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coolGav April 25, 2008 11:39 AM

Fernando damaged his F1 career more than he predicted by his actions at McLaren. Now Ferrari seem reluctant to ever hire him, as he's shown he wont work with another driver who can consistently challenge him.

Therefore I agree that the rest of his F1 career could be driving for second rate teams, who are aiming to get better results than the car might be capable of. Unless the team he's in hits the front, more than the occasional podium seems remote now. Who would have though it 12 months ago?

Beowolf April 25, 2008 10:56 PM

Ha!  He's a sour-puss, glad he won't have the chance to dishonour Ferrari, where loyalty means so much.  It's not juct about winning, it's about passion and love, and to shoot the man who's categorically demonstrated over decades a commitment to racing above team orders... Alonso was criminal, a primadona of the worst kind.      

Not certain what's happening with Hamilton so far this year.  But racing has been interesting!  Thanks as ever for your articles in print too.   Been reading them years - first post here to you so hope you don't mind the thank yous and compliments.   Always read your full articles fairly swiftly with anticipation!    

montgomery April 26, 2008 7:05 PM

I don't agree with the points made in this article by Alan Henry and I don't agree with the other posts here so far. Maybe the fact that I'm not British, dont' live in the U.K. and haven't been fed all that ridiculous anti Ferrari/Alonso pro-Hamilton/McLaren propoganda by the British media helps me keep things in perspective.

Anyway, the fact of the matter is that Alonso is a double world-champion that beat Schumacher fair and square. He would have won his 3rd championship last year had McLaren given him the appropriate support as reigning world-champion. As it was they gambled on Hamilton and in the end inexperience showed. Today Alonso put the Renault on the front row, and although he is undoubtedly running light it would seem he is putting Renault back on track. McLaren on the other hand is struggling. Draw your own conclusions.

As an Italian citizen I can assure you that Montezemolo's statement should be taken with a pinch of salt! He could simply be trying to calm Massa after his shaky start to the season. I still wouldn't be at all surprised to see Alonso team up with Kimi next year.

montgomery April 26, 2008 7:07 PM

"Alonso was criminal, a primadona of the worst kind."

Can you elaborate on that statement? Was it not the McLaren team that were proven to have lied and cheated?

coolGav April 28, 2008 2:21 PM

Don't F1 drivers talk about their the driver they most want to beat is their own team mate? To be able to win a world championship you have to beat the other driver who has the same car as you. Alonso showed he wasn't able to always beat Hamilton in the McLaren. Sure, either of them could have taken the title, but a policy of equality meant since they were both in the hunt for the championship down to the last race, they had equal equipment and support. That policy of equality wasn't different because there was a rookie and a 2 time champion.

Beowolf April 29, 2008 12:03 AM

"Alonso was criminal, a primadona of the worst kind."

I think you'll find the details in the paragraph preceding this  comment should suffice to outline my pov.  

If not, from what I read and understood, Alonso 'turned' against the McLaren team, submitting information that was damaging to his employer, and indeed, team, to the tune of millions.  

If the McLaren team was guilty through negligence or stupidity, then finish the season and write about it in your memoirs, like a number of other racing drivers have occassionally alluded to.  

Notice, I have made no negative statements about his driving - which always seemed brilliant on many levels - brilliant enough to win championships - nor about his nationality - I love F1 for being so 'multi-cultural'.  

But to help destroy the team from within, from my own professional background, is a sacred taboo which is morally, if not legally, criminal.  

Beowolf April 29, 2008 12:06 AM

On a more positive note, my predictions for this year's F1 are going so well, I'm joint 3rd/5th on ITV's Fantasy Formula 1.  Yipee ;-0)  Thanks for the insights you've provided over the years to help reach this minor happiness.

montgomery April 29, 2008 1:42 PM

The fact of the matter is that Dennis doesn't know how to manage his drivers. Montoya was a shadow of what he was at Williams when he  passed to McLaren. Raikonnen is obviously much happier at Ferrari. Alonso brought a wealth of experience to the team that saw the car improve significantly from the previous season and allowed Hamilton to be competitive as well. If Dennis had backed the world champion Alonso to win the championship and let Hamilton learn from him then the team would have won its first world championship in years while preparing Hamilton to win many more in the future. Alonso might have stayed and Hamilton would have continued to improve, benifitting from the Alonso's experience. Instead they gambled on the rookie and blew it all (Denis as much as admitted in the second half of the year that McLaren were backing Hamilton).

Now, without Alonso, McLaren is going backwards while Renault move forward like they did last time he was there. As for the cheating, McLaren were rightly penalised for blatantly breaking the rules and lying throughout the season about it. Imagine the uproar from the British media and fans had it been Ferrari with McLaren data! Instead many British stubbornly continue to blindly put the blame on Alonso for the teams failure! Words fail me. If Dennis and his team hadn't cheated in the first place then Alonso wouldn't have been able to thraten him, would he???? Where is the honour in protecting a lier and cheat? Alonso can walk away from McLaren with his integrity intact as far as I'm concerned. The same can't be said about Ron Dennis or his team.

And, on a final note,  I wouldn't be at all surprised if Alonso wins another world championship before Hamilton does.  

Beowolf April 30, 2008 1:34 PM

Hi again Montgomery, in general agreement here.  

MAYBE if Dennis had backed Alonso... and ignored his long history of supportign both driver's equally - they would have won last year.  

I don't think - though what do I know as a TV pundit? - Dennis backed Hamilton in preference to Alonso in any practical sense - i.e. gave Hamilton more time/better equipment, but it seemed evident he was proud of the young man's achievements - who wasn't? And understandably miffed with Alonso towards the end.

Again re the cheating, though I've never fully discovered the full extent of the 'cheating', beyond revelations about the type of gas Ferrari used inside their tyres - I still think Alonso was a squeal, a stool-pigeon, and a primadona.  I ask you, do you think he would have willingly gone forwards to the FIA IF he was leading and likely to win the championship?  

I do agree, Alonso may well win another championship before Hamilton!  I always hope the best driver wins.  Even if they are as controversial, and at times obnoxious, like Schumacher or Senna...

The Colonel May 1, 2008 4:46 PM

"do you think he would have willingly gone forwards to the FIA IF he was leading and likely to win the championship?"

As I understand it, he didn't willingly go to the FIA.  He told Dennis that he had potentialy damaging info, in the context of the FIA warning drivers about the consequeces of not revealing/being found out, and it was Whitmarsh that told Dennis that he (Dennis) must go to the FIA with the information Alonso provided.   Alonso did not go knocking on Mosley's door.

OK, there may have been coercion in Alonso's intent but by then the damage in personal/professional relationships had been done anyway.  FWIW, in my opinion, post that event was when Alonso put in some of his best performances.

I think Montgomery's summation above is spot on.  Remember, it was Mclaren that chased Alonso when he was world champion for the first time, with a year to go at Renault, and he arrived with them as two-times world champ.  Mclaren blew it, in more ways than one.

Beowolf May 2, 2008 1:51 PM

Ta for the info.  What I remember  basically is along the lines of: Alonso and Dennis had huge row, where Alonso threatened to go to FIA.  Dennis 'turned himself in' after being threatened with Alonso.  But ready to admit at all times I have only the media to go on, and outside say column's such as Alan Henry's, I don't pay any attention to the Sports Press in 'regular' papers.

However I still think Alonso comes across, to me, as a sourpuss AND a primadona.  I also think he has the right to be however and whichever way he wants.  After all, Divas have attained a position of almost unassailable proportions, and have a certain 'right' to make demands.  Like many world champions, Alonso has absolutely nothing to prove to people like me, so best of luck to him in the future too. Again, may the best driver always win.  p.s. I also think Raikonen is sooooooooooooo dull and boring in interviews, which seems to contrast with his - as reported -  'playboy' lifestyle.  But so long as he's driving great...  

As I said earlier, I also agree with a great deal Montgomery has said ;-0)    

montgomery May 3, 2008 12:40 AM

Fair points guys. A couple of points though..:

1. McLaren had A LOT more information about Ferrari than just the contents of their tyres , hence their $100m fine which they didn't even bother to appeal...

2. Dennis basically admitted McLaren were backing Hamilton to beat Alonso:

www.timesonline.co.uk/.../article2617378.ece

montgomery May 3, 2008 12:52 AM

I think Ferrari fully deserved the title last year. They stayed united as a team(unlike McLaren)  and Raikonnen stayed commited until the last lap in Brasil.

But lets face it.... had McLaren backed Alonso for the whole season they would have won with 4 or 5 races to go. The idea of equal status is just and right but not when 1 driver is a double world champion and the other is a rookie... it's obvious that Alonso was bringinging more to the car's development than Hamilton. Obviously Hamilton is a massive talent and was a huge surprise to everybody, but Dennis should have waited a year to let him have a go at the championship. In the end he made mistakes which Alonso or Kimi wouldn't have made(and which he won't make again I imagine...).Dennis must be kicking himself though.

Beowolf May 3, 2008 9:24 PM

Gentlemen, these are my first few posts here, so thank however is a different story.  

Beowolf May 3, 2008 9:36 PM

Sorry re previous post: can I delete it?  Mistyped (or mispoke...)  But was: gentlemen, good to meet you, then blah blah blah, which I deleted accidentally before hitting that button: apologies.

'...1. McLaren had A LOT more information about Ferrari than just the contents of their tyres , hence their $100m fine which they didn't even bother to appeal...'

I'd like to know more about the details... and googled up a download of a 115 page alleged transcript of the FIA Emergency meeting where it was discussed.  WIll let you know if I get through reading it.

re: the timesonline link:  '...We weren’t racing Kimi, we were basically racing Fernando.”

Isn't that the problem?  Apart from it completely screwing up McClaren's year, isn't the basic problem that whether Dennis had a favourite re: Hamilton, they were BOTH racing each other?  Alonso and Hamilton?  Against each other?  Right to the wire?

OR maybe Alonso wanted Hamilton to be hobbled so he wasn't a threat, despite quicker qualifiactions and race times  throughout the year, whether thanks to Alonso's set-up skills or not?   Ooops, no, Alonso should have joined Ferrari, and said his name was Schumacher, so Hamilton should have been treated like Irvine, Barrichello and Massa.

In retrospect, maybe it would have been better FOR McClaren to take on the No1 & No2 Driver mentality. A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.  Better Alonso had won than neither.  Right?

But tell me gentlemen, please, would you have preferred  it if Alnso HAD been no1, and Hamilton no2?  Do you think the racing would have been so... so honest?  The year so dramatic, & controversial?

Beowolf May 6, 2008 11:20 PM

p.s.

So I did read all 115 pages of the FIA's 'Extraordinary Meeting of the World Motor Sport Council'.  found here:

www.f1fanatic.co.uk/.../wmsc-transcript-13-09-2007.pdf

The first 20 pages or so are dense, but it picks up at the pace of a typical court-room drama.  I might even go so far as to say I enjoyed it.

And while more fully informed in some ways I'm not much  wiser: typically it still depends on what you choose to believe.  But I will say I'm bloody glad Moseley is now in the doo-dah he is now in.  It's sweet revenge alright.  

If anybody else reads it, let me know.  

Thank you gentlemen, for the debate that prompted me to find that edifying little web-link.