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.
 
that might be the thing that Hamilton crash cost it. it shouldn't have because thats F1 & luck in sport, if he crashes on Alonso that sport if Alonso crashed on lewis that sport. if lewis crashed in Q3 every session does that mean that Alonso would get to go 1st every qualifying. but in video I found Hamilton pitted at 7:50 remaining & Alonso pitted at 7:29 remaining

maybe he did but if Alonso was having a slow out lap but if lewis wanted a quicker out lap to get some temperature in the tyres. then he would have to overtake otherwise his fast lap would be comprised
 
the seeds of doubt in Alonso's mind were sowed at Melbourne when Hamilton was on the pace straight away and Ron Dennis was not doing anything to hold back Lewis

Spain was a particularly big moment in an unlike Alonso moment he decided to go for glory first corner and ran wide and never recovered his position

Then Monaco , Hamilton thought he should have got pole but in the race he felt he had enough for 4 laps to close on Alonso but instead the team bought him in and he was going full attack mode. His face at the end of the race on the podium was telling having just come 2nd

Then off course Indianapolis, Alonso felt he was quicker just after the pit stop but Hamilton defended robustly and incensed Alonso weaved towards the pit wall to suggest that the team pull Hamilton over which you were not allowed to do in those days
 
Ta, ta you egotistical bore. F1 is more than any one driver but Fernando failed to grasp this based on everyone blowing smoke up his ass for years and years. If you weren't enjoying it mate you shouldn't have bothered in 2018, or 2017 come to that.

I'm looking forward to seeing some young drivers giving it all regardless of where they might finish.
 
Ta, ta you egotistical bore. F1 is more than any one driver but Fernando failed to grasp this based on everyone blowing smoke up his ass for years and years. If you weren't enjoying it mate you shouldn't have bothered in 2018, or 2017 come to that.

I'm looking forward to seeing some young drivers giving it all regardless of where they might finish.

I like alonso & think he should be in top 3 car. But thats his own fault. If this was 2011 id be saying good riddance
 
Well it won’t perform without him apparently, he has just been announced as their ambassador and development driver.


Go figure.
 
He wants to keep all options open, and have the best of both worlds if the McLaren becomes a decent car. It's what you'd do if you were him.
 
Well, he can stay there at McLaren. Apparently he was looking for a return to Ferrari. Imagine how disastrous that would be.
I am hoping to be forgiven for tiny deviation from thread subject, but the same is valid for Hamilton. Now when red cars have some chance to win (occasionally), suddenly Hamilton would not mind to drive for them; for right price of course and if they are better than Mercedes. What happened to past statements that he never wanted to drive for Scuderia? Vettel has accepted the risk he was undertaking in 2015, whereas Hamilton has different feel for self-entitlement. Alonso had some bad years with red car, but I think he was part of the problem; rather his attitude (I am sorry but I do not want to offend his fans). I am not sure if Ferrari would give his old seat back, despite that he probably has still has some friends in Maranello.
 
Last edited:
To be honest, Hamilton took similar risks in moving from McLaren to Mercedes, I suspect doing the same job for the red team might be more of a challenge, as they do strike me as rather political.
 
sobriety Ferrari have always been political and everyone looks out for themselves and no one is prepared to go above the parapet to be shot at especially when Marchionne died last year

Going to Ferrari mentally drains drivers not even Prost who went from Mclaren to escape Senna could sort them out
 
This hasn’t always been the case though. Two British drivers come to mind; Mike Parks and Mike Hawthorn; both thrived at Ferrari and the Old Man (as well as Tiffosi) had a great deal of respect for them. Among other things because they moved to Italy to take full advantage of Ferrari factory and be in close contact with the team.
 
in out see ya
20190501_092057.png
 
Back
Top Bottom