Watch it McLaren and Red Bull - Alonso will win the WDC!
Discussion
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/85243
Fernando Alonso says Ferrari's performance in the British Grand Prix has left him more convinced that he will win the world championship this year - even though he failed to score a point.
The Spaniard endured a troubled race at Silverstone – making a poor start, clashing with team-mate Felipe Massa on the first lap and then getting hit with a drive-through for overtaking Robert Kubica off the track.
Those incidents left Alonso down in 14th place at the end of the race, and more worryingly 47 points adrift of Lewis Hamilton in the title chase.
But despite that setback, which came after big disappointment in the European Grand Prix, Alonso remains adamant that he will triumph at the end of the season.
"I think we will win. Yes," said Alonso. "I think we lacked points in Valencia and Silverstone, but these are some moments of the championship where we needed to show that we want the championship and that we are a contender. I am more convinced than before this race that we will win the championship."
Alonso said the race was made hard from the off – when clutch difficulties meant he lost a lot of places off the grid.
"The start was not good," he said. "We had some clutch problems all weekend. The start from the formation lap and at the end of the pit lane were not good either, so we were not full of confidence for the start, and unfortunately it was true.
"We had a poor start and then, in the first couple of laps, we were fifth. We tried to overtake people in the stops, but it didn't work because Robert was still in front of us after the stop.
"We had to attack to make some places and then we overtook Robert. But then I had the penalty and the safety car was deployed so we lost 14 positions in the drive-through.
"Obviously from that point it was difficult being in 18th position, so we tried to enjoy the race, make some overtaking, make some show."
When asked whether he felt the drive-through penalty was a bit harsh, considering he had no opportunity to give the place back to Kubica, Alonso said with a resigned smile on his face: "It is not my job. I drive the car. What the stewards say is always right, so that is it."
Fernando Alonso says Ferrari's performance in the British Grand Prix has left him more convinced that he will win the world championship this year - even though he failed to score a point.
The Spaniard endured a troubled race at Silverstone – making a poor start, clashing with team-mate Felipe Massa on the first lap and then getting hit with a drive-through for overtaking Robert Kubica off the track.
Those incidents left Alonso down in 14th place at the end of the race, and more worryingly 47 points adrift of Lewis Hamilton in the title chase.
But despite that setback, which came after big disappointment in the European Grand Prix, Alonso remains adamant that he will triumph at the end of the season.
"I think we will win. Yes," said Alonso. "I think we lacked points in Valencia and Silverstone, but these are some moments of the championship where we needed to show that we want the championship and that we are a contender. I am more convinced than before this race that we will win the championship."
Alonso said the race was made hard from the off – when clutch difficulties meant he lost a lot of places off the grid.
"The start was not good," he said. "We had some clutch problems all weekend. The start from the formation lap and at the end of the pit lane were not good either, so we were not full of confidence for the start, and unfortunately it was true.
"We had a poor start and then, in the first couple of laps, we were fifth. We tried to overtake people in the stops, but it didn't work because Robert was still in front of us after the stop.
"We had to attack to make some places and then we overtook Robert. But then I had the penalty and the safety car was deployed so we lost 14 positions in the drive-through.
"Obviously from that point it was difficult being in 18th position, so we tried to enjoy the race, make some overtaking, make some show."
When asked whether he felt the drive-through penalty was a bit harsh, considering he had no opportunity to give the place back to Kubica, Alonso said with a resigned smile on his face: "It is not my job. I drive the car. What the stewards say is always right, so that is it."
Mini1275 said:
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/85243
When asked whether he felt the drive-through penalty was a bit harsh, considering he had no opportunity to give the place back to Kubica, Alonso said with a resigned smile on his face: "It is not my job. I drive the car. What the stewards say is always right, so that is it."
Oh Fred, you really have lost the plot. When asked whether he felt the drive-through penalty was a bit harsh, considering he had no opportunity to give the place back to Kubica, Alonso said with a resigned smile on his face: "It is not my job. I drive the car. What the stewards say is always right, so that is it."
Your mind is so full of the injustices you feel you have suffered from your nemesis that you have forgotten the Spa incident from 2008. You know, when at Renault you said that the place was not given back to Kimi "enough" and Ferrari agreed.
Following that debacle, and a rule specifically changed to cover that situation which is still in force, the next few GPs had drivers passing in chicanes off track, and giving the places back willy nilly. But you seem to have forgotten, and broke the rule with the excuse that you were waiting for the stewards' decision. That was only going to go one way - badly.
You need to get your mind back on the driving rather than worrying about your mind's view of the disservice you have had from the stewards. Only then will you show your true speed and have a cat in hells chance of winning the championship - given the car is competitive and the clutch starts to work again.
In short, stop whinging and do what they pay you to do - drive the wheels off the car. The move to (those that feel they have a God given right) Ferrari seems to have had a bad effect on your mental state and consequently, your performance in the last 2 GPs at least.
Isn't it nice to see that Alonso has finally found out that the stewards are indeed right all the time. it shows a development in his character, a mellowing of his mind. I believe he was so mellow that he didn't realise that some reporters might want to speak with him after the race and instead went back to his motorhome and shut the door.
Someone should have told him that he's not been forgotten, even if he did only come in - oh, who cares. Somewhere near the back.
There's not many people who could accept the decisions of the stewards, especially when they cost so many places. I mean, it's not as if it was his fault. Who would have thought that merely taking a short-cut across the circuit to gain a place would result in a penalty? I mean, you could quote Hamilton at Spa in 08 but that fundamentally different. He gave the place back.
And even though the chap he passed, and then allowed back, and then repassed spun off later but he was still robbed on his first place. I seem to remember that Alonso and, I think Ferrari, objected most strongly to the penalty but the FIA weren't to be moved.
I might be wrong with that last bit but I know Ferrari did say something. So it would have been supportive of LH.
Someone should have told him that he's not been forgotten, even if he did only come in - oh, who cares. Somewhere near the back.
There's not many people who could accept the decisions of the stewards, especially when they cost so many places. I mean, it's not as if it was his fault. Who would have thought that merely taking a short-cut across the circuit to gain a place would result in a penalty? I mean, you could quote Hamilton at Spa in 08 but that fundamentally different. He gave the place back.
And even though the chap he passed, and then allowed back, and then repassed spun off later but he was still robbed on his first place. I seem to remember that Alonso and, I think Ferrari, objected most strongly to the penalty but the FIA weren't to be moved.
I might be wrong with that last bit but I know Ferrari did say something. So it would have been supportive of LH.
Derek Smith said:
Isn't it nice to see that Alonso has finally found out that the stewards are indeed right all the time. it shows a development in his character, a mellowing of his mind. I believe he was so mellow that he didn't realise that some reporters might want to speak with him after the race and instead went back to his motorhome and shut the door.
Someone should have told him that he's not been forgotten, even if he did only come in - oh, who cares. Somewhere near the back.
There's not many people who could accept the decisions of the stewards, especially when they cost so many places. I mean, it's not as if it was his fault. Who would have thought that merely taking a short-cut across the circuit to gain a place would result in a penalty? I mean, you could quote Hamilton at Spa in 08 but that fundamentally different. He gave the place back.
And even though the chap he passed, and then allowed back, and then repassed spun off later but he was still robbed on his first place. I seem to remember that Alonso and, I think Ferrari, objected most strongly to the penalty but the FIA weren't to be moved.
I might be wrong with that last bit but I know Ferrari did say something. So it would have been supportive of LH.
They're so good-hearted I hear the red team don't even know what schadenfreude means! It used to be so different there...Someone should have told him that he's not been forgotten, even if he did only come in - oh, who cares. Somewhere near the back.
There's not many people who could accept the decisions of the stewards, especially when they cost so many places. I mean, it's not as if it was his fault. Who would have thought that merely taking a short-cut across the circuit to gain a place would result in a penalty? I mean, you could quote Hamilton at Spa in 08 but that fundamentally different. He gave the place back.
And even though the chap he passed, and then allowed back, and then repassed spun off later but he was still robbed on his first place. I seem to remember that Alonso and, I think Ferrari, objected most strongly to the penalty but the FIA weren't to be moved.
I might be wrong with that last bit but I know Ferrari did say something. So it would have been supportive of LH.
You can't have a go at him for still believing in himself, its that kind of attitude that helps get these drivers to F1 in the first place. They always believe they can win.
At the end of the day Alonso is driving very well but has been a bit unlucky the last few races. Think back to the last 3 or 4....he came 3rd in Canada (would have been second but he was unlucky with the tailender), Was lying 3rd in Valencia but was unlucky with the SC and had good pace in Silverstone too...unfortunately he got stuck behind Kubica, but look how fast he pulled away once infront. With a good start he would have been a dangerman.
He is still without a doubt one of the drivers that the other drivers do not want to see in their rear view mirror.
At the end of the day Alonso is driving very well but has been a bit unlucky the last few races. Think back to the last 3 or 4....he came 3rd in Canada (would have been second but he was unlucky with the tailender), Was lying 3rd in Valencia but was unlucky with the SC and had good pace in Silverstone too...unfortunately he got stuck behind Kubica, but look how fast he pulled away once infront. With a good start he would have been a dangerman.
He is still without a doubt one of the drivers that the other drivers do not want to see in their rear view mirror.
matt frost said:
You can't have a go at him for still believing in himself, its that kind of attitude that helps get these drivers to F1 in the first place. They always believe they can win.
At the end of the day Alonso is driving very well but has been a bit unlucky the last few races. Think back to the last 3 or 4....he came 3rd in Canada (would have been second but he was unlucky with the tailender), Was lying 3rd in Valencia but was unlucky with the SC and had good pace in Silverstone too...unfortunately he got stuck behind Kubica, but look how fast he pulled away once infront. With a good start he would have been a dangerman.
He is still without a doubt one of the drivers that the other drivers do not want to see in their rear view mirror.
Yep - he was on it all weekend at Silverstone too. He is a whinging git IMHO, but he is also a very good driver and for my money, from the current crop of drivers in F1 only he and Hamilton seem able to drag performances from their cars that transend the cars' "normal" levels. At the end of the day Alonso is driving very well but has been a bit unlucky the last few races. Think back to the last 3 or 4....he came 3rd in Canada (would have been second but he was unlucky with the tailender), Was lying 3rd in Valencia but was unlucky with the SC and had good pace in Silverstone too...unfortunately he got stuck behind Kubica, but look how fast he pulled away once infront. With a good start he would have been a dangerman.
He is still without a doubt one of the drivers that the other drivers do not want to see in their rear view mirror.
[quote=rubystone)
Yep - he was on it all weekend at Silverstone too. He is a whinging git IMHO, but he is also a very good driver and for my money, from the current crop of drivers in F1 only he and Hamilton seem able to drag performances from their cars that transend the cars' "normal" levels.
[/quote]
Agreed. FA is still a great driver, and although this is by no means a vantage year from him, and I think years of built up dissapointment have left him desperate, behind Hamilton, he is still the don.
JB is not too far behind- 14th place on the grid, and yet he keeps his cool and just plods on.
BM
Yep - he was on it all weekend at Silverstone too. He is a whinging git IMHO, but he is also a very good driver and for my money, from the current crop of drivers in F1 only he and Hamilton seem able to drag performances from their cars that transend the cars' "normal" levels.
[/quote]
Agreed. FA is still a great driver, and although this is by no means a vantage year from him, and I think years of built up dissapointment have left him desperate, behind Hamilton, he is still the don.
JB is not too far behind- 14th place on the grid, and yet he keeps his cool and just plods on.
BM
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