Alonso's Ferrari Blog: On Losing Monaco To Vettel & Silverstone Cut-Off for WDC

To qualify 2nd and 3rd and walk of with 12pts is rather like a lead hook to the jaw by Mike Tyson in his prime.

You're not going to be happy with Ferrari until you can recognise the good things they are doing. Do you think they'd have walked off with only 8 points in a 'normal' race? These things happen. Chaos of the race also contributed to Alonso's 2nd placed finish in Monaco.

In the rain funny stuff happens, and it always has. Ferrari are not far off in terms of pace, particularly in the hands of Alonso, and it is unfair to criticise them here.

I can't see any lack of effort at any Formula One team, if anything they care a little too much to make the calculated decisions that need to be made.
 
I acknowledge that they are improving, and in some areas pretty strong (straightline and slow cornering) while in others not so (downforce in high speed corners and harder compound tyre traction), that said when the President is "this is going to be a great season" and the results tell a vastly different story that is the kick in the teeth, I would be happy with more regular podiums, maybe some wins, but finishing 5th and down more often than not is really not flattering.

I am at the point where I accept that it is not really the drivers, Ferrari need a far more radical race car, and perhaps people more determined (like RBR) to get the car working before Bahrain rolls on. As I said before, relying on miracle fight backs by Alonso all the time is not comforting, after all he is human.
 
I wonder if Ferrari will "Throw In The Towel" on the 2011 Championships after Alonso's second home race (Valencia)...and concentrate heavily on really optimising this car for the Italian Grand Prix at Monza in September and on the 2012 car.

Alonso's 4 whole wins behind Vettel AND he's got Hamilton/Button to beat as well at a time when McLarens are in the ascendency.

Thoughts on this?
 
I think he was pretty far back this time last year but should have won it had it not been for a strategy error.
 
Hamberg,

He (Alonso) was closer by 50-60 percent last year into Silverstone than this year (so far) because Vettel's RB6 had mechanical issues that cost him a lot of points in the first 7 races of '10, specifically Bahrain, Australia and Spain and (possibly a slightly cracked chassis (?) at) Monaco.

With RB7 having better reliability, the gap from Vettel is wider...to everyone.
 
Well reading the Autosport article on the ban of the exhaust gases, Ferrari do seem a bit confident, but then again they say it could change the whole order of the grid.

I don't know about qualifying how much Red Bull will be effected, but in the race they seem to have the pace. Only time will tell...

Valencia is another weak track for Red Bull, Ferrari (aswell as McLaren) where running well here last year until that safetycar came out.

But Vettel has a gap which equals 4 wins....now that's a mountain to climb, but we have seen a 17 point lead being lost when 20 where available so we can only wait...
 
I tend to think Dominicalli's decision will be made by Silverstone, personally I don't think anything other than save face can be done this season, save the high expenses development for next year, just keep the more cost efficient mods going.

From what is read in the press relating to Ferrari, I think they have impliedly given up on the season.
 
From what is read in the press relating to Ferrari, I think they have impliedly given up on the season.

Vettel has broken Ferrari's back.

Vettel, basically, has crushed them into submission without a fully functioning KERS Hybrid. Last year Ferrari had 100% reliability while Vettel suffered most of RB6-Renault's gremlins. This year, with reliability on par with Ferrari, he's effectively taken the biggest funded team and their very expensive driver to the cleaners.

Quite awsome!
 
Red Bull aren't exactly underfunded are they though Ray?

All this throwing in the towel to concentrate on next year stuff is pure utter nonsense. It happened once with Honda/Brawn in 08 because there was such a massive change in regulations. Ferrari's best way to develop a car for next season is by continuing to develop they car they have and see how close they can get to the Red Bull so I don't think they'll be any towels thrown anywhere. They may except in their heads that they're not going win but they'll still be pushing it to the limit.
 
How do you conclude "Vettel has crushed then", why just Vettel? They don't exactly seemed 'crushed'. A lot of what you say seems to hinge on the fact that you think Vettel alone is responsible for what's going on this season yet I saw a Ferrari and McLaren team probably on the front foot when it comes to the races in Monaco in Canada. I don't think lady luck could have shone anymore on Vettel in Monaco.
 
...why just Vettel? They don't exactly seemed 'crushed'. A lot of what you say seems to hinge on the fact that you think Vettel alone is responsible for what's going on this season...

Well...Webber certainly hasn't.

Have you looked at the points table and the gap between Vettel and the Ferrari drivers after only 7 meetings? It ain't exactly small. The gap in race trim between an RBR and a Ferrari hasn't been very big on average. But Vettel's points gap to ALO/MAS is alarming. It's massive enough for them to be using the term "throwing in the towel"...and that's not me making it up. Look at the link in the OP.
 
How many more times Ray, name me a race where Webber's car has not been worst than Sebs? And crushing other teams? Really? Get real.
 
I agree with Hamberg - Red Bull are the superior team but apart from Ferrari's sudden lack of Pace half way through the race in Spain they've not been too far away.

Alonso would have won in Monoco if it wasn't for the red flag because he had the better tyres. :whistle:
 
...Ray, name me a race where Webber's car has not been worst than Sebs? And crushing other teams? Really? Get real.

Hamberg, Webber's car certainly wasn't any slower than Vettel's in Spain...But what are you suggesting exactly? That Vettel's got something on his car that Webber hasn't? That Vettel's had something on his car in qualifying that Webber didn't?

What is it?

I just said the gap between RBRs, McLarens and Ferraris in race spec isn't that material...yet Vettel's WDC points gap is huge.

Hamilton, especially, should be much closer to Vettel in the title hunt than he is. Lewis very obviously hasn't gotten the most out of the MP4-26...yet. It must be painful ... but those are the facts.

It's only my opinion but Vettel's got Hamilton totally rattled and out-psyched since coming to Europe.
 
It isn't that material now, no and I'm not suggesting after the first couple of races that Webber hasn't had the same parts on his car, however he has had significantly more mechanical problems than Seb.

So had this not been the case Webber would have potentially had a few more snatched points from Vettel and Vettel wouldn't be so far in the lead, my goodness he only managed to take the WDC at the very end of the WDC last year, Vettel alone isn't that good and Webber isn't that bad in comparison. He is very good don't get me wrong but his points advantage is also a bit to do with a ridiculous amount of luck and others bad luck.

So I do object when language such as 'fear', 'crush' destroy' etc are used to describe Vettel and Vettel alone's effect on the other drivers.

The Red Bull is worrying them yes, but if you asked any of the other drivers, I don't think they believe Vettel is unbeatable though.
 
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