multi21

You'll have to forgive Luis, he hasn't slept since Spain won the World Cup and felt it necessary during a national holiday in Espana to comment on what is clearly another mental error on the part of the "Best Driver in Formula 1". BTW, Spain deserved to win.

Luis is a true FanATIC in the sense that his loyalty to his countryman is blind even in the face of evidence that says otherwise.

PPo

Agreed... I hope my comment was not seen as anti-British... as it was intended to be all humour, no insult. I apologize if it is the root of the statements...

enduro911

I haven't even seen the race (but I do have it recorded) so I'm not really in the best position to comment, but I think I get the gist of what happened with Alonso. I have two thoughts. First, I'm not defending Alonso's actions, but do remember that if he's trying everything, legal and illegal, to get his car some points, that his approached isn't too different from Hamilton, Schumacher or even, *GASP* Senna? *Woman faints in the back of the room* People who are that successful and talented are typically pretty high strung are not accustomed to losing. When they do, they have no idea how to cope with it.

If I were playing Johnny Cochrane, I'd say that his willingness to do anything is an improvement for him, if anything, because I see it as him pledging his allegiance to the team, in good times or bad (in addition to what I mentioned above about him not knowing how to lose). Like it or not, he's one of the best drivers in F1 and none of the other top drivers are available for hire. If Ferrari are going to be competitive next year, they're going to need him because as much as I like Felipe I'm not sure what's happened to his performance. My guess is that taking time off from F1 really puts everyone, Schumacher, Massa, Villeneuve, Badoer, off the pace, some more than others.

My second thought is that many people will blame Alonso for Ferrari's downfall. Just remember that Ferrari were on their way down the hill last year when he hadn’t even arrived. As the dream team at Ferrari dissipated, the team got gradually weaker and weaker. They even coughed up a championship to Hamilton in 08. Jean Todt leaving was truly the last straw. Alonso’s timing is impeccably bad, but just because two events occur simultaneously does not mean that one can easily determine cause and effect, sufficient and necessary.

multi21

^^^ Okay, so let's sum up Enduro's post. "Alonso is doing everything legal (staying behind the safety car in Valencia) and illegal (cutting the chicane to overtake Kubica at the British GP).

So he thought that he did the right thing in Valencia and the FIA Stewarts screwed him by allowing Hamilton to go 17 laps before they called a drivethrough on Hamilton and then Hamilton ran another 3 laps for a total of 20 laps after the infraction and then only gave Hamilton a meaningless drive through penalty. Yes, Alonso was screwed on that.

So the next week he does something illegal, but is basic racing 101 and taught to him in the first year of karting and knowing it is illegal, but not giving the spot right back is just plain stupid. Did he think the British Bias FIA was going to let that go, especially when it would have been down to him and Hamilton competing for a podium spot? No way. You've got to be smart when you have a microscope on you and he just isn't.

enduro911

Pete, we're definitely in agreement about both. I posted something about his being desperate because the car being a piece of junk in Alonso Career Path thread. I think he's just trying to hard because he genuinely wants the team to succeed. While inexcusable, it does offer a different POV than many people here have about him destroying teams out of vengence. Now he's just doing it unintentionally.

ilko

I'm sorry I don't see how running into your teammate's car and causing his tire to blow out is in the team's best interest. Alonso has never put the team above his own aspirations, whether it's Renault, McLaren, or Ferrari now. I see him wanting to solidify his #1 position in the team. Don't forget Felipe has a lot of supporters within Ferrari and we've seen that Alonso doesn't do well with a strong teammate.

Regarding the penalty - sure it does seem harsh but IIRC Lewis cut a corner while fighting for position with Kimmi at Spa a couple of years ago. He then immediately let Kimmi retake the position. A little while later he passed Kimmi fair and square and was still served a drive through penalty. So that type of punishment is not without precedent. The fact that Alonso didn't even bother to give up the position immediately after is more of interest to me. Sure they are all highly motivated drivers, etc, etc. But you can be ruthless and do it with finesse. I didn't see that yesterday in the #8 car.

A.Wayne

LOL.........That's a lot of spam there Buddy .............

ilko

Ma!!! The MEATLOAF....We want it now!!!!

A.Wayne

LOL... try as they might Stooley is the gift that keeps on giving ......

+10 ... even if Mansel helped Button ....

Ray you delusional crackpot ...

The FIA enforces the rules, safety car and punishment based on the show. Alonso was punished for blasting them in Valencia... Dig , nothing to do with being pushed off the track and getting ahead of Kubica...

He was told to give back the postion ... there was no Kubica
He was given a drive thru penalty a huge penalty costing what 10 places


The FIA (Forcefully Impeding Alonso) rule application was there attempt to silence there critics, it is why drivers like Hamilton , Alonso and now Webber will always be liked by true racers , they speak out . Not like you who favor Vettel and stoolmacher , the smoke and mirrors, cry baby racers ...

Get real Ray ,Ray , the penalty was a farce !!!!!

ltc

Now we're talking

Ray S

Exactly, she waited hoping to get what she usually gets......preferential teatment.

Alonso could have given the position back right away, but she didn't. She rolled the dice and lost.

But don't worry, Wayne I really am all broken up about it......(on the inside).

Get my bottle ready, it's not looking too good for you.

A.Wayne

Bottle ? ohhh yes ,yes .......... Your bottle of Dettol is ready sir...

A.Wayne

Read it and Weep Amigas ......... It was not Alonso's call Bitchesss.....



Ferrari was advised to let Kubica through

By Michele Lostia and Pablo Elizalde Tuesday, July 13th 2010, 12:06 GMT



Ferrari was told three times that Fernando Alonso should have let Robert Kubica through during the British Grand Prix, according to the FIA race director Charlie Whiting.

Alonso was given a drive-through at Silverstone after overtaking Renault's Kubica by going off track.

The penalty, which Ferrari felt was too harsh, ruined Alonso's chances of a good result, the Spaniard finishing down in 14th position.

Although the penalty was given nine laps after Alonso passed Kubica, Whiting said Ferrari was advised to let Kubica through immediately, but that the team decided against it.

"We told Ferrari three times that in my opinion they should give the position back to Kubica," Whiting was quoted as saying by Autosprint magazine.

"And we told them that immediately, right after the overtaking manoeuvre. On the radio, I suggested to them that if they exchange position again, there would be no need for the stewards to intervene.

"But they didn't do that and on the third communication they said that Kubica was by then too far back to let him regain the position.

"It's not true at all that the stewards took too long to decide. For us the facts were clear immediately: Alonso had gained an advantage by cutting the track."


Ferrari team principal Stefano Domenicali said the team did not ask Alonso to let Kubica through because it did not feel the Spaniard has gained an advantage.


"He tried to be aggressive to overtake, and we complained the drivers not to be aggressive and we complain about the lack of overtaking, and so at that stage, we felt as we normally do at that moment that we need to go on the radio with race control to check what is the position," Domenicali said.

"And normally, we take the right time to discuss with race control to make the judgement, and the moment when race control give us the instruction to give back the position to Robert, it was clear that Robert had already lost a lot of time - effectively he had a problem and he came back. That is the situation we analysed.

"You can have a situation where immediately there is a possibility to give back the position to a driver if you feel that there is really an advantage that you gain. On our side we felt that was not the case otherwise we would have done it."

Domenicali said that by the time the stewards told them Alonso should let Kubica by, the Pole was already too far behind.

Kubica retired from the race moments later with mechanical problems.

"As soon as we received the information that in the opinion of the stewards, Fernando should have given back the position to Robert, Robert was already very far behind and Robert was really slowing down because he had a problem."

jbossolo

So, let me get this right, he cuts the corner, goes over the curb, four wheels off, and they (Ferrari) don't feel he had an advantage? Got it.

A.Wayne

No they felt that Kubica was 2 far behind to give back the position at the time of being told to do so , as he was already slowing ....