RajDatta

+1. Kubica made it look easy. I know he was on fresh tires, but still..

MJSpeed

Here's the thing...if that were Alonso all you guys would be saying that it wasn't impressive because obviously the performance of the car was good enough to do it (afterall he qualified 8th) and that coupled with a great pit strategy is the only reason he did anything. Then someone would point out how the net result was a one position gain, from where started and that the only reason that happened was because of Hamilton's unlucky/dumb mistake.

So FA was sooo lucky but now Bobby had a heck of a race.

Having said that, I'll say this, Kubica's drive was awesome! My hypocrisy only goes so far.

multi21

MJ,

I like Kubica and I believe he's been in F1 too long not to have a top 3 ride. Staying at Renault another year is career suicide IMO, but Alonso would never allow a competitive driver like that to partner with him. Just ask Hamilton. Alonso couldn't handle the rookie Hamilton and Hamilton is on record as saying the he fears Kubica the most out of ALL the F1 drivers today.

The thing is is that I don't think his passing was all that impressive. He had frest rubber at the end of the race, so he didn't have to conserve anything (brakes, tires, engine etc). Everyone else on the track had 58-60 laps on their tires after the SC and Massa's pit on lap 1.

I do like the fact that he forced the issue with a lot of drivers and took them on the outside, but let's face it, if he was on par with the same tires as everyone else, he would not be able to do that.... and I'm a big Kubica fan.

MJSpeed

+1
Although I will say that allot of number one drivers don't want some competitive next to them. There are exceptions. Kimi, Mansell, Senna, etc...

9.5 Degrees

How about Prost? There is so much discussion about this one and that one, but never a peep about Prost!!! Why?

F1 World Championships

Schumacher = 7
Fangio =5
PROST = 4
Senna = 3
Alonso =2

A.Wayne

The sport is different today, totally controlled and manipulated by Bernie and Co. No 1 status is very important to become successful . Kubicka is better staying at Renault as no 1 until Bernie is ready for him to be WC, anymove before such would be suicidal to his career...

As Montoya found out ................................................!


Start one ...

Alain was a fantastic driver, nothing here to complain about IMO !!!!!! .....

Ray S

Well thanks for trying to put words in my mouth, but I just don't see it that way. I think Alonso has quite a bit of talent , but it's unfortunate that he feels the need to cheat and blackmail his way to the top. As a result, I've got basically zero respect for the guy. That being said I give credit for his talent when it's due and I have even picked him to win a race in one of my race polls this year.

As far as this race goes, Alonso lovers seems absolutely beside themselves with this win. Like it's somehow a vindication that he's back.

Did he have a good race? Obviously. Was it a "wow" drive? I don't think so. Like I said he qualified first on an street circuit and then went on to win with little if any real pressure from anyone behind him. Any F1 win is a big deal, but I don't see this win as an over the top outstanding performance.

Now Kubica on the other hand really hung it out there on this track. Sure he had fresher rubber, but this is still F1 and a lot of drivers can make the cars a mile wide even if they are slower than the car/driver they are defending against. Furthermore these were not backmarker cars he was passing.

If you think that analysis is hypocritical, I'll agree to disagree.

MJSpeed

Because Prost always wanted to have an unfair advantage vs his team mates. In '92 he signed with Williams for '93 and in his contract he had a clause that he had to approve who his team mate was. They basically gave him the right to refuse who drove along side him and although Senna offered to drive for free, Prost openly said that he didn't want Ayrton there with him, not based on the relationship but basically because Senna pushed too hard and he (Prost) couldn't cope with it anymore.

Then Senna pubically called Prost a coward because of that and because Prost quit the '89 Australian GP because it was raining too hard... PU$$Y.

multi21

Did he blackmail the team in order to get an unfair advantage? Prost might have been the professor, but Alonso gets down and dirty when he needs to

MJSpeed

Why would I think your analysis is hypocritical? I may think it's wrong, which I don't, but it is not hypocritical. I was stating that I'm not hypocritical and therefore give credit when credit is due as well. I did state that Kubica's drive was awesome.

My hypothesis of, if it were Alonso, was simply to illustrate that allot of the people here on RL have such a huge bias against him that they wouldn't give him any credit for a similar drive.

Relax Francis.

A.Wayne

MJ, please .................


Prost teammates were Senna, Mansell, lauda,Rosberg,Arnoux,Alesi and he never had a contract giving him number 1 status or preventing his teammates from competing against him. That's counting 8 WDC between his teammates and the only reason he had that Williams contract was due to his history with Senna....and justifiably so IMO..

Remember Prost had the option to block senna from coming to Mclaren and he didn't ..

multi21

I'm out of this one....

multi21

You had to start another one, didn't you....

MJSpeed

Yes he did. He threatened Williams that he would sue them for breach of contract if they hired Senna. In 1990 Ferrari fired him because he tried to use the media to blackmail/pressure them into making changes that would benefit him but hurt Alesi. I met Prost several times, he drove for the same team I drove for in Formula Renault. Taught me allot about what type of driver I wanted to be and what type of man I didn't want to be.

I was huge McLaren fan until 2007, I liked Schumi until 1994 he then added to it in 1997, I liked Prost until 1989. I don't root for cheaters, still, however respect their abilities.

A.Wayne

MJ, you view Prost as a cheater................. Wow !


How did he cheat , by telling the press that his Ferrari drove like a truck and they were not instituting changes as they should .. Because he enforced his contract not to allow Senna to be his teammate in 93, because he feared for his life and you really believe that Ferrari hires a 3 times WDC and then they would listen to Alesi with Zeroooooooooo victories and 2 yrs total F1 experience.

Both Prost and Alesi had horrible reliability and to make things worst There had been a lot of changes going on with the most notable change being Cesare Fiorio had been fired as team manager of Ferrari and had been replaced by Piero Ferrari. It was Italian mismanagement at the highest level, hence the stupidity of Ferrari firing the 3 WDC Prost, an action that was only later matched by Ron Dennis stupidity, when he mismanaged Alonso in 07.

You have to also admit Aryton had it out for Prost and did put him in jeopardy on many occasions , very similar to the foolishness being exhibit by Schumacher against Barrichello.

I'm sure any reasonable person could understand Prost desire not to be Senna's teammate after his past experiences , one has to wonder why Aryton would want to go through all those emotions again anyway ...


Prost is French , I know , I know , but that's about the worst you can say about him IMO as an F1 driver ...




As a team owner ....... wellll different story ...........