Fernando Alonso

[Dylan Hember]

Fernando Alonso will remain at Ferrari until at least the end of 2016 after renewing his technical and racing deal, it was revealed on Thursday. Alonso joined the Italian team in 2010 after stints with Renault and McLaren, and over his 23 Grands Prix with Ferrari has taken five wins, 11 podiums, two pole positions and 293 world championship points.

“I am very happy to have reached this agreement,” said the 29 year-old. “I immediately felt comfortable within Ferrari and now it feels to me like a second family. I have the utmost faith in the men and women who work in Maranello and in those who lead them: it is therefore natural for me to decide to extend my relationship in the long term like this, with a team at which I will no doubt end my Formula One career one day.”

Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo added: “It is a great pleasure to have renewed our agreement with a driver who has always demonstrated a winning mentality even in the most difficult circumstances. Fernando has all the required qualities, both technically and personally to play a leading role in the history of Ferrari and I hope he will be enriching it with further wins very soon.”

Spaniard Alonso, who won two world championships with Renault back in 2005 and 2006, will compete in his home Grand Prix this weekend at Barcelona’s Circuit de Catalunya.

Source:
http://www.formula1.com/news/headlines/2011/5/12043.html

 

[Chris Jenkins]

I wonder in the fine print of the agreement if it states about being the 'Number 1' or always having weaker drivers as team mates.

We all know Fernando doesn't do well with a strong team mate...

 

[Dylan Hember]

On the bbc website. It says that even though ferrari just signed Alonso, they are open to other drivers. Maybe Massa being replaced?

 

[Xosé Estrada]

I wonder in the fine print of the agreement if it states about being the 'Number 1' or always having weaker drivers as team mates.

We all know Fernando doesn't do well with a strong team mate...

No, I don't know, Fernando had different teammates, had a good relation and performance with them, and only had problems with Hamilton from the moment McLaren realized Hamilton was able to win it and started to put Alonso as nr. 2, in a very similar way Red Bull did with Webber last year.

 

[Bram Hengeveld]

 

[Xosé Estrada]

I think that one is Schumi =)

 

[Bram Hengeveld]

I think that one is Schumi =)

No you are mistaken. Its Homer Simpson!

 

[Ryan Callan]

Isn't that Raikonnen in the Ferrari anyway?!

 

[Péter Bártfai]

OK Homer, Kimi is faster than you! Can you confirm you understood the message?

 

[Bram Hengeveld]

By the size of this thread it seems that Alonso hasn't got much fans around here. How come?

 

[Hampus Andersson]

and only had problems with Hamilton from the moment McLaren realized Hamilton was able to win it and started to put Alonso as nr. 2, in a very similar way Red Bull did with Webber last year.

Could you perhaps provide some more information regarding this?

I know FIA made an investigation after Hamilton hinted that he was not allowed to race Alonso in Monaco.
After the investigation it was deemed there was no favoring of any driver.

I have never heard Alonso either say anything about it. In fact quite the opposite regarding Hamilton saying he has seen him do "amazing performance" with not always the best car, he has seen him win races when not having the best car etc.
Hamilton seems to share the same amount of respect towards Alonso.

I do however remember Alonso standing still in the pitbox in Hungary so Hamilton could not do his Qualifying lap.

From what i have read i come to the conclusion that both of them got first hand experience on what it feels like to have the best driver in the world as your own teammate.
That was probably a lot tougher then they both expected.
Hamilton being a rookie and have to match a 2-time world champion and a guy i consider to be the best of all right now in Formula 1.
And Alonso probably got a bit of a wake up call when Hamilton came on to the scene.

 

[Ross Balfour]

By the size of this thread it seems that Alonso hasn't got much fans around here. How come?

I am a huge Alonso fan. He's the best driver on the grid, and I'm willing to argue that at great length.

 

[Markus Neumann]

I am a huge Alonso fan. He's the best driver on the grid, and I'm willing to argue that at great length.

I don't think many people would argue against that. But merely acknowledging that Alonso is the best doesn't necessarily mean that one is a fan of him.

 

[Xosé Estrada]

Could you perhaps provide some more information regarding this?

I know FIA made an investigation after Hamilton hinted that he was not allowed to race Alonso in Monaco.
After the investigation it was deemed there was no favoring of any driver.

I have never heard Alonso either say anything about it. In fact quite the opposite regarding Hamilton saying he has seen him do "amazing performance" with not always the best car, he has seen him win races when not having the best car etc.
Hamilton seems to share the same amount of respect towards Alonso.

Alonso never was against Hamilton, but against the team.

He said repeatedly what I said here in Spanish media for long.

I do however remember Alonso standing still in the pitbox in Hungary so Hamilton could not do his Qualifying lap.

But you ignore the reason if you are surprised.

They had an agreement that year, because due to the qualifying format, one driver had time to do two hotlaps and the other one three, also depending on the track.

That was Alonso's turn, but Hamilton broke that gentleman agreement (he didn't let Alonso pass at the start of the session) which lead to a discussion with Dennis and the further action of Alonso.

It's all in the forage and radio transcriptions. Still from a FIA perspective gentleman agreements have no value and track action does.

This is very well known in Spain, as Alonso told it many times... for the English speaking press was more convenient to hide it

From what i have read i come to the conclusion that both of them got first hand experience on what it feels like to have the best driver in the world as your own teammate.
That was probably a lot tougher then they both expected.
Hamilton being a rookie and have to match a 2-time world champion and a guy i consider to be the best of all right now in Formula 1.
And Alonso probably got a bit of a wake up call when Hamilton came on to the scene.

Yes, but Alonso had to endure being the bad guy against the golden boy until very recently.

 

[Hampus Andersson]

Funny how you simply ignore the simple fact that it was Hamilton that had suspicions in terms of Mclaren not letting him race Alonso in Monaco.

That was the whole reason this investigation started.

Frankly i don´t buy anything the spanish media say or supposedly Alonso said to them.
An investigation was made, because of Hamilton, nothing was found.

There is no proof of the team favoring any of the drivers. Just your comment or perhaps some more info from "El Confidential".

The incident with Hamilton on track was between the drivers, not between the team and Alonso.
What Alonso did in the pits was Alonso´s guy holding Alonso, not between the drivers.

You need to show me more then simply "Spanish press says so".
the press does not count as evidence. Nor are they known to be telling the truth or the full story.

 

[Xosé Estrada]

Funny how you simply ignore the simple fact that it was Hamilton that had suspicions in terms of Mclaren not letting him race Alonso in Monaco.

That was the whole reason this investigation started.

Frankly i don´t buy anything the spanish media say or supposedly Alonso said to them.
An investigation was made, because of Hamilton, nothing was found.

There is no proof of the team favoring any of the drivers. Just your comment or perhaps some more info from "El Confidential".

The incident with Hamilton on track was between the drivers, not between the team and Alonso.
What Alonso did in the pits was Alonso´s guy holding Alonso, not between the drivers.

You need to show me more then simply "Spanish press says so".
the press does not count as evidence. Nor are they known to be telling the truth or the full story.

So what? It's logycal for every F1 team to advice to maintain a 1-2 IN MONACO, where the slightest mistake means a DNF, specially with a rookie involved. Hamilton just acted the same way he acted the rest of the season.

About Hungary, I've just told you what Alonso said, in HIS country. He probably doesn't care too much about Kazakhstan or Canada to go and explain it there. You can also take a look to the celebrations when Alonso took a pole or when Hamilton did, and many other things we could see in video here.

I won't comment about your obsession about "El Confidencial" or the Spanish Eurosport commentators, maybe if it was BBC would be different for you, I will just wait and enjoy later

 

[Hampus Andersson]

Team orders were illegal though.
And it´s in the teams best interest to keep a 1-2 IN ALL TRACKS.
They don´t really care who´s first unless one of them is fighting for the championship and the other not.
Not sure i would put the rookie stamp on Hamilton, he came in and schooled everyone basically. And was very consistent.

Nope still won´t believe what he said to spanish media. You do know F1 is a global sport.
What is being said in one part of the world doesn´t stay there, Spain isn´t the only country that knows spanish for example.

I would not believe BBC either.


Again, Xose, proof, show it. Saying "he said so" doesn´t really hold any weight.

 

[Xosé Estrada]

Team orders were illegal though.
And it´s in the teams best interest to keep a 1-2 IN ALL TRACKS.
They don´t really care who´s first unless one of them is fighting for the championship and the other not.
Not sure i would put the rookie stamp on Hamilton, he came in and schooled everyone basically. And was very consistent.

Nope still won´t believe what he said to spanish media. You do know F1 is a global sport.
What is being said in one part of the world doesn´t stay there, Spain isn´t the only country that knows spanish for example.

I would not believe BBC either.


Again, Xose, proof, show it. Saying "he said so" doesn´t really hold any weight.

Look at the fotage, radio, and behaviour in this and all the Q sessions before Hungary and you have your answer.

There they don't say what the reason to let Alonso pass was, but if you look to previous sessions you will inmediatly notice they were alternating in the tracks that allow an extra Q lap for one driver, and Hamilton broke that agreement here.

Otherwise keep selective ignoring things, that is a personal choice, but from my point of view is evident that what Alonso said is true, the proofs are there.

 

[Hampus Andersson]

You are the one ignoring stuff.

You havent showed anything that supports your point.

 

[Diego Lopez]

Alonso was just hindered by every Mclaren crew.

They werent even happy with ALonso taking Pole @ mOnaco in 2007, shows the great support.

Glad he left that team and Kimi won that title. Ron Dennis should have thought and talked to the crew about a double world champion coming into the team.

I laughed so hard when Alonso got 190 points with Lewis at Kimi winning.