>>The lower order teams get called "pit dodgers" (behind their backs). External companies know that statistically these teams don't finish so many races, and the attention to detail in the design and finish for these teams is much less than those premium teams receive.
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Not true. I have worked for several lower rug F1 teams (purely by chance - I live in Oxfordshire and I am not interested in relocating to Marnello). Suppliers love lower order teams - and its because they punch above their weight. Take for example the Saubers - low budget (~USD80 million?), high skill engineers. Also, suppliers provide standard components - they do not affect the race outcome - they are standardized - take for example CF brakes. An F1 race outcome depends on car balance w.r.t aero maps. Nothing more.
>>It is sadly a vicious circle. Statistically, they will have worse drivers, who are more likely to crash or damage the cars early in the race, so often the cars in the lower order teams don't have the required staying power for the entire race.
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Not true. Statistically, all the best drivers have come from lower order teams. Hamilton is probably the only exception. Just look at history.
As I pointed out, this was a while back. Things might well have changed in the business these days. The lower order teams were "perceived" as being less likely to consistently finish, may have been a better way to have expressed my earlier comment. I don't think that all components are standardized. e.g. gearboxes? Again, I don't have any contact to the business anymore so I have no idea what it is like today.
Not true. I have worked for several lower rug F1 teams (purely by chance - I live in Oxfordshire and I am not interested in relocating to Marnello). Suppliers love lower order teams - and its because they punch above their weight. Take for example the Saubers - low budget (~USD80 million?), high skill engineers. Also, suppliers provide standard components - they do not affect the race outcome - they are standardized - take for example CF brakes. An F1 race outcome depends on car balance w.r.t aero maps. Nothing more.
>>It is sadly a vicious circle. Statistically, they will have worse drivers, who are more likely to crash or damage the cars early in the race, so often the cars in the lower order teams don't have the required staying power for the entire race. ==
Not true. Statistically, all the best drivers have come from lower order teams. Hamilton is probably the only exception. Just look at history.