Current Fernando Alonso

Suprised there's no thread (although I had one for his blogs), so i'll start off:

A double world championship vs Raikkonen and then Schumacher in 2005 and 2006 respectively elevated Alonso's status but, apparently, no one told his rookie teammate at his brand new team of a theoretical 'pecking order' the following season ... and the Spaniard was 'seen off' by the young Englishman, Hamilton, into two years of Wilderness while both Hamilton and an even younger Vettel began to make their mark through '08 and '09.

Arguably, Alonso was in the Top 3 of all the Formula One 'Aces' in the 2000s following Hakkinen's retirement - up there with either Schumacher/Raikkonen and, then, Raikkonen/Hamilton - and remains so in the early 2010s along with Hamilton/Vettel...with only Kubica knocking on the door until the Pole's horrible Rallying accident.

A question mark initially over 2004 during which Trulli lead him in the standing until the Italian fell out with ex-manager and team boss Flavio Briatore (Alonso's then business manager) under dubious circumstances after the French Grand Prix.

Another question mark is...Who has progressed more since the end of 2007: Hamilton or Alonso?

A fan. Then came the unfortunate blackmail allegations against McLaren boss Ron Dennis on the morning of the 2007 Hungarian GP which came to light at the highly costly FIA 'Spy-Gate' hearings before Spa...followed by the odour of the deliberate crashing of the Number 2 Renault car at Singapore in 2008 which lead to Alonso finishing 1st in the event and ended in the banning of Briatore and Pat Symmonds a year later.

2009 was a poor year with 'Nando's' mind likely on the prospect of Santander paving the way to better prospects at Maranello one year earlier.

2010 was a fresh start at Ferrari (who no longer had Schumacher walking through the premises regularly) but first half season mistakes ultimately cost him a title inspite of being infamously aided by a Team Orders switch w Massa at Hockenheim (which lead to more world-wide criticism).

Relatively fast, relatively consistent but prone to mistakes and a possible insecurity complex (*) based on wanting sole focus from a team and being only happy with a Number 2 in the other car running behind him. Anything else and it seemingly rattles him.

(*) This is my own personal opinion.

..and so to 2011...

He's underperformed only at Malaysia (hit Hamilton) and China (invisible while Massa challenged McLarens and Red Bulls) and, arguably, Canada...but has maximized his chances in the other 6 races culminating in the British GP win.

He said in his post-Monaco blog that 'Silverstone would be the WDC cut-off'...and so, after some major upgrades, the Ferrari looks a winner again. It might be too late for 2011 given Vettel's finishing rate...but the 2012 regs means they should keep the hammer down at Maranello.

He's signed on through to 2016...So hopes are high of a WDC at some juncture...but not yet.

 

[Kewee]

Clearly the dislike of Alonso, verging on hatred for some, is still alive and well. How sad. Who's worse, Alonso, or those that can't forgive, or at least leave the past behind after eight years.

 

[RasputinLives]

Yes. Sure. This is about hatred for Alonso.

I'm afraid I've lost all respect for you trying to play that card Kewee. I didn't always agree with you but I always thought you were reasonable. I can see now I was wrong.

 

[Kewee]

I wasn't looking for respect from anyone RasputinLives nor was I aiming my comment at anyone in-particular and I wasn't playing any card at all. My posting was a simple observance that some peoples opinions of Alonso are still influenced by events that occurred over eight years ago and I was suggesting it's sad people can't recognise drivers are like anyone else, they change as they grow up. It would be nice if people were able to leave the past behind where it belongs rather than letting it continue to influence their views of someone. I'm not having a go at anyone Ras this is just an ongoing observance.

 

[Olivier]

Alonso can elicit very strong emotions to F1 fans, mostly dislike

 

[Kewee]

The only change I'd make to your posting Olivier would be Alonso can elicit very strong emotions from "English" F1 fans.

I seem to attract negative thoughts, probably self inflicted. A bit like Alonso, once I declared myself a fan of Fernando I'm forever the enemy. Luckily I have lots of other area's of motorsport and other drivers I enjoy following, WEC, IRL, WRC, Scott Dixon, Lewis Hamilton etc etc etc.

 

[The Artist.....]

He isn't.

In part of the Beeb interview Dennis said that they were slightly slower through the corners than Mecedes and RBR but quicker than Ferrari. This is worked out by the sound from the engines, it seems most of the teams use this method to work out their competitors speeds at various places round the circuits.

That's not quite correct; the apex speeds of the cars are calculated through the GPS tracking. The sound of the engine is a bit of a red herring here; it used to be much more useful with estimating the overall power of a car- although with exhaust recovery systems of different efficiencies, it's much harder to get a good read on these anymore.

However, you are completely correct to say that fundamentally, the McLaren appears a good chassis; it's not a good as the Merc or the RBR, but the energy recovery system is absolutely pony.

 

[Incubus]

In all business you are a representative of who you work for especially if you are public facing such as the drivers.

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But this is not like any other kind of business and as such there is little point in comparing it with any other. What kind of average business for example pays large salaries to two employees only for them to compete against each other at the risk of seeing a rival company defeat them both? Alonso' s radio rant was pretty bad for Honda's PR but very good for F1' s commercial rights' holder for whom any extra column inches are an opportunity to add to F1' s profile. I know it's a slightly different topic though.

Anyway going back to Alonso I find it difficult to believe the timing of his rant would have been coincidental. Whether it was wise or not is another matter but ranting at your team, engine or other drivers is absolutely nothing new so I'm not quite sure why this instance should be seen any differently to the numerous instances where other drivers (and really, they' ve pretty much ALL indulged in it at some point or other) did it too?

Perhaps because in the case of Alonso everybody ever since his move to McLaren was confirmed had been waiting and expecting the moment when he would lash out, which finally came at Suzuka.

Otherwise, one massive storm in a teacup really...

 

[Titch]

I thought his team mate said a few uncomplimentary things over the radio to the team as well. Very polite uncomplimentary things, but coming from Button, that's a kick in the teeth. Alonso, being Spanish, said exactly what he felt. He was embarrassed to be being overtaken by minor teams at Hondas home race, he could probably feel the crowds agony as he drove around.
Maybe Honda should fall on their swords if they are that sensitive to criticism in the modern world, or maybe they should get a grip and try and sort it out.

 

[Titch]

Do you mean British fans Kewee ? Or specifically English fans?

 

[Il_leone]

Button was not as direct as Alonso in delivering his message but the quote " A samurai without his sword and armour" was brilliant and should stick to Honda

Everyone knows Alonso is a world class driver and still the best (maybe past his peak) and it shows for $25m he is not satisfied at being at the back unlike Kimi Raikkonen would be.

The trouble with HOnda is they do not see what is wrong with their method... they are not going to get outside help because the Japanese way is promote and nurture from within and they are not looking to lease engines to other teams to see if its the chassis or the engine

Also F1 is moving at a faster pace and they seem to have this idea there is time on their hand to catch up. The Honda chiefs are proud people of the company and to see the engine performing so badly at their home track will hurt their pride and honour.

Now would this mean Mr Arai gets sacked because he is heading Honda's F1 project and you wonder what has he been telling the chiefs that the investment in F1 is going well when it clearly has not

Alonso's way was direct but Senna use to attack Honda for a lack of power and they somehow responded to his call and regroup and loved him to the point where Senna stayed at Mclaren out of loyalty

 

[Incubus]

Button was not as direct as Alonso in delivering his message but the quote " A samurai without his sword and armour" was brilliant and should stick to Honda

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And I don't think that quote was off-the-cuff either. And exactly the sort of quote that convinces me the drivers' comments are a side-issue and the real issue here is the relationship between McLaren and Honda. There has been an undercurrent of tension for some time and rumours that McLaren are getting frustrated with the way Honda operate.

I wouldn't go as far as suggesting Alonso's comments were premeditated, that would be far-fetched but I can't help thinking about what Ron Dennis was saying during an interview on Sky earlier this season when he admitted that the ongoing will-he-won't-he saga of Ayrton Senna' s contract-per-race contract at the beginning of the 1993 season had all been a pre-arranged tactic designed to pressure Ford into giving McLaren engine parity with works engined Benetton. And it worked. What' s more nobody on the outside suspected anything at the time, but it came at the cost of putting an irreparable strain on Senna and Dennis' s relationship, already strained during previous contract negotioations in the '92 period, as the tactic caused Ayrton to be portrayed in the press as the spoilt brat who wouldn't race unless Ford gave him its best engine (thus breaking Benetton' s contract of exclusivity).

Of course all the above doesn't prove Alonso or Button' s comments were anything other than frustration-based but there is definitely a growing sense of dissatisfaction in the McLaren-Honda relationship, and the growing realisation that something has to change soon.

 

[rufus_mcdufus]

Honda are probably not right for F1 if they really did feel offended by the off-the-cuff and difficult-to-argue-with remarks, but then I suspect most of the actual offence has been taken by the people reporting it.

 

[gethinceri]

Do you mean British fans Kewee ? Or specifically English fans?

He can only have meant English fans because that's what he wrote, unless he's "Australian".

 

[Il_leone]

The problem is Honda are not really understanding the embarrassment they are causing Mclaren by saying things will get better and then they are not in a very bad way causing sponsors to leave the team

I go back to Mr Arai seems to be the problem or Honda who are really kidding themselves this is acceptable which is what Alonso was pointing out.


Senna had a special bond with Honda and stayed for 1992 out of loyalty at MClaren when he could have gone to Williams. Now Alonso at the moment needs convincing from Honda that they are really serious and something more drastic is being done... I feel Mr Arai will have to be removed as sacrificial lamb for a start

 

[RasputinLives]

I don't see how saying Alonso has acting unprofesional by slaging off his employers in a public place can be put down to people 'hating' him over something that happened 8 years ago.

He slagged off his employers in a public forum. Not for the first time either. I'm not judging him for it. Frankly I've heard a lot worse but the idea that it was for 'Honda's own good' or that people have only found it distasteful because they hold all this bitter resentment towards him is ridiculous.

 

[Kewee]

Do you mean British fans Kewee ? Or specifically English fans?

Unsure Titch, probably should have said British, in fact I originally typed British and then changed it to English because my direct contact and experience is with the English. Don't be offended Titch, I have strong English ancestry and many English friends in the UK and here in NZ. I understand the reasons Alonso is disliked on your side of the world but in other countries he's very popular.

 

[Kewee]

I don't see how saying Alonso has acting unprofesional by slaging off his employers in a public place can be put down to people 'hating' him over something that happened 8 years ago.

Hi Ras, me again. Just to clear up my thoughts and postings. I've always noticed if Alonso steps out of line, as he did in the Japanese GP, far greater offence is taken than should be. It's human nature for people to over-react to someone they dislike and there are plenty that dislike Alonso due to his past behaviour hence the condemnation he's receiving now over something relatively minor. As Titch pointed out, Button was also uncomplimentary on the radio but was not as direct in his criticism, but he did still criticise publicly, yet there's no negative postings aimed at Button. Something else that should be observed the Spanish way is very direct.

 

[FB]

My posting was a simple observance that some peoples opinions of Alonso are still influenced by events that occurred over eight years ago

Just to reassure you Kewee, I though he was git long before he drove for McLaren.

 

[Il_leone]

The difference between Alonso's reaction and Button's was that Fernando pulls no punches and the latin temperament comes out of him.

I think comparing an F1 engine from a global brand to a GP2 engine in front of the corporate bosses is as publicly humiliating as it could get. I can only think of saying Ferrari is in front of the tifosi at Monza as even worse in F1

 

[Kewee]

Fair comment FB, I don't have a problem with that. I can also reassure you I've made postings in the past saying I felt Alonso handled his time at McLaren in 2007 very badly but qualified those statements with the belief he was also immature but a very good driver, despite all his past issues. The statements I've made on this thread simply say it would be helpful to leave the past behind.