2012 Formula One German Grand Prix

[Jack Sargent]

Why do you say this? He is good there is no questioning that. But there are plenty of other drivers that also possess extremely good car control. Maybe just maybe people need to stop this nonsense that Alonso is driving inferior equipment and come to the realization that the 2012 Ferrari car is not one of the crappier cars on the grid, no the 2012 Ferrari car is actually one of the better cars. Did you see the onboard footage of Schumacher and Alonso from wet qualifying in Silverstone? Schumacher was fighting his Mercedes from understeering, then oversteering on every corner while Alonso's Ferrari just carved through all the corners with barely a fight. To some they would say "Oh look Schumacher is a poor driver" while saying "Oh look at Alonso's control, he is the greatest driver who has ever lived". The drivers are not all equal, for sure some are better than others. But one must always combine the car and the driver together. The driver can not win without a good car and a good car will not win without a good driver. Last year Vettel/Red Bull had this winning combination. So far this year Alonso/Ferrari seem to have the right combination. But the season is far from over. Put Schumacher in the 2012 Ferrari, put Kimi in the 2012 Ferrari, put Hamilton, Button or any number of other drivers in the 2012 Ferrari and they too might look pretty damn impressive. The only thing we can be certain of is that Alonso is better than Massa.

Sounds like sour grapes to me.

One of the main reasons the 2012 Ferrari is now at the level it is is because of the work Alonso has done in helping to develop the car.

The Ferrari is not as good a car as you make out. You just need to look at how Alonso has had to defend his position towards the end of races to see that.

And also if it such a great car why is Massa not consistently performing to a higher level??

Answer is because Alonso is getting the absolute maximum out of the equipment available to him at almost every race. Not many other drivers can say they have done that.

No one is saying Alonso is the greatest driver ever but he is certainly the best all round driver on the grid today, without question. Not the fastest maybe but he is the shrewdest, most calculated driver around.

It's worth watching F1 just to see his immense talent at work and he is at his best right now and only getting better.

 

[My993C2]

I don't have any sour grapes. I have acknowledged that Alonso is "one of" the top drivers right now. I am just saying that is difficult to say that he stands so far ahead in talent from all the other drivers as some here want to claim because it is the car and the driver combination that produces the winner. You need both. Just go back two weeks and watch the onboard footage of Schumacher versus Alonso. Schumacher struggled with his car while Alonso did not have to struggle with his. Alonso is better than Massa, that was never in doubt. But the 2012 Ferrari car overall is a damn good car. It may not be the fastest car in a straight line and it may not be the fastest car in the corners . But overall it is a fast car. The 2012 iteration is much better than the 2011 version. It's not like Alonso all of a sudden improved as a driver in one year. He has always been a good driver.

 

[Ivan Navarro]

He qualified 13 places ahead of his teammate, and 1.6+ sec. ahead in Q2. While Massa is underperforming, it says a lot.

The car has gotten better but the conditions neutralize many advantages and disadvantages between cars. All thing equal I say Alonso gets more out of the car. Best in 2012 F1 IMO!

 

[ufunacaoenn]

(I am really sorry but I just have to do this.)
Oh I am just waiting until Vettel will start winning and taking poles race after race so people can start complain about him not being a good driver and has no car control because the car does everything for him while as quickly as Alonso takes pole people go and say "oh look at that car control" and "he is pushing him car to the limit"....

Let's try and keep a netrual perspective, please.

 

[Jack Sargent]

It's not like Alonso all of a sudden improved as a driver in one year. He has always been a good driver.

Correct. He has been the top driver in F1 since Schumi retired imo. ;-)

...... while as quickly as Alonso takes pole people go and say "oh look at that car control" and "he is pushing him car to the limit"....

Let's try and keep a netrual perspective, please.

He has been doing it for years. Consistently getting the most out of what was available to him. I've been a huge fan since his Renault days......first time round........What surprises me is that people are only now, and begrudingly in most cases, giving him the recognition he deserves.

 

[Hampus Andersson]

The Mclaren definitely has a chronic problem of wet tires.
It´s like the wet tires picks the car up slightly to high and they lose all downforce.

Great run by Alonso!

 

[Markus Neumann]

It´s like the wet tires picks the car up slightly to high and they lose all downforce.

Pretty sure they just have no grip on them because they can't get them up to temperature. Nico Rosberg vs. Schumacher came down to the same thing in Q2 and there were 3 seconds between them - shows how much of a different cold/warm tyres make.

I'm amazed by how optimistic McLaren still is. Both Sam Michael and Button think they have a shot at the win. Sure, I guess there is a realistic chance of passing both Maldonado and Hülkenberg at the start, but by the time they get past Schumacher (and that could take a very long time), Vettel and Alonso should be long gone...

 

[Jordi Casademunt]

Pérez will lose 5 positions for impding (Rosberg I think, when Pérez was exiting from the pitbox)

It'd be foolish to think that the present Ferrari is the same turtle that began the season. Ferrari has developed the car a lot, and I'd be surprised if the car isn't close to Red Bull, Lotus and hopefully McLaren right now, at least overall. Sure, it has some problems(like how it handled the soft tyres at Silverstone), but all cars seem to have different issues, specially when it comes to tyres.

As for the race tomorrow...Well, Button and Hamilton have a shor at the win, just like Fernando had it at Valencia. At the very least, they seemed to have good dry pace, and Button seems to be comfortable with the car again. I expect them to fight for the podium at least. And Massa will probably charge through the field and get into the points (perhaps 7th or 6th) or spin and end up in the gravel trap. And I wouldn't count off Schumacher for the win, if temperatures stay relatively low, or specially if it rains. It would be great if he won in Germany.

 

[Bradley Vanian]

Pérez will lose 5 positions for impding (Rosberg I think, when Pérez was exiting from the pitbox) .

It was for impeading Alonso and Raikkonen.

I haven't seen Sergio impead Fernando, however it is stupid that he should get penalized for the "impeading" on Raikkonen. Raikkonen was starting an extremly slow lap due to the conditions and Sergio was released from the pitlane a clear distance from Raikkonen. Sergio wouldn't of been able to see Kimi easily as well due to the spray.

 

[James Maskell]

yes tomorrow is sunday....

today shows true driver skills..

tomorrow shows strategy skills of the team.

yes but tomorrow, which is today for me, is when it really counts.

 

[Kartik Sri Harsha]

He qualified 13 places ahead of his teammate, and 1.6+ sec. ahead in Q2. While Massa is underperforming, it says a lot.

The car has gotten better but the conditions neutralize many advantages and disadvantages between cars. All thing equal I say Alonso gets more out of the car. Best in 2012 F1 IMO!

Conditions Differ so do Visibility you can't say Like that Massa wasn't underperforming atleast from Valencia I guess he may end up 5th or Lower

 

[Kamran Choudhry]

It's not hating, it's realism You can't call the white black. He was out of the track twice and yet he took pole. We didn't see anybody doing this in Q3. Just accept it. FIA won't do anything.

Somebody correct me if I'm wrong but I've seen drivers run that last part of the track wide on many occasions in the past in qualifying without repercussions.

 

[Victor Ivanov]

Somebody correct me if I'm wrong but I've seen drivers run that last part of the track wide on many occasions in the past in qualifying without repercussions.

So you have been watching a lot DTM I think

 

[Hampus Andersson]

RBR might in breach of two rules, FIA is checking their engine maps...AGAIN.
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/101403

 

[Chris Jenkins]

Yes! DSQ both cars

 

[Bradley Vanian]

If Red Bull don't get DSQ'd from Qualy, then everyone will be saying "But Hamilton was DSQ'd in Spain, what is the difference, bla bla bla"

 

[Bruno Sousa Ferreira]

If the investigation finds that they breach the rules, then it is a techinical infration which means an exclusion from the results, like what happen for Lewis in barcelona.

Let's see if they claim it as force majure like Mclaren did in spain

EDIT: Could we have Alonso and Shummacher battleling for T1 like in the old days.

 

[Dmitry Zaharov]

Uh, Red Bull could be dq'ed for technical infrigment
PS: Hamiltons fault anyway.

 

[Hampus Andersson]

RBR breaching rules, Hamilton get the penalty for existing.

 

[Xosé Estrada]

If they changed the engine maps they are stupid, that is forbidden, where they expecting stewards to don't notice it?