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.
 
I think there's a picture there that's wider than the question of Alonso or Vettel's team-mates.
It's a sign of the times. Top drivers these days are a lot more reluctant to be paired together within the same team than they once were. That's why we end up with a Jenson V Lewis thread, because it's the exception rather than the norm.
 
Alonso got a new hat:

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I think it says what Alonso has always stated himself - that he rates Hamilton more highly than he rates Vettel. In terms of 2007, I think Alonso's beef was with McLaren more than with Hamilton, although McLaren treat both drivers absolutely equally as we all well know ;)
 
I dislike this trait from Alonso where he expects number one status.
There have been numerous in depth interviews with Alonso, one a few years ago in the F1 magazine. He has stated quite clearly in all of these interviews he has never asked for number one status, only to be treated equally, something he didn't feel he was given at McLaren. Yes, he does like to be number one, but he has enormous self belief and believes he is able to earn the right to be treated as number one which is precisely what he has achieved at Ferrari. I think most would agree, Alonso speaks his mind. He says what he means and means what he says which also gets him offside with some people. When he says he's never asked to be number one I see no reason to believe he means something different. Alonso has always understood the need to earn his position in F1. He expects nothing without earning it.
 
I guess we never get to know the real ins and outs. But other information out there does disagree with that. McLaren have said his wanting number one contributed to his fall out. And I've heard him on the radio asking Ferrari to move Massa aside....early in the season. I wonder what Massa would say if you talk about equality? It works for him and he isn't doing anything illegal, so good luck to him, he's a great driver. But for me, I like to see the best competing without the need for that.


AARGH! Just replied without checking topic. Please mods move if in wrong place. sorry.
 
racecub......Ive never read that Mclaren have said he wanted number one status only that Alonso stated he never asked for it. I have however read the interview with Martin Whitmarsh where he stated the biggest regret in his career at McLaren was losing Alonso, stating they handled the situation with Fernando very badly. Regarding asking Ferrari to move Massa aside, drivers know when they're being held up by their teammate and considering the huge advantage he's had over Massa during the last three years I have no problem at all with team orders. The incident your referring to happened during his first year at Ferrari and he came within a heartbeat of the championship. As I said he has enormous self belief and even early in the season he didn't want a much slower teammate ruining his chances at a tilt for the title. I know many dislike team orders but I've followed this sport since the Jim Clark/Jackie Stewart years so I've never had a problem with team orders.
 
I've split the posts off from the McLaren thread racecub and moved them to the Alonso thread.

Kewee, Alonso has a team mate veto written into his contract at Ferrari; that doesn't tally with someone just wanting equal status. Quite clearly he wants to pick and choose his team mates to ensure he has a better than even chance of beating them.

One of the major flaws in Alonso's make up as a driver, in my opinion.
 
Brogan......Fair comment. Though I may be a little naive in saying this there are possibly other reasons for him wishing to have some input as to who his teammate is. We all have people we like and others we'd prefer not to be close to, I'm sure Alonso's no different in this respect. He may simply wish to have a teammate he can work with and communicate with. Tension between teammates is never conducive to achieving results. As I say, maybe I'm being naive but I do honestly believe Alonso has enough self belief to feel he's able to beat whoever he's teamed with providing both he and his teammate are treated equally. He clearly fits like a glove at Ferrari and I'm sure no one involved would want to upset the environment they've obviously created.
 
I know its a topic of contention when Alonso is brought up but at what point is it acceptable to accept that Alonso has just out driven Massa for three straight seasons. I know a lot would say his position is untouchable but can we honestly say that Massa has lent himself to team direction?

I do accept that COTA was the first time Ferrari used tactics to pull rank but it was done a) to help Alonso's push for the championship for which any other team would do the same and b) to help Ferrari in the constructors, while hindsight is wonderful the result was 3rd and 4th in a weekend where Alonso testing a difuser was 1.8ish seconds off Vettel's time and that is a wonderful result for Scuderia who have absolutely no business in this championship with the car they have. If Alonso doesn't win then Ferrari deserved it as they haven't really made a championship calibre machine.

Inter team result: Massa vs Alonso since Spa;

Massa : 82 pts
Alonso : 96 pts

looks close and shows a Massa resurgence but Alonso had 2 DNF's which is part of racing and if's and but's don't count.

Average Grid Position (Includes other driver demotions)

Alonso - 6.05
Massa - 10.11
(Hamilton 4.47, Vettel 5)

Average Grid Position Without demotions

Alonso - 6.31
Massa - 10.08
(Hamilton 2.97, Vettel 5)

It comes to show how hard the Ferrari has been to drive not only for Alonso but also Massa but he has fairly out raced Massa yet again and I really wish those wouldn't try taint it based on sentimentality. As to how Alonso will do if another driver was in that seat is another if and one cannot objectively say but we have the now and this is what is cast in stone.
 
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