multi21

There's a lot of talk about jumping, but what about the contracts? He has 2 more years left. There is no doubt he wants to leave McLaren as it appears he is a lame duck in that organization, however, Dennis could just keep him so that other teams don't get Alonso.

Lothar

What Hamilton is doing to Alonso is the same as to everyone else in the field. He need not make apologies and Alonso is getting a fare chance at McLaren. They are not Ferrari and they put the same equipment and development into each drivers kit.

I think too much is being made of Alonso discontent. Alonso is still ahead of both Ferrari drivers and he should be happy to be where he is. He'd be getting thrashed at Renault. Kimi is struggling at Ferrari and Alonso wouldn't fair much better if he had Kimi's seat.

A.Wayne

Alonso is better than both drivers at ferrari , but do agree that ron will try to keep Alonso , He would have to compete against him..
If Alonso do jump it will be with Ferrari , Todt would not hesitate , they (ron and todt) will always go for experienced drivers . Fernando's drive today was amazing , he was ***** to the wall all day ....

Lewis needs a DNF , it would open the window for all 4 drivers again



"Him and Fernando (Alonso) are best buddies. You should see them in the back of the camper van, playing computer games. There is no problem there, trust me. We need to be pushed by the best and in Indianapolis Lewis was by Alonso. He learnt a lot and hopefully Lewis will be hard to beat from now on."
Anthony Hamilton, Hamilton's father



"It's interesting to watch how Hamilton's adapted to the McLaren, a team he's known for nine years, and how Fernando Alonso isn't quite as comfortable. Fernando is the one feeling the pressure at the moment."
David Coulthard

multi21

As a double WC, I don't think he's happy to be 14 points behind his rookie teammate. Fernando would not hesitate in jumping from McLaren Today if he could contractually. In his mind, the British team he works for is doing everything they can to help a fellow British driver win the WC and he is twisting in the wind. The fact that his gearbox melted on him is coincidence, but Alonso doesn't see it that way.

A.Wayne

McLaren boss Ron Dennis praised Fernando Alonso for his never-say-die performance in the French Grand Prix, hailing him as the “man of the race”.

Alonso faced an uphill task at Magny-Cours after a gearbox problem in qualifying consigned him to 10th place on the grid.

The world champion spent much of the race in pitched battles with other cars, harrying them unrelentingly but finding it difficult to get past on the short, twisty track.

The experienced Nick Heidfeld kept him at bay for lap after lap before Alonso finally made a move stick with a breathtaking inside pass on the entry to the 140mph Nurburgring chicane.

Ultimately Alonso’s early-stopping pit strategy negated his hard work, however, and he finished a frustrated seventh, behind both Heidfeld and Giancarlo Fisichella.

“For me Fernando was the man of the race,” said Dennis.

“His race was always going to be challenging starting from 10th, but our aim was to score points, which he did.”

Alonso said the fuel strategy the team employed – to which it had committed before his qualifying problem struck – meant he was unable to break free of traffic and exploit his car’s pace.

“I did the maximum I could today, but we knew it would be difficult starting 10th with a fuel strategy that was originally aiming for a top-three grid position,” he said.

“This meant that at the pit stops I was always changing positions and ending up behind those I had already passed.

“The fight with Nick Heidfeld was fun, but it was a lot of hard work.

“I also made a good move on Giancarlo.”

Alonso lost ground in the world championship standings to team-mate Lewis Hamilton, who has a 14-point advantage after another podium finish in France.

The Spaniard admitted he threw caution to the wind in his efforts to minimise the damage to his title chances.

“I am contesting the world championship, so I had to do whatever I could today and was not worried about the risks,” he said.

“It is a disappointing result, but we will have to look to improve next week [at the British GP], where we should be strong.”

tdf360

Alonso started 10th, had 2 cars that started in front of him get caught up in the first lap accident, finishes 7th, and he's the man of the race? I was expecting 4th or 5th from him.

Gary

multi21

+1

A.Wayne

This was mentioned due to the racing that was applied by Alonso, his7th place position was due to bad strategy from Mcclaren by their failed Q3 attempt , this Forced Mclaren to be stuck with a useless strategy as to how he could start and run the race , alonso's Fate was sealed ...Myself had figured on a 5th position , but it was obvious it was not from a lack of trying on Alonso part..

A.Wayne

Showing why he is a 2times WC, ...
F1 @ it's best 4 drivers who can win at any given moment , we now need a DNF from Lewis , with Massa or Kimi winning Alonso second to place this back in the pressure Zone.....

mdrums

I was impressed with how Massa charged up through the field all the way from last place due to the stall on the parade lap. Hamilton at least got on the podeum once again! Hamilton did everything he could to finish 3rd and at one time was way back in 5 or 6th after a pit. All in all a very good race and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

A.Wayne

I was impressed with Massa Also , based on how close KImi and Alonso was , it would have been interesting if he had started up front , he would have displaced Lewis for 3rd.. Lewis was 36 seconds behind , Alonso needed a race like this today ... great race , great Season.

multi21

[QUOTE=A.Wayne]we now need a DNF from Lewis /QUOTE]

I was thinking the same thing. Alonso, Kimi and Massa have all had sometype of mechanic issues (Massa with a DQ in Canada as well) and Hamilton through 1/2 the season has been extremely fortunate to not have any set backs or crashes, etc.

As much as I hate for his streak of podiums to come to an end, 1 DNF puts the WC in anyones hands.

A.Wayne

By Pablo Elizalde Monday, July 9th 2007, 09:31 GMT

World champion Fernando Alonso is confident he will be able to reduce the gap to teammate Lewis Hamilton following his second place finish at Silverstone.

Alonso finished behind Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen to reduce the gap to Hamilton by two points after the Briton struggled for pace on his way to a distant third.

The Spaniard is now 12 points behind Hamilton with eight races remaining.

Sunday's race was the first time in four Grands Prix that Alonso finished ahead of his teammate, and the two-time champion is hopeful the trend will continue.

"Sooner or later we'll close up the gap," the Spaniard was quoted as saying by AS newspaper.

"Since Canada I have been quite faster than him. At Indianapolis I couldn't overtake him, and at Magny-Cours I had that gearbox problem. Here we had a normal race and I finished over 30 seconds in front of him.

"There are favourable races coming up now, like Germany and Hungary and the target is to finish ahead of Hamilton and reduce the gap. We can't forget the Ferraris, who have been faster than us again.

"If (Felipe) Massa hadn't had that problem at the start, he also would have finished ahead of Hamilton.

"With normal races, sooner or later I will reduce the gap. I must be on the podium always one step higher than him. It's good that the championship leader has more difficulties on track, and especially here in England and after pole."

mdrums

Hamilton maybe a rookie but he does not drive like one. For him to DNF the car will have to break or someone will have to take him out.

G O.....L E W I S !!!!!!!

A.Wayne

Unless he is "Luckier" than Shumacher , his turn for a Mechanical DNF is coming...