Mike Coughlan joins Williams after Stepneygate sentence

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JohnsonsEvilTwin
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Re: Mike Coughlan joins Williams after Stepneygate sentence

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Problem I have with it Giblet, is that he acted for his own ends, and not that of the team he was at.
He wanted the info to take with him to Honda.

I'll stop harping on... :lol:
More could have been done.
David Purley

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Hangaku
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Re: Mike Coughlan joins Williams after Stepneygate sentence

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So, just to be clear, you're saying that if he was instructed by his team to do this deal with the Ferrari employee, that wouldn't have been so bad?
Yer.

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JohnsonsEvilTwin
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Re: Mike Coughlan joins Williams after Stepneygate sentence

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Hangaku wrote:So, just to be clear, you're saying that if he was instructed by his team to do this deal with the Ferrari employee, that wouldn't have been so bad?
Nope. But I would have more sympathy for him.

Evidence we have so far is that Coughlan kept the vast majority of the IP to himself for use at his next employ.
Suggesting to me McLarens 100 million fine was way excessive, and Coughlan far too lenient.
More could have been done.
David Purley

Just_a_fan
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Re: Mike Coughlan joins Williams after Stepneygate sentence

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JohnsonsEvilTwin wrote: Suggesting to me McLarens 100 million fine was way excessive, and Coughlan far too lenient.
McLaren's massive fine was purely an act of spite by Max against Ron. Nothing more, nothing less. A small (compared to $100m) fine would have done. Or a small race ban e.g. BAR Honda's fuel tank cheat.

Stepneygate just proved that you can't trust Spaniards or pseudo-nazi sexual deviants. (Only joking about the Spaniards bit by the way before I upset any Spanish people hereabouts; it was a reference to Alonso, nothing more)
If you are more fortunate than others, build a larger table not a taller fence.

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JohnsonsEvilTwin
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Re: Mike Coughlan joins Williams after Stepneygate sentence

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So where does that leave Coughlan IYO JAF?
More could have been done.
David Purley

Just_a_fan
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Re: Mike Coughlan joins Williams after Stepneygate sentence

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Well, he just got caught doing what other F1 people do all the time. Team info/designs move around as personnel move around. Look at Toyota's blatant Ferrari copy (they hired a Ferrari guy who brought the entire aero design with him), or Renault having McLaren IP (which didn't result in the sort of whitewash theatrics Max inflicted on McLaren (and F1 as a whole)).

Coughlan has served his time as required by the FIA. If the teams are happy to recruit him then I don't see that we should require any further punishment.

We have to remember that F1 is not medicine or military or civil engineering where people die if you make a professional error of judgement. Let's face it, his biggest mistake was getting caught by using a print shop - had he copied the info another way then we would probably never have known about the whole thing (unless Alonso had tried to blackmail Ron - and I see that action as much more deserving of severe punishment than Coughlan's actions BTW).

I guess a sense of perspective is required; F1 is a sport / entertainment business and Coughlan's actions didn't result in a dangerous car design / cause an accident.
If you are more fortunate than others, build a larger table not a taller fence.

Giblet
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Re: Mike Coughlan joins Williams after Stepneygate sentence

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Just_a_fan wrote: I guess a sense of perspective is required; F1 is a sport

But for clearer perspective, true sportsmen don't cheat.
Before I do anything I ask myself “Would an idiot do that?” And if the answer is yes, I do not do that thing. - Dwight Schrute

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Hangaku
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Re: Mike Coughlan joins Williams after Stepneygate sentence

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Giblet wrote:
Just_a_fan wrote: I guess a sense of perspective is required; F1 is a sport

But for clearer perspective, true sportsmen don't cheat.
And to be even clearer, F1 is full of cheats, so cheating is part of the game :lol:
Yer.

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Fil
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Re: Mike Coughlan joins Williams after Stepneygate sentence

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No it's not. It's only cheating if you get caught.
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Hangaku
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Re: Mike Coughlan joins Williams after Stepneygate sentence

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Fil wrote:No it's not. It's only cheating if you get caught.
:P

True enough I suppose ;)
Yer.

FirstandLast
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Re: Mike Coughlan joins Williams after Stepneygate sentence

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Fil wrote:No it's not. It's only cheating if you get caught.
The very point I should have included in my previous post, thanks.

gridwalker
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Re: Mike Coughlan joins Williams after Stepneygate sentence

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Never mind cheating : Handling those documents meant that Coughlan was an accessory to Industrial Espionage through handling an unauthorised IP exchange. He was lucky not to be prosecuted for that.
"Change is inevitable, except from a vending machine ..."

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JohnsonsEvilTwin
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Re: Mike Coughlan joins Williams after Stepneygate sentence

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12 years in the slammer here in the UK for Industrial Espionage. Makes the FIA ban look even more laughable.

Must be nice living under FIA auspices if your a crook.
More could have been done.
David Purley

gridwalker
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Re: Mike Coughlan joins Williams after Stepneygate sentence

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It never ceases to amaze me that people debate the fact that he cheated whilst completely ignoring the fact that accepting that information was ILLEGAL.

His FIA punishment was a walk in the park compared to the punishment he'd have recieved if proven guilty in a court of law.
"Change is inevitable, except from a vending machine ..."

andrew
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Re: Mike Coughlan joins Williams after Stepneygate sentence

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I don't really see the problem with Mike Coughlan joining Williams. He clearly has the technical competence and a proven track record albeit with 1 act of stupidity.

If he helps turn Williams around everyone will think he is the best thing slince the previous best thing.

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