Alonso ...grass is greener
Discussion
Jasandjules said:
Depends if he is in it for the long haul and thinks that the Ferraris will get back to their multiple championship winning ways.. Or whether McLaren will first...
I know its early days, but McLaren can't even get a car to finish line of a Grand Prix. By the summer, I am expecting that car to be mid pack at best. Hopefully the next race will see some improvement.
Is it just me or is Alonso's career so far littered with instances where he has made bad decisions, fallen out with the wrong people and / or cut off his nose to spite his face?
Part of me finds his situation endlessly amusing; I can't help but think that Alonso is probably a bit of a knob really.
On the other hand we're not getting a chance to see arguably the best driver in competetive machinery, and Alonso is way above trudging about at the back before retiring to preserve his power unit.
Part of me finds his situation endlessly amusing; I can't help but think that Alonso is probably a bit of a knob really.
On the other hand we're not getting a chance to see arguably the best driver in competetive machinery, and Alonso is way above trudging about at the back before retiring to preserve his power unit.
I thought Alonso wasn't given much option about leaving?
My understanding was that the relationship with the Scuderia had soured to a point where Mattiacci basically left him no option. Of course that can take many forms from him simply calling Alonso's bluff on some demand or other to straight-up asking him to leave but I certainly got the impression that staying at Ferrari wasn't really an option either way.
Either way, he'd be mad to dwell on it. It's in the past and his job is to try and build a competitive Mclaren team now.
My understanding was that the relationship with the Scuderia had soured to a point where Mattiacci basically left him no option. Of course that can take many forms from him simply calling Alonso's bluff on some demand or other to straight-up asking him to leave but I certainly got the impression that staying at Ferrari wasn't really an option either way.
Either way, he'd be mad to dwell on it. It's in the past and his job is to try and build a competitive Mclaren team now.
BritishRacinGrin said:
Is it just me or is Alonso's career so far littered with instances where he has made bad decisions, fallen out with the wrong people and / or cut off his nose to spite his face?
Part of me finds his situation endlessly amusing; I can't help but think that Alonso is probably a bit of a knob really.
On the other hand we're not getting a chance to see arguably the best driver in competetive machinery, and Alonso is way above trudging about at the back before retiring to preserve his power unit.
Part of being a great racing driver is picking the right team and the right car at the right time. Part of me finds his situation endlessly amusing; I can't help but think that Alonso is probably a bit of a knob really.
On the other hand we're not getting a chance to see arguably the best driver in competetive machinery, and Alonso is way above trudging about at the back before retiring to preserve his power unit.
I don't so much find it amusing as a bit sad. It must be frustrating for him, with all that talent, to see it wasted. He's not like Piquet, in it for the lifestyle, he wants to win.
Another skill that's required is banging on, race after race, putting in your best performance, regardless of outside pressures. LH has not excelled at that in the past and unless he can crack it, he won't be a great. All those I consider to be great drivers had that sewn up. Stewart was criticised for abandoning a race yet I always thought it was because he could not put pressure on himself due to the conditions.
There was criticism of Moss by some journo he gave a ride to, effectively saying that the bloke went flat out all the time and didn't give time for enjoyment of the event, and the filming was ruined.
It's a shame thinking what might have been in only, but the solution was always in Alonso's hands. Stay in McL, win WDC. Stay with Ferrari and at least get a good chance at a victory it would appear.
Jasandjules said:
Vocal Minority said:
There was a notable improvement in pace from the McLarens. They are now at the back rather than 'off' the back.
They were even catching other cars, which surprised Button more than anyone I think Alonso made this decision much as Lewis did with the switch to Merc - not for this season but for next. We could be in for a great season if Ferarri keep taking teh fight to Mercedes and the midfield looks really tight with Williams in between. Next season could see 5 teams in with a good shout each race - I'm fairly certain that RBR and McHonda will join the fight and hopefully Williams will still be there too.
Wouldn't Alonso be thinking that he probably hasn't got an awful lot of time left in F1 anyway? He's surely in his twilight years now isn't he? Not to take anything away from the man but if McLaren offered him a fat wedge of money to move, I'd forgive him having one eye on his retirement pot.
Disastrous said:
I thought Alonso wasn't given much option about leaving?
My understanding was that the relationship with the Scuderia had soured to a point where Mattiacci basically left him no option. Of course that can take many forms from him simply calling Alonso's bluff on some demand or other to straight-up asking him to leave but I certainly got the impression that staying at Ferrari wasn't really an option either way.
Ferrari have had a big clear out of staff and I certainly wouldn't bet against Alonso as being an element they probably identified as being one they could well do without.My understanding was that the relationship with the Scuderia had soured to a point where Mattiacci basically left him no option. Of course that can take many forms from him simply calling Alonso's bluff on some demand or other to straight-up asking him to leave but I certainly got the impression that staying at Ferrari wasn't really an option either way.
He seems to have had ultimately, a pretty corrosive effect on most places he's been after a while.
I certainly think that Ferrari's dramatic improvement over winter after getting shot of Alonso isn't a coincidence.
While undeniably a fast driver 'in the car' he certainly does seem to carry a lot of 'baggage' around with him.
Alonso must have been sitting at the back of the McLaren garage with his head in his hands as Ferrari and Vettel won yesterday.
He carried the Scuderia on his back for 5 years, winning races by sheer force of will in cars that had no business doing so. As soon as he leaves / is shown the door, they produce a decent car while he is struggling at the back in an underdeveloped prototype which won't be winning anything this year.
If he wasn't earning £1m per race, I might feel a bit sorry for him....
He carried the Scuderia on his back for 5 years, winning races by sheer force of will in cars that had no business doing so. As soon as he leaves / is shown the door, they produce a decent car while he is struggling at the back in an underdeveloped prototype which won't be winning anything this year.
If he wasn't earning £1m per race, I might feel a bit sorry for him....
Gaz. said:
I'd say he's only made 1 really bad decision (Mclaren 2007).
When he turned down RBR in 2007 & again in 2008 NOBODY saw what was coming, even in winter testing 2009. Remember when he signed for Ferrari in 2008 they had won 6 WDCs in 8 years, the smart money in early 2008 would have been on Ferrari & Mclaren and possibly BMW sharing championships for the next 5 years.
TBH it was worth rolling the dice moving to Mclaren, again nobody would have predicted Ferrari winning this race back in September.
In retrospect turning down RBR was catastrophic, and moving to Mclaren was an even bigger step backwards than anyone thought, mostly because Ferrari have leapfrogged up two spots.
Is Alonso still managed by the delightful Mr Briatore? When he turned down RBR in 2007 & again in 2008 NOBODY saw what was coming, even in winter testing 2009. Remember when he signed for Ferrari in 2008 they had won 6 WDCs in 8 years, the smart money in early 2008 would have been on Ferrari & Mclaren and possibly BMW sharing championships for the next 5 years.
TBH it was worth rolling the dice moving to Mclaren, again nobody would have predicted Ferrari winning this race back in September.
In retrospect turning down RBR was catastrophic, and moving to Mclaren was an even bigger step backwards than anyone thought, mostly because Ferrari have leapfrogged up two spots.
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