War at McLaren??? (no real spoilers)

[Neilk]

Wow, interesting qualifying. Wonder what's going on behind closed doors at McLaren. Looks like we might have another Senna-Prost in the works. Pretty dirty move if you ask me.

[Porsche-O-Phile]

What happened? Do you have an article to share or do I simply need to watch qualifying on the Tivo?

[frogger]

Ron Dennis is probably giving Alonso a good scolding for his treatment of Lewis during the waning moments of qualifying. Pity Alonso resorts to that kind of behavior.

[MOMO3.2]

IMHO, Alonso's actions underscore the fact that he is desperate. Alonso is now having to use cowardly, unethical tactics to beat his F1 rookie teamate.

I admitt to being a biased supporter of Lewis Hamilton and that I never really liked Alonso, but this was a really cowardly stunt to pull.

Things will be interesting for tomorrow's race... I hope Hamilton beats Alonso fair and square on the track in Hungary. Then, we will really see Alonso start to crumble!

Kudos to Lewis Hamilton too for being so classy after the qualifying session. He really conducts himself in a manner that defies his young age both on and off the track.

Mike

Watched it this morning, cheap trick. Alonso showed his true colors and unfortunete. Don't think that he yet realizes how something like that will follow him for the rest of his life. I lost a whole lot of respect for him after that stunt.

[Lothar]

I am a McLaren fan and I am disturbed by today's events. Ron Dennis had better right the ship quickly. The scandal that was already hanging over them has been complicated by a childish move on the part of Alonso and potentially his race engineer.

The lolly-pop had been raised and Alonso just sat there. In the previous stop, where they were trying to time his exit, the lolly-pop man held his position and counted down Alonso's planned departure. This difference would lead me to believe that this was the work of Alonso in conjunction with his race engineer as they talked on the radio. The mechanics working on the car seemed to be outside of the loop on the second stop.

It was obvious that Ron Dennis was livid, and rightly so. Such a stunt could cost the team a championship!

[TheMentat]

If Alonso's delay was unprovoked, then I agree that it was a pretty shady move... reminiscent of a former Ferrari driver. But apparently Alonso's tactics were in response to Hamilton blocking him through Q3.

From Autosport:

World champion Fernando Alonso has said McLaren teammate Lewis Hamilton triggered the incident the duo were involved in during qualifying for the Hungarian Grand Prix.

Alonso got pole position after controversially making his teammate wait in the pitlane for some ten seconds before he got his car moving.

The delay meant Hamilton was unable to complete his final flying lap in time, while Alonso jumped to the top of the times to secure pole from the Briton.

Team boss Ron Dennis was visibly angry after qualifying and was seen on television throwing his headphones when Hamilton failed to reach the start/finish line in time to complete his lap.

Alonso told reporters after qualifying that Hamilton had not respected orders from the team to allow the Spaniard through earlier in the session in order to allow him to have an extra flying lap.

"They told Hamilton what to do and he didn't listen," Alonso was quoted as saying by EFE news agency.

"That was the only problem the team had. Ron's anger was because he (Hamilton) didn't accept an order that the team repeated several times over the first lap.

"Therefore, the team did all they had to do, and tried to give me that extra lap, but for those reasons it wasn't possible.

"I've been asked about Ron throwing his headphones, about how he went after Fabrizio (Alonso's physio), or whatever. I have nothing against him. I was going to have an extra lap of fuel, and I didn't have it, but in the end I got pole."

[sammyg2]

What happened to Scott Speed? Did they finally get tired of towing his car out of the gravel on 6 out of the 9 races so far?

I realize it isn't all his fault, his car is an unreliable POS but you would think he would know that and take care of it long enough to finish a race or three.

[w21055]

Speed was let go earlier in the week, Vettel has taken his spot and they will be much better off as a team. As much as I want to see an American running, he always has something happening to him.


The McLaren issue will be interesting to watch besause Alonso has a shot at taking the lead in the World Championship this weekend. If he passes Lewis I bet Anthony will have something to say about it.

[TheMentat]

Originally Posted by w21055

If he passes Lewis I bet Anthony will have something to say about it.

No Doubt!

Alonso's explanation was confirmed by Dennis. Apparently that snake Hamilton blocked Alonso from carrying out his pre-established fuel strategy! In light of this, I think the holdup was a well coordinated strategy!

again, from Autosport:

McLaren team boss Ron Dennis has confirmed Lewis Hamilton was to blame for the qualifying incident involving the Briton and teammate Fernando Alonso, after the rookie driver ignored team orders earlier in the session.

Alonso has been widely criticised after he waited for some ten seconds before leaving the pitlane during his final stop for tyres.

The delay meant that Hamilton had to sit behind Alonso and was then unable to complete his final flying lap.

The incident is under investigation by the race stewards.

Although the Spaniard had been waved by his "lolly pop" mechanic to leave the pitlane, Dennis revealed Alonso's engineer had instructed him to wait as a consequence of Hamilton disobeying the team's orders earlier on.

"He was being counted down by his engineer," Dennis told reporters after qualifying. "He's under the control of his engineer. He determined when he goes. That's the sequence.

"And if you think that was a deliberate thing, then you can think what you want. I have given you exactly what happened."

Dennis said Hamilton's decision to disobey the team's orders had compromised the team's plans during qualifying.

"They were out of sequence because Lewis should have slowed and let Fernando past. And he didn't. He charged off. That's how we got out of sequence," Dennis added.

He further explained: "We have various procedures within the team and prior to practice we determine how it is going to be run, what our strategy is, and how that's going to be enacted on the circuit.

"There are some procedural issues there on qualifying. One of the things that you'll have seen several times over the course of this season is long periods of time where the car has gone down to the end of pitlane and sat for a long time.

"In this situation, we are timed to when we can dispatch the car based on when the car reaches a given temperature, and then we know how long we can hold it at the pitlane.

"The cars are dispatched as soon as possible. In this instance, Lewis's car got up to that temperature first, we went Lewis, we sent Fernando, and the fuel burn characteristics [mean that] there is a small advantage which we play from driver to driver according to the nature of the circuit.

"In this instance, it was Fernando's time to get the advantage of the longer fuel burn. The arrangement was, OK, we're down at the end of the pitlane, we reverse positions in the first lap. That didn't occur as arranged. That was somewhat disappointing and caused some tensions on the pitwall.

"We were, from that moment on, out of sequence because the cars were in the wrong place on the circuit and that unfolded into the pitstops. It complicated the situation into the result, which was Lewis not getting his final timed lap.

"So this really started from that position, and from our drivers not swapping position to get the right fuel burn in order to arrive at the point where we cut the end result to the end.

"Now, as you have often asked the question, and let me make it a very honest answer, it is extremely difficult to deal with two such competitive drivers. There are definite pressures within the team. We make no secret of it. They are both very competitive, and they both want to win, and we are trying our very hardest to balance those pressures.

"Today we were part of a process where it didn't work, and the end result is more pressure on the team. But what you hear is the exact truth of what happened, and we will manage it inside the team through the balance of the season.

"Obviously Lewis feels more uncomfortable with the situation than Fernando. That's life, that's the way it is, and if he feels too hot to talk about it then that's the way it is.

"But what I've done is, I have given you an exact understanding of what took place today. And it's just pressure, competitiveness, and that's the way it is. We've just got to get on and deal with it, but we're not hiding from it.

"We're sat on the front row of the most difficult Grand Prix to win as regards to overtaking, and therefore we want to get on with the race.

"Fernando is here. Have I explained it accurately? [Alonso gives a thumbs-up]. OK. That's the way it is."

[Joeaksa]

Originally Posted by Lothar

I am a McLaren fan and I am disturbed by today's events. Ron Dennis had better right the ship quickly. The scandal that was already hanging over them has been complicated by a childish move on the part of Alonso and potentially his race engineer.

The lolly-pop had been raised and Alonso just sat there. In the previous stop, where they were trying to time his exit, the lolly-pop man held his position and counted down Alonso's planned departure. This difference would lead me to believe that this was the work of Alonso in conjunction with his race engineer as they talked on the radio. The mechanics working on the car seemed to be outside of the loop on the second stop.

It was obvious that Ron Dennis was livid, and rightly so. Such a stunt could cost the team a championship!

Totally agree. The press over here in Europe are livid at Alonzo and rightly should be.

[sammyg2]

Sounds like some of you owe Fernado Alonso an appology. He was simply following orders, something the youngster lewis was unable to do.

[scottmandue]

My, my... do I see a little tarnish on Lewis's halo?

Don't get me wrong Lewis is on the fast track (no pun intended) to being one of the greats. It is just nice to see he is human after all. I admit I'm new to the sport but I don't see why so many people love to hate FA.

[Dennis Kalma]

I am not sure of who to believe, is Ron just rationalizing or telling the truth....did Alonso play a trick to get back at Hamilton for not following team orders earlier on, is Hamilton getting a little full of himself and deciding he can do what he wants?

I guess all of them are becoming a little too Schumacher-esque.....you know, the master F1 slime ball of all time....

Dennis

[Flatbutt1]

Who knows what the truth is...but even if Hamilton did not follow instructions, is purposefully impeding him the right thing to do?

[TheMentat]

Originally Posted by Flatbutt1

Who knows what the truth is...but even if Hamilton did not follow instructions, is purposefully impeding him the right thing to do?

What other recourse is there? I think it was probably the best thing he could do!

Unfortunately, the stewards didn't agree... Alonso is being sent back to 6th on the grid... total BS!

[imcarthur]

Originally Posted by Dennis Kalma

a little too Schumacher-esque.....you know, the master F1 slime ball of all time....Dennis

I dare you to post that on F-Chat in the racing forum. Please, please.

Ian

[Flatbutt1]

Originally Posted by TheMentat

What other recourse is there? I think it was probably the best thing he could do!

Unfortunately, the stewards didn't agree... Alonso is being sent back to 6th on the grid... total BS!

well that will certainly give Alonso some incentive to drive well...or to make excuses if he doesn't.

[chapo]

Ron Dennis is f1's sleaze ball of all time, besides Bernie. Nice how he treated the original members of McLaren when he gained control. then his constant whining when he couldn't beat Ferrari.

[Jim Garfield]

Something is rotten at McLaren and the smell is coming from the head.