There are some really crazy stories around bending the rules. Or pushing human technologies to the limit to achieve the smallest advantages. Here is one of my

There are some really crazy stories around bending the rules. Or pushing human technologies to the limit to achieve the smallest advantages. Here is one of my favorites: I read a really interesting print article a few years ago about one of the big F-1 teams (McLaren?) creating the first carbon fiber transmission housing. This was a HUGE deal at the time because in F-1, the transmissions are structural component of the cars. They bear huge stresses for extended periods of time. The team spent a couple years and tens of millions of dollars reinventing the way carbon fiber is manufactured. It was all very hush, hush. In the article itself, the picture of the transmission was taken from about 20 feet away, because that's as close as the team would let anyone from the magazine get to it. It looked like the made the camera man stand across the shop from the thing and take his pic with a portrait lens. The big take away at the end of the article was that they saved 50 lbs or so off the weight of the transmission... but the car was already under weight regulations. So they were adding 50lbs to the lead plate that was already on the bottom of the car so it makes weight. The net benefit of all the money and time spent on the CF transmission was to lower the center of gravity of the car 3/4 of an inch and that was considered a huge advantage until the other teams do likewise.