multi21

Rumor has it that the Vatican has lit more candles than usual for this weekend's race.

Didn't a certain A. W. Pick F. Alonso for WDC this year? Hmmmmm, how's that working out for ya

ilko

Those were fun practice sessions this morning. I'm starting to like the testing ban more and more. IIRC teams would test for 3 days prior to the Monza race. Today's practice session was exciting to watch- a total crap shoot! Red Bull painting their rear wings the McLarens running with and without f-ducts, etc.

And did anyone see Ferrari practicing team orders towards the end of P2? Massa on a hot lap after going fastest the lap before, Alonso behind him. Massa gets a call on the radio to let Alonso through (series of coughs by Rob Smedley) and immediately drops a wheel in Parabolica. Alonso skates by the dust cloud and sets the fastest time. Only Ferrari didn't think that Vettel could win the DE. Like I said, exciting to watch!

A.Wayne

Awwww you guys are being 2 hard on Schumacher , speaking of which , how is that pick working out for yah petal, amigos ? ......





PS: Alonso was driving an mis-aligned Ferrari , ask Barrichello ..........

enduro911

I think even those on the forum who aren't Alonso fans would acknowledge the distinct possibility that Alonso's car wasn't 100% right. Even if nothing broke to send him spinning, there may have been the possibility that it altered the way his car handled (alignment or something). I was shocked to see that he was able to continue after Sato possessed Rubens and clobbered him.

RajDatta

Do you actually expect these guys to ever see things without the Alonso hatred glasses? They are as blind as they come.
Don't worry, one good result and they will all go into hiding.

enduro911

When it's all said and done, you can be a fanboi, but you have to at least consider the results as objectively as possible. Mainly because Wayne was the one that typed it out, if I or someone else that isn't a die hard Alonso fan doesn't echo that there may be some truth in it, it gets overlooked. Worse case is that we debate it, and everyone goes home pouting.

A.Wayne

Well can you believe this , i spend days with the FIA and now he wants to step up...

Thanks Faux 7 ..............



Schumacher would help review team orders

By Jonathan Noble Friday, September 10th 2010, 10:16 GMT

Michael Schumacher has offered to help provide input for the framing of new team order rules in Formula 1 - to ensure that they satisfy both the fans and those involved in the sport.

With the FIA asking F1 think tank the Sporting Working Group to review the outright ban on team orders in the wake of the Ferrari controversy from the German Grand Prix, there is pressure on those involved not to alienate those who follow the sport with any changes that are made.

That is why Schumacher believes the team orders situation must be considered very carefully - and why he thinks experienced figures like him should be involved in the decision-making process.

"The sport has different interests and it is maybe at this moment in time necessary to find a very clear situation that is understood by everybody," explained the seven-time champion.

"It [the current team orders rule] is maybe a little bit too open to what we wish it to be. I am pretty sure that the teams and the FIA will put a best effort in to clarify the situation and make it clear to everybody."

Schumacher has drawn short of going public with what his views are on the matter - but says he will readily speak to people behind closed doors to offer help.

"I have a very clear position on what I think about team orders, but I don't think there is a very clear rule or comment that would clarify easily everybody's interests," he said.

"It needs really a thoughtful discussion and not many people spreading out ideas without any sense. So there is no point now to give you some hints.

"I would like to sit together with the right people and discuss it then, if you don't mind, and then come up with a very clear situation."

When asked to clarify that he actually wanted an active role in the team orders discussions, Schumacher said: "This would be ideal - but I don't think I am going to be too much invited.

"Naturally I have given advice in this respect and here and there I do get the question, no doubt, and I express my opinion.

"But you see in the media and this environment that every so often people have this magic idea. But, if you think everything through, you find some grey spots on it. So there is no point to discuss those issues in public at least."

multi21

Alonso: If I win F1 2010 title, I'll deserve it

Whilst answering his critics by asserting that if he claims the F1 2010 World Championship crown it will be because he deserves it, a 'super-happy' Fernando Alonso concedes time is beginning to run out for Ferrari...
Faced with a barrage of media questions on the topic of the FIA World Motor Sport Council (WMSC) verdict on the Ferrari Hockenheim team orders row, double F1 World Champion Fernando Alonso remained indignant on the eve of the 2010 Italian Grand Prix at Monza this weekend, contending that if he clinches the crown for a third time this year, it will be because he deserves it.

Following its 'extraordinary meeting' on Wednesday of this week, the WMSC decreed that whilst it did believe Ferrari and drivers Alonso and Felipe Massa had broken the rule banning team orders in the top flight with their late-race switch of positions in the German Grand Prix in July to the Spaniard's benefit, there was insufficient evidence to fully prove as much and that 'inconsistencies' in the application of the regulation in recent years made it infeasible to penalise the Scuderia any further.

That has led some to surmise that should Alonso go on to lift the laurels this season by less than the seven points he unjustly inherited from Massa at Hockenheim, then it will be a hollow triumph. Not so, the Oviedo native maintains.

“We were already very concentrated on Monza,” he mused in the Thursday press conference ahead of this weekend's competitive action. “I think we've talked too much [about Hockenheim]. All the August break we talked about the Germany incident. I'm happy to see that the FIA will go deep into the rules and try to clarify if there is anything that is not completely clear, and like this we will all be clearer about everything.

“The decision was something that we were waiting for, and we were ready to respect whatever it was and remain calm. The drivers did not play a big role in the hearing. Nothing changed for us and we respected the decision. It's something that is in the past for us. Now we're completely focussed on the performance of the car and trying to be on the podium, trying to win races.

“For sure, every championship you start or every first race you arrive at in a new season you want to become champion at the end, and if you cannot arrive at that goal, for sure it's a disappointment for yourself and for the team because you've been preparing the championship towards victory at the end – but I think the words failure or disaster or those sorts of things are a little bit too extreme.

“We are in a very competitive sport, we know our opponents are very strong as well, very competitive and the champion at the end is the one that deserves it most. If we are not champions, it's because we didn't do enough, so let's wait and see what happens – but this first season at Ferrari, so far, has been incredible. It has been the best of my life and I'm enjoying it. I'm a super-happy man, so we will see what happens in the end.”

Batting off a series of suggestions that if he does go on to claim 2010 glory, it will not mean as much as his previous two world championships in 2005 and 2006 because it will have been partly won in a Paris courtroom rather than out on the race track, Alonso remains adamant that whoever emerges on top come season's end will fully merit being there.

“When you win the title, you win the title,” the 29-year-old asserted. “I think that whoever is first at the end is [first] because they have more points than the others. This is the way it has been throughout the history of F1 and other sports as well – in football, in the Premier League, in tennis...”

fast_freddy

I'd posit that the F cars know they have no chance of winning so they compromised race pace just to get pole. Interesting that McLaren split the usage of the "F Duct" between Button and Hammy and didn't get that much of a Delta between them.

Flying Finn

Do you think maybe Alonso himself would've felt if something was wrong with his car...?

PPo

The big difference will be in race pace. Did you see the wing Button is running? That is a lot of downforce for this circuit, and the f-duct will remove the drag on the straights. But what that downforce will do is reduce tire wear and increase mid-corner traction... I think Button had the slowest trap speed the entire qualifying if I heard correctly.

I always thought that they run Button with a different set-up and strategy to Hamilton... This seems to be the way McLaren has operated for the past 10+ years. Two different strategies for thier drivers every race... a common position among teams, and it is the main reason why I believe comparing teammates doesn't make sense.

A.Wayne

errr, No , Mclaren has not done so for 10 +yrs .....

and if he did ............................... ?




Great seeing Faux 7 beaten again by Barrichello in a Williams ... LOL

Nutty Pete, amigos , Schumacher washers, told you for years Barichello was faster!

Schumacher is that 7 times grammy winner , artist of the year, most records sold , most top ten yady yada and then Bam ! .. turns out he was nothing more than a lip sync-ing wanna be ....




Alonso ends Ferrari's pole drought




By Matt Beer Saturday, September 11th 2010, 13:03 GMT



Fernando Alonso gave Ferrari its first pole position in almost two years and claimed his first pole since joining the team with an excellent performance in qualifying for the Italian squad's home race.

Felipe Massa could not quite make it an all-Ferrari front row but took third, with Jenson Button's McLaren splitting the red cars and starting second.

Red Bull had its worst qualifying session of the season, with Mark Webber and Sebastian Vettel back in an unaccustomed fourth and sixth, sandwiching championship leader Lewis Hamilton's McLaren.

Massa and Alonso had been fastest in Q1 and Q2 respectively, and when Q3 began Alonso immediately made his intentions clear with a 1m21.962s provisional pole lap - 0.297 seconds clear of his rivals.

Alonso's second run was less successful and he aborted the lap, but it did not matter, for he had enough in hand to hang on to pole despite Button improving to a 1m22.084s as he cemented his second place.

Behind Massa, Webber jumped ahead of Hamilton - who unlike Button, is not using McLaren's F-duct this weekend - while Vettel was 0.7s off the pace in sixth.

Seventh went to Mercedes' Nico Rosberg, whose team-mate Michael Schumacher had another mediocre qualifying run and will start 12th.

Williams got both cars into Q3, with Nico Hulkenberg taking eighth and Rubens Barrichello 10th, split by Renault's Robert Kubica.

There would be no repeat of Force India's brilliant 2009 Monza form. Adrian Sutil was only 11th, missing a Q3 spot by 0.057s, while Tonio Liuzzi suffered a loss of power early in Q1 and sat out most of the session, leaving him 20th on the grid.

The Saubers and Toro Rossos were also knocked out in Q2, along with Renault's Vitaly Petrov - whose 15th place may yet be in jeopardy after a potential blocking incident with Timo Glock at the start of Q1.

Lotus and Virgin proved closely-matched in the new teams' battle before strong last laps from the Lotus pair pulled them clear - and put them ahead of the hobbled Liuzzi. Jarno Trulli team-mate Heikki Kovalainen to 'class pole' in 18th.


Pos Driver Team Q1 .. Q2 .. Q3
1. Alonso Ferrari .. 1:22.646 .. 1:22.297 .. 1:21.962
2. Button McLaren-Mercedes .. 1:23.085.. 1:22.354 ... 1:22.084
3. Massa Ferrari .. 1:22.421.. 1:22.610 .. 1:22.293
4. Webber Red Bull-Renault .. 1:23.431 .. 1:22.706 .. 1:22.433
5. Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes .. 1:22.830 .. 1:22.394 ... 1:22.623
6. Vettel Red Bull-Renault .. 1:23.235 ...1:22.701 ... 1:22.675
7. * Rosberg Mercedes ... 1:23.529 ...1:23.055 ... 1:23.027
8. Hulkenberg Williams-Cosworth .. 1:23.516 .. 1:22.989 .. 1:23.037
9. Kubica Renault .. 1:23.234 .. 1:22.880 .. 1:23.039
10. Barrichello Williams-Cosworth .. 1:23.695.. 1:23.142 ...1:23.328
11. Sutil Force India-Mercedes .. 1:23.493 .. 1:23.199
12. * Schumacher Mercedes .. 1:23.840... 1:23.388
13. Kobayashi Sauber-Ferrari ... 1:24.273 ... 1:23.659
14. Buemi Toro Rosso-Ferrari ... 1:23.744... 1:23.681
15. Petrov Renault ... 1:24.086 ...1:23.819
16. Alguersuari Toro Rosso-Ferrari ... 1:24.083 ... 1:23.919
17. de la Rosa Sauber-Ferrari ... 1:24.442 ... 1:24.044
18. Trulli Lotus-Cosworth ... 1:25.540
19. Kovalainen Lotus-Cosworth ... 1:25.742
20. Liuzzi Force India-Mercedes ... 1:25.774
21. Glock Virgin-Cosworth .. 1:25.934
22. di Grassi Virgin-Cosworth ... 1:25.974
23. Senna HRT-Cosworth ... 1:26.847
24. Yamamoto HRT-Cosworth ... 1:27.020

All Timing Unofficial

AC coupe

You can't compare between two cars but he did get beaten again by Nico. At some point someone will have to say that being older slows you down.
think he'll stay on for next season?

AC coupe

Oh and Alonso put down one hell of a lap today. I think he could have been even faster had he not wobbled at Lesmo 1 on his good pole lap/

wanna911

That's what I was thinking, seems like a no brainer to run the F-duct. Lewis screwed up in Q3 so we'll never know how fast it really was. But if he can stay close he should be able to walk some people down on the straights.