Alonso: just when I thought he'd matured
Alonso: just when I thought he'd matured
Author
Discussion

Derek Smith

Original Poster:

49,786 posts

277 months

Friday 3rd April 2009
quotequote all
Alonso has stuck the knife in McLaren. Just when he'd started to make the occasional sensible comment he reckoned that:

"Of course it reminds me of 2007. This is not the first time they have been to the stewards, it is not the first time they have lied to the stewards, so sooner or later they had to be caught and punished."

That would be when you cheated, Alonso, and McLaren got fined.

Well I've misjudged drivers before and I'll probably misjudge them again. But I was wrong about Alonso because I thought I was wrong about him in 2007. I'd formed the opinion he was an ahole then and I'm convinced of it now. I'd just like to apologise for thinking he'd changed. I was, in current terminology, 'misled'.

The only good bit about it is that he's obviously still bitter about it. That's good punishment. I've always found that if you move on and put it all behind you, not only do you feel better but if anyone did have it in for you, they feel worse.

Can't say I've ever taken to Ryan though. I wouldn't want anyone to lose their job beause of what the stewards say - except Mossy and Eccs of course - but I've never considered him a massive asset to McLaren.

So reading between the lines it would appear that Ryan told LH not to mention the instruction to let Trulli pass. Does anyone else get that impression?

andyps

7,819 posts

311 months

Friday 3rd April 2009
quotequote all
Agree with all you say Derek, except the comment re Dave Ryan but that is only because I am not aware enough about what he does/did to want to comment.

It does seem that Alonso still has a chip on his shoulder about 2007 and like you I thought he had said some positive things which indicated he had moved on, but maybe not. As Lewis who got punished for lying in Australia, and Alonso is now admitting lying to the Stewards during 2007 it seems that he could be treading on very thin ice. Almost certainly he is as someone who even this year is probably under some contract with McLaren, but also the FIA could get retrospective.

In addition, this comment:
"I read about it on Thursday in the hotel, because I was there all day. I turned the computer on and I read it. Every time there are decisions taken against other teams you don't care too much and in this case it didn't change the result for me, so it didn't affect me too much."
is a lie - with Lewis disqualified in Australia he has benefited- he finished behind Lewis after all (having started ahead of him in a car most regard as superior).

o/t - still didn't manage to get an email to you successfully.

jamieboy

5,929 posts

258 months

Friday 3rd April 2009
quotequote all
andyps said:
Alonso is now admitting lying to the Stewards during 2007
I missed that bit - where did he say that he lied to the stewards?

Cara Van Man

29,977 posts

280 months

Friday 3rd April 2009
quotequote all
That's Alonso all over.....dignified, superfast, ambassador etc etc......until the opportunity to stick the knife in arises, then he turns into a spoilt, bitter child.

A pity really as it overshadows his good points.

Steamer

14,183 posts

242 months

Friday 3rd April 2009
quotequote all
Hes Spanish! what did you expect!?!

..if you listen to him on the radio you might be mistaken for thinking he was a Naaasty Mexican Bandito... and we all know just how trust worthy they are! bandit

Only kiddin! He's a great driver, would love to see him in a Ferrari.

ph123

1,841 posts

247 months

Friday 3rd April 2009
quotequote all
... there's always a sinister killer instinct/ruthless edge with World Champions. That's why ...

Rocky Balboa

1,308 posts

229 months

Friday 3rd April 2009
quotequote all
Hardly suprising! Alonso wasn't shown the respect he deserved at Mclaren, especially by Lewis!

Cara Van Man

29,977 posts

280 months

Friday 3rd April 2009
quotequote all
Rocky Balboa said:
Hardly suprising! Alonso wasn't shown the respect he deserved at Mclaren, especially by Lewis!
rolleyes

You mean he wanted number one staus and failed to attain it. From then on he proved to be a disruptive influence within the team.

It must have been embarrassing being shown up by a rookie as double world champion.

andyps

7,819 posts

311 months

Friday 3rd April 2009
quotequote all
jamieboy said:
andyps said:
Alonso is now admitting lying to the Stewards during 2007
I missed that bit - where did he say that he lied to the stewards?
He was part of the team, if the team were lying, it is likely that he was also. But I accept that he did not directly say he lied to the stewards. In reality we know that he was happy to lie prior to telling Ron Dennis about his involvement in the issue of Ferrari handing over their data.

jamieboy

5,929 posts

258 months

Friday 3rd April 2009
quotequote all
andyps said:
Alonso is now admitting lying to the Stewards during 2007
andyps said:
I accept that he did not directly say he lied to the stewards.
Thanks for clarifying that. smile

caduceus

6,126 posts

295 months

Friday 3rd April 2009
quotequote all
jamieboy said:
andyps said:
Alonso is now admitting lying to the Stewards during 2007
andyps said:
I accept that he did not directly say he lied to the stewards.
Thanks for clarifying that. smile
rofl classic

philis

415 posts

246 months

Friday 3rd April 2009
quotequote all
I think it all adds to the spectacle, when drivers and teams are at each others throat it adds another dimension when they come up against each other on track.

35secToNuvolari

1,016 posts

232 months

Friday 3rd April 2009
quotequote all
I was never a big fan of Alonso, his comments during the '05 and '06 championships were often stubbornly defensive and smug, but I wouldn't automatically disregard what he says. It seems the opinions of him are darker only because people are making them relative to an idealistic view of Mclaren. I usually like the skeptical look at the F1 scene, but in this most recent case, it seems more apparent that people are automatically accepting Mclaren's version of reality and defending that without considering any of the other options. 2007 was an exceptional year for how Mclaren were treated, but it doesn't mean they were acted perfectly during that year either. I don't think all of Alonso's misgivings about his time with the team are about not receiving no. 1 status. Some yes, but I also think the team mishandled him, as there is evidence to suggest they're capable of doing (Prost,Coulthard,Andretti).

RichB

56,275 posts

313 months

Friday 3rd April 2009
quotequote all
Cara Van Man said:
Rocky Balboa said:
Hardly suprising! Alonso wasn't shown the respect he deserved at Mclaren, especially by Lewis!
rolleyes You mean he wanted number one staus and failed to attain it. From then on he proved to be a disruptive influence within the team...
I think there was a touch of sarcasm in Rocky's comment hehe

deadslow

8,788 posts

252 months

Friday 3rd April 2009
quotequote all
Cara Van Man said:
That's Alonso all over.....dignified, superfast, ambassador etc etc......until the opportunity to stick the knife in arises, then he turns into a spoilt, bitter child.

A pity really as it overshadows his good points.
Did you detest Senna's tantrums?

deadslow

8,788 posts

252 months

Friday 3rd April 2009
quotequote all
Cara Van Man said:
You mean he deserved number one staus and failed to receive it. From then on McL went on to lose both championships, which were both winnable under FA's leadership
He is the best. Get over it,

rupert the dog

1,433 posts

246 months

Friday 3rd April 2009
quotequote all
deadslow said:
Cara Van Man said:
You mean he deserved number one staus and failed to receive it. From then on McL went on to lose both championships, which were both winnable under FA's leadership
He is the best. Get over it,
I agree, he is, but he's going to have yet another tough season with (i)one[/i} of the best in Button at last in a decent car. Good luck to them both. In fact, good luck to them all, there's really not a totally unlikeable one amongst them.



deadslow

8,788 posts

252 months

Friday 3rd April 2009
quotequote all
rupert the dog said:
deadslow said:
Cara Van Man said:
You mean he deserved number one staus and failed to receive it. From then on McL went on to lose both championships, which were both winnable under FA's leadership
He is the best. Get over it,
I agree, he is, but he's going to have yet another tough season with (i)one[/i} of the best in Button at last in a decent car. Good luck to them both. In fact, good luck to them all, there's really not a totally unlikeable one amongst them.
Agree. How much does Alonso regret not going to Honda?

Cara Van Man

29,977 posts

280 months

Friday 3rd April 2009
quotequote all
deadslow said:
Cara Van Man said:
You mean he deserved number one staus and failed to receive it. From then on McL went on to lose both championships, which were both winnable under FA's leadership
He is the best. Get over it,
I agree that he is probably the best, however, his need to stick the knife in does him no favours......he'd earn a lot more respect if he refused to comment and acted a little more dignified.

I've nothing to get over thanks. Apart from my wife. smile

deadslow

8,788 posts

252 months

Friday 3rd April 2009
quotequote all
Cara Van Man said:
deadslow said:
Cara Van Man said:
You mean he deserved number one staus and failed to receive it. From then on McL went on to lose both championships, which were both winnable under FA's leadership
He is the best. Get over it,
I agree that he is probably the best, however, his need to stick the knife in does him no favours......he'd earn a lot more respect if he refused to comment and acted a little more dignified.

I've nothing to get over thanks. Apart from my wife. smile
Telling his story is great for his fans and anyone interested in the sport. He's probably not too bothered about your respect, so I'm guessing he may not refuse to comment about stuff he knows everything about.

No need to thank me, thanks.