Mordaunt and Joon Maeng the Formula D officials were testing tires with a tire durometer (tire hardness gauge). The legal limit for tire softness in Formula Drift is a 49. After his runs with Joon he tested at a 44 which resulted in a tire violation per the Formula D rule book. We have been told at least three other drivers tire softness were protested by teams but we are unclear at this time if it was drivers running Toyo Tires or just a random selection of cars. Tommorow we will have a full interview from Patrick on the situation.
That was some wack junk, man. –heard all about it, in the paddocks, after the event.
LAME!!! he doesnt even have any tire sponsors. so wtf. he’s been running used tires.
it’s because FD is a pile of weiners.
So the new rule this year reads: 9.3.4 Tires must meet a minimum durometer reading of 49, hot or cold, at all times during an EVENT, measured using an ISO868 or ASTM D2240 compliant Type A durometer.
The goal of this rule is good but the end result is an escalation in cost due to increased needs for testing and tire management at the event. If you are big team and factory backed by a tire manufacturer you can go out and test tires and make sure they will not fall below 49 when fully heated up.
Since FD only allows certain pre-approved models of tires the competitors have little choice. They will have to experiment with tire width and rotate tires out before they get too hot and soft at long and high temp tracks like Atlanta.
This extra burden of testing and personnel will hit the privateers hard.
The only way to achieve true parity is to have a spec tire with mandated widths based on weight but that will never happen because FD needs all the tire manufacturers support.
I used to use VHT too..
“This extra burden of testing and personnel will hit the privateers hard.”
F.D. didn’t think this through.
This new tire rule was, in part, originally set to protect the privateers, but in actuality hurts them more than anything. This new rule, among past rules, only makes a higher hurdles for independents to jump in order to compete.
Formula D is failing the sport, the community, and the drivers who’s shoulders they stood on to get to where they are today.
This is why ASB is/was the only event I care about.
The rule is actually in place to protect privateers and lower budget teams. I was actually privy to the way the came to 49 and that was from two years of testing tires from ALL manufacturers and then finding a number that was acceptable and fair for every manufacturers to stay above. If a tire falls below 49 it is deemed too soft and softer tires can give an advantage to a competitor. If it is not regulated than someone can create a tire that has extreme softness at an incredible cost thus giving an unfair advantage and increasing the cost to run the series.
IMO, the issue lies in that duromoter readings can very depending on SO many different factors and should not be the sole factor in determining legality of a tire hot or cold. From what I heard FD realizes this and the tire guys realize this too, however it took this issue to bring it to the forefront. Why Pat tested a 44 is unknown. It doesn’t make sense since the same tire has passed durometer readings before. Also realize this came about as a protest from another team and so therefore FD had to follow through on the protest and Pat’s tires like everyone else in the top 16 was tested. He came in at 44, well below 49. I know Pat personally, and can guarantee noting nefarious took place. From what I understand all tires have had no issue staying above 49 until this year and then all of a sudden come LB, almost every brand was teetering on the 49 or lower. Why? A team noticed that and filed a formal protest. Sucks, but if FD doesn’t enforce rules, why have them?
Didn’t Tony A use VHT to make more smoke?
Isn’t Pat not a part of DA?
Isn’t everyone in the top four part of DA?
What did the Maxxis Tires test at? Who would have protested tires that are approved by FD? You can only run certain tires in FD, right? It’s not like you can just go and buy some tires and run them. There is an approved list, isn’t there?
Either way, sound like some political BS and like someone is mad that Pat knocked out 2 Maxxis drivers in a row. $$$$$$ rules the world. Same as it ever was. In this economy, no one wants to lose a large event sponsor like Maxxis. Kind of understandable. Too bad Pat the privateer had to pay the price in the end.
maxxis is a big sponsor…but not nearly as big as toyo/bfg/cooper have been over the past few years
i dont know about your facts but i think they need to be checked
Did you bring up big sponsors from the past? Thats a moot point since we are discussing Formula Drift. Loyalty is not in their rulebook, nor their morals. Glad they had enough time to step away from posting about D1gp on the internet to create this new rule to level the playing field.
“maxxis is a big sponsor…but not nearly as big as toyo/bfg/cooper have been over the past few years”
Maxxis…the title sponsor with more drivers than non title sponsors Toyo/BFG/Cooper?? WTF you smokin’ son?
why would a privateer to run ‘illegal’ tires?
seems to me that pat gets the shaft any time he gets to atlanta. last year was fucked too…check it.
Maxxis is not a sponsor of FD and he got DQ’d against another Maxxis driver JOONE. CHECK YOUR FACTS! Maxxis is a tire supplier meaning they are allowed ot be used i the series. By your logic, the tires sponsor of the event should win: BFG, Cooper and Falken. Only Falken was on the podium. You argument is seeping water by the second
edit: Maxxis is not a sponsor of FD and Pat got DQ’d using Toyo’s. CHECK YOUR FACTS! Maxxis is a tire supplier meaning they are allowed to be used in the series. By your logic, the tires sponsor of the event should win: BFG, Cooper and Falken. Only Falken was on the podium in ATL. You argument is seeping water by the second
4ag AE86′s on Coopers. Spec Drifting, Also eliminates all the smoke since corollas have no horsepower, and Cooper Tires suck. Win-Win.
Where is JTP’s new car? What tires was he on?
[...] of last season’s Atlanta round. Along with the disappoint came confusion behind the decision. Wrecked Magazine’s Blog made a post yesterday explaining the circumstances of the DQ under a new rule for 2009 related to [...]
Is this Formula 1 or Formula D? How lame!
I dont know, even the most expensive torque wrenches you can buy are still listed to be accurate within +/- %3. I am curious as to what actual race tires spec out at with this tool just for comparison sake for the 49# rule
I heard Pat was using Takatori’s old tires, is that true? If so did Takatori’s guys and/or Toyo give Pat something funky stuff? Sucks for Pat but rules are rules I guess. Probably sucks for FD too to have to do something like that.