Alonso hate thread
 

I hate Alonso. What a pompous a$$. And he's only going to get worse. Pretty-boy is already whining and talking conspiracy. Recent comments: "F1 is not a sport any longer" & "Schumacher is the Most Unsporting Driver ever". Yeah, don't forget that he claims he can podium on a MotoGP bike with a little practice. What a tool. Is this the new era?

You're the Ferrari guy, right? :)

I don't know, he's what 22 or 23 years old? If I were him, I'd probably be a lot worse ... and the penalty last weekend was totally unjustified.

He has amazing skill and composure ... I think only time will tell whether he matures personally and professionally.

Yes, I am a Tifosi ;)

Pretty boy is right on all counts. Schumi is the tool.

I agree 100% that penalty was a load. But I can build an equall argument against MS's penalty in Hungary where he "passed during red" if you saw the video you would see FA screwing around with the pack instead of just driving to the pits quickly and orderly. He is playing games and almost causing accidents.

It looked to me like MS was tired of it and passed 50 feet from the pit entrance right into the pits.

Then we can go back to MS's "Blocking the qualy field" in Monoco. Did you notice about 2 weeks later he stalled his Ferrari in pit lane trying to lock in reverse and had to be pushed? Probably not. But I guess the perfect driver cannot make a mistake. Then MS passes every one on his way to 5th from the back of the field.

It has gone both ways, FA accusing F1 of fixing the races is rediculas.

My only regret is the fact that MS will not be around in 2008 when traction control is removed, or next year for that matter to wipe the place with FA's ego.

FA going bezerk during practice on Fridays because the track will not part when he come up on them is a joke. Its a matter of time before him and Doornbos end up wrecking during practice.

Lets see how pretty boy does when traction control is banned next season.

FA is nothing more than a b*tch with his accusations. I guess he's upset that he wont be partying with Flavio at the end of this season as MS gets the title.

He is not a delicate driver ... I predict he will have a hard time adapting to the loss of TC.

Is that next season or the following it wil be banned?

More from Alonso - "I love sport, I love the fans. I don't consider Formula One like a sport anymore."

I'd like to see Alonso win it. He is a technically great driver and is twice the gentleman that Schumi could ever hope to be.

That said, I found Schumi's speech on Sunday to be among the most eloquant and heartfelt things I've ever heard him say, although I wonder if he'd have launched into the same speech had he finished second (which I'd consider a characteristically insensitive act at upstaging Raikkonen or whoever else might have been first. . .)

I actually really love Schumacher's legacy. I just think he's a pompous prick off the track (and occasionally on it). He's a hard guy to like.

He's a spoiled little kid that will soon get a hard lesson.

Alonso rocks!

Another quote from the arrogant little prick from his interview on Spanish radio:

"I was one hundred percent sure that I could win the race from anywhere on the grid, to keep on scoring points and finish in front. What I'm sure about is that he who laughs last laughs longest."

He accused F1 of being less and less about "sport" - not fixing races. A lot of fans - and FA - are tired of FIA manipulating rules and rulings to the apparent benefit of Ferrari: mass dampers, flexi wings, rear wheel aero discs, on track violations (diff rules for MS than everyone else - blocking, veering, straightrunning chicanes). Just puts the questionmark and suspicion in a fans head, that's all. It's a fair enough gripe IMHO.

Never happen, Jim. FA is one of the most talented ever - with or without control aids. You don't get through karting, lesser formula and into F1 that fast to become the youngest winner and the youngest WDC without being a special talent. These kind of guys can win in and with anything. As much as you drive, deep down you really know this.

Near as I can remember (far too long!!) it's been a tradition to make room for the WDC as a sign of respect. Maybe Doornbos should've moved over? I wonder how many brake checks over the season amongst the other drivers were never commented on or punished before Hungary?

Fun thread, lets keep it going!

Hardly spoiled. Arrogant, maybe. But not spoiled - came from a very unprivileged background. His talent was spotted very early on in karts and won him backers. If he didn't win as much and as often as he did - we would have never heard of him. He didn't have the money or connections to create a career.

You guys crack me up... look at any professional sport F1/football/basketball etc. and you got a bunch of kids mostly in their twenties who are multi-millionaires, loved and adored by millions of fans, acknowledged to be the best physical specimens living in the world...

And you can't imagine why they act like pricks. :rolleyes:

I'm not justifying the way they act however I think Rodeo has a good point. Would any of use act any better with all that fame and fortune and the tremendous pressure that goes with it at such a young age?

Schumi ain't a 20-something, he's 37.

I've seen 20-somethings actually act more grown-up than him on occasion - and I'm talking RECENT actions.

What has he done that is so immature? A smack on Sato's helmet a last year - well, it was justified. Sato was driving like an idiot.

Fernando Alonso has described Michael Schumacher as "the most unsporting driver in the history of formula one." Apparently Alonso told Spanish station Radio Marca that he thinks Michael will be leaving F1 with more than seven championship trophies. He also thinks Schumi will be leaving with less dignity than French World Cup headbutter Zinedine Zidane.

"Zidane retired with more glory than Schumacher," Alonso was quoted as saying. "Michael is the most unsporting driver with the largest number of sanctions in the history of formula one. That doesn't take away from the fact that he has been the best driver and it has been an honour and pleasure to battle against him. Everyone has their time and you have to respect his decision. Things will be more equal now."

Huh... what... is this guy schizophrenic or what?

Alonso shouldn't be whining about last weekend's grid penalty. That "brake check" maneuver during the practice session a couple races ago should have gotten him a 1 or 2 race suspension IMO. Karma is a b!tch I guess.


Oh, and Go Kimi!

Jeff, no offense but opinions are well like ---holes. I won't go into on track behavior as some of the stuff he's done is just wrong (as well as some of the stuff FA has done, and others too).

However, off the track I think you should do a bit of research. He has actually done some great humanitarian things.

If you don't like him as a driver that's OK but don't diss a persons dignity because of it. We all have favorites, some people have heroes but if he ain't your hero it does not mean he's a bad person.

Truth is F1 will never be the same and he leaves a legacy (mostly good but some bad things too). The sport would not be what it is if weren't for guys like him, Senna, Prost and others.

FA is just a young highly talented kid. Heck we were all young and thought we knew it all once. Maturity and experience teach you different.

He's got the talent, lets see what he can do with it and hopefully his talent can keep up with his big mouth.

I think that F1 has enough with one Flavio Briatore already....;)

+1 on FA dropping down the grid when TC is gone. His driving style is violent. He has incredibly quick reflexes, but he also depends on driving aids to keep him on the track imho. The proof will be in the pudding next year.

Time will tell with FA, but my prediction is he will never come close to any of Schumi's records, and instead will fade into oblivion with other young hotshoes who thought they were better than everyone else and bigger than the sport. Schumi arguably *is* bigger than that sport, but he doesn't act like it. His speech and actions on Sunday spoke volumes about his character. He has made mistakes and made some questionable choices over the years, but taken in consideration with the sheer number of laps he's turned, it is almost insignificant. FA on the other hand thinks that Friday practice is his personal playground and commits dangerous maneuvers just because he's cranky. That is bush...

Ahhh, the Tivosi. So elite, so refined.

Love this cartoon from EVO:

http://www.rallystuff.com/images/tifosi.gif

Our 308 is just like Magnum's car!
 

All that's missing are the tasteful leather pants.



Tim

Yes and no.

Didn't Ferrari have to get rid of their front wing after 2 or 3 races at the beginning of the year. IMHO Renault got away with their wing a lot longer and got to take advantage of it.

In Italy, didn't FA straightline a chicane. You better go look back at the recent incidents. FA tried to out run Kubica? to the corner, blew the chicane took a place from Kubica (who did not cut the chicane) and never gave back the position.

In Hungary, MS has 2 drivers attack his position entering the corner and either hit him or almost him him to cause him to have to take the chicane straight. He did not gain a position and should not have to give it up. He was on the dry line and the others were trying to pass in the wet.

FA is an abusive driver that was in an amazing car. The Renault over the last 2 years has been nothing short of amazing. Its reliability has been flawless.

He now goes to McLaren, he will win a couple of races next year but nothing like the last 2 years.

The only reason he was WDC in 2005 was because Ferrari was a mess, tires were not working chassis was a disaster.

In 2008 TC is gone and so will be FA he depends on it heavily, we have all seen it when they show the car telemetry, he jumps on the gas much sooner than anyone else and he is WOT letting the TC sort it out. This also is another advantage he had with a VERY well sorted chassis and suprerior TC.

Friday is the Friday test drivers day to take the car out and really stretch its legs. Who normally sets fastest lap time on Friday practice? The practice drivers.

Brake checking a Friday practice driver after he lets you pass, because you feel like he didn't let you pass soon enough IMHO is bad sportsmanship. It was practice, not qualifying, not a lapped car during the race.

Yes this is fun but the next 2 seasons will answer all our questions. Kimi will be WC in 2007, thats my prediction.

I'd like to see Kimi win one, but his luck is certainly going to have to get a lot better.

Calling FA a spoiled little kid while saying that MS is a nice good driver is like the pot calling the kettle black.

MS was (and still is at times) a spoiled jerk, both on and off the track. FA has been a bit that way, especially with some of his passes recently.

I do not like the way that the Ferarri factory pushed MS out, but will not be really sad to see him go. If he ever gained a bit of humility he could win a lot of people over as he is a very good driver.

Edit, As well I want to see TC gone, and the paddle shifters gone to boot. Remember Monaco with the multiple shifting every lap? Someone who could do that and win was a driver, not a systems operator and feel that we need to eliminate more of the electronic aids and see who is the best driver in the best car again.

Some pretty strong words here. Personally, I don´t know neither one of them, but I am sure they are both nice guys.

I don't think there is a "nice guy" to be found within 50 km of an F1 paddock :)

Mark my words - next year he'll be champ. Bad luck plagued him last year, this year its just a car thats off pace.

FA an "abusive" driver. I dunno, seems like he takes advantage of the systems in place on the car. Look at what happened with Honda after RB arrived with the latest Ferrari (MS and RB developed) driving techniques using traction and braking control. Honda redid their system and Button was out of it until he adjusted and then won. Honda is now faster. Button learned a more abrupt technique to make use of those systems.

I think they all adjust their techniques to the equipment. If they have the political power - they get the car designed around them (like MS, KR, FA) and their techniques. FA will adjust to no TC just like everyone else. His talent will keep him at the top. I just can't see him falling out of contention because there's no TC. He never had it in karts or any other lesser formula and he won everything there was to win, right?

It will be interesting to see if his style is easier on the Mac / MBZ than Kimi's. Maybe the Ferrari's will start having some "issues" with Kimi driving. He reminds me of Andretti - who was always pushing the cars envelope very hard as opposed to someone like Clark or Prost - and suffered more for it.

I still believe that if Ferrari had any advantage from their mass damper systems they would still be "legal". It will be a fun 2007.

Rooting for Button, Fisi and Speed in 07 !
Want Montoya back in a Renault in 08 !

Alonso? I just don´t care about this Finn.

from Autosport: "Time was, blocking meant a driver putting his car on the track in a position to physically impede a following driver. Or, in other words, inviting a collision if the trailing driver followed his normal racing line and speed. Now, the definition apparently extends to merely disturbing the airflow that the following driver might encounter.

It is no doubt possible that the aerodynamic efficiency of Massa's Ferrari was slightly compromised by the wash from Alonso's flying Renault in front. It is also beyond doubt that, if every driver in the sport's history had been penalised for the same offence, we'd have seen more grid penalties than legitimate qualifying times over the years. "

Exactly - let the drivers decide the race IN THE RACE not in the stewards office.

Good points. FA has adapted to his equipment over the years and is consitently faster and has Less mech problems than his team mates. My impressions is that FA is smoother than MS. Michael sets his car up and throws it around like a kart. I want to see the cars have more power than traction and who gets the power to the ground the quickest wins.

Are we watching the same races?

Michael is the king of smooth. You've got things reversed.

Maybe we are talking "over the obvious" here. FA has a real different corner entry technique - he uses very hard understeer on entry - very firm and direct turn in. Direct opposite of MS' classic "quiet hands" entry. Is that what you mean by abusive? His turn in style ?

There was an interesting article in F1 by Peter Windsor about this which pointed out the advantages / disadvantages of FA technique. Bottom line - the FA technique provided a bit more time to adjust (with throttle) the car's rotation and grip as it pointed to the apex. This increased his braking zone and wide open throttle time coming out of the turn.

MS has a more classic style. Both are very fast. Both are very smooth. IMHO :D

I just can't resist. From f1.racing-live.com:

Fernando Alonso reaffirmed his negative views about Formula One on Thursday, but pledged to forget them this weekend and focus on his title battle with Michael Schumacher. The Renault driver knows nothing less than his very best will enable him to resist the rampant Ferrari man.

The guy is blasting F1 again, calling it "just a show". I'd like to see him bounced out of the show on his ear.