Please cut out the trolling in this thread.

A warning; trolling is not tolerated. If you consider a poster is trolling, and you react badly instead of reporting it, the posting rights of both of you will be at risk.

Use the report function. Do not 'deal' with the trolling yourself.

Aw you didn't even last one post after said were going to stop with the 2007 obsessing

Of course, let's look to the present

And to the future.

I agree 100%, even though its very surprising to hear this coming from you.

Feel sorry 4 all the ALO fans.

Do you even know what are they saying?

something he'd never find in mclaren unfortunately

I think you've got to improve your italian

That is how I see it, too, after watching the video.

Please can you make a new thread for 2007. No more 2007 here pls...

+1

Alonso (in german)

here an interesting article about Alonso!
It is in german, but if some of you speak german, then i think you will like it.

In the interview it is also talked about a possible Vettel move to Ferrai.
Alonso said, he has no problem with that

Alonso and Vettel in Ferrari

Alonso and Vettel together would be very interesting, and highly amusing for fans of other teams . The two worst losers in F1, together .

But really, what else can Fernando say, in public? Doesn't mean he's saying that to Monty.

Well, Fernando won't really care. He will just beat Vettel like he already did with Fisi, Hamilton or with Massa now.

Hamilton? I thought we were all going to make an effort to drop <that year> ...

I think Fernando won´t have to fear Seb. Him and Lewis are heads and shoulders above all others.

Kubica on their heels, but the rest...............................

Yeah, that´s right, Kubica is the third up there.

You can't really say hes third, he can perfectly be 1st.

He has never had a competitive car like a McLaren or a Ferrari.

Depends what you think Fernando or Lewis would have done to Heidi...

Though Kubi vs Fernando would be totally watchable, definitely.

*shakes head in bemusement that people are so willing to embarrass themselves in public*

You can find embarrassing what you want to. You're free.

He-he. Fully agree. I also remember you weren't so keen on Kubica vs. Hamilton. I think that would be at least as "watchable".

Wrong again

Well, right about F1, wrong about undersquare, as so often...

In conversation - Ecclestone & Alonso

[i]One is the man who made Formula One racing the global force that it is today. The other is the most successful driver of the modern era. Together they know the sport inside out - and both are uniquely qualified to provide an insight into the enigma that is Ferrari. Fernando Alonso has fulfilled his ambition of driving for the Scuderia after securing two world titles elsewhere, while Bernie Ecclestone admits Ferrari is one element of Formula One that you just can’t put a value on...

Good interview

"The other is the most successful driver of the modern era" - Michael Schumacher has pretty quickly been disposed of, it seems.

Yeah just a slight little error there on part of whoever writing article!

He forgot 7 time WDC is driving this year

What about Kubica who is doing so much better than Alonso was at Renault even though Renault has worst money and resource disadvantage it has had in ages? If you ask me it's a 3 way draw among them and frankly wouldn't be surprised if Hamilton, Kubica, and Rosberg have all surpassed Alonso at this point. Sorry, I'm just not convinced by the two Renault wins 4 and 5 years ago when it was in easily the best car on grid. I'm suspicious that Alonso's not going to be WDC contender again now whereas I could easily see Kubica or Rosberg (especially because they are so consistent) being WDC soon as one get competitive car.

im not saying Kubica is not a big player and i totally rate him with alonso and hamilton but the point u made about kubica doing much better in the renault than alonso did last year isnt really fair! if you think about it the current renault team is pretty much a totally different team, totally restructured and with a much more aggressive mentality compared to the shamballs flavio ran, just look at the current front wing and same one from last year. so ur point is flawed imo but i do agree kubica is at the top with the big boys

Fernando should be more concentrated. He can do more, I expect more.

Kubica, Rosberg, Hamilton and many others.
Alonso is so overrated.
he was lucky to win 2 WDC with a very dominant car but thats about it.
what can you expect from one humilliated by a rookie
im suspicious hes not going to be a contender ever again

Ferrari in 2006 was faster, in the second part of the season. Remember the Grand Prix in Monza, Germany, Indianapolis, Interlagos.

Fernando lucky? Where? At Ungarian GP? At Monza?

humiliated by a rookie?
2007:
2 Hamilton 109
3 Alonso 109
With the team that supported Hamilton.

The team before is the one that won the WDC in 2005 and 2006. The new one is what's left after they lost their tech director and team principal from those years (not to mention the many years they won at benneton). This year's Renault was delayed in development by Renault not knowing until the 11th hour whether or not they wanted to do F1 at all, and additionally it was impacted by severely cut financial resources. It came into the season probably the biggest underdog of any of the established teams, frankly. I'm not disputing it's better car than last year's car (in absolute sense). Of course it is. But everyone has better car than last year the others had more time and money advantages in doing it than Renault! They went from near-backmarkers to real contenders in just a few months. It seems impossible not to attribute tremendous credit for this development and results to their new driver.

Ah, come on guys. Not even Alonso keeps babbling about 2007. The titles he won in '05 and '06 are history as well. He is driving a Ferrari now and he has a fair chance at the title, just look at the points table. I really don't know how 2ms got to the conclusion that he is passed his sell-by date or that he was never that good, but he is entitled to his opinion, regardless of how stupid it is.

Let's see if Robert can beat what Fernando did in his first year with Renault (2003)

Alonso's main rivals also had a very dominant car. In 2005 Kimi had a way quicker car even if it was less reliable. Still Alonso played good his cars so I don't see the luck here.
About 2006, I think overall Renault and Ferrari were tied. Both Michael and Alonso had the same number of retirements caused by non-related driver issues. Alonso won it worthy and fairly even if suddenly the FIA banned mass dampers when initialy they were legal. Alonso had a dominant car but so was Schumacher.

So I don't know where the luck goes.

Luck here, luck there... Sheldon from The Big Bang Theory would facepalm reading this.

It's easier to deal with backmarkers when you have the stewards weaving the blue flags than when you don't have such privilege. Alonso's in-lap was a disaster because of Trulli but where did the stewards put the blue flags?

There's no problem with discussing 2007 etc in this thread - it was a pivotal year in Alonso's career after all - but please try to do so with maturity.

One-liners accompanied by 'lol's are never going to go down well and are, simply, trolling. Please don't do it and maybe the subject can be discussed without inflaming emotions too much.

I give you that.
To me also, it´s a three way fight right now between Lewis, Fernando and Robert. Jenson being a surprisingly close fourth, having become WDC did work miracles on him.

Am I actually reading you acknowledging idea that Alonso is not as good as his predecessor at Ferrari?

thanks AlanWake for getting the irony of it.
it is inderstandable, me not being a prolific poster, that it was taken literally though.
i apologize for flaming the debate with a stupid out-of-context ironic post.
next time a Fernando Alonso hater gets on my nerves i will either ignore or report, not try to imitate the trolling myself for who knows what stupid purpose. i was upset, so i shouldnt have replied at that moment.


from Marca interview to Alonso, 22/6/2010:

FA keeps insisting that Kubica is very good.
and i see many forumers, me included, agreeing on that.
it is going to be a fearsome contender when Kubica gets a good car, if he does.
is Kubica really -that- good? i couldnt really tell because his ride is.. well... how could we compare?
maybe they are all scared of Kubica! xD

Quite interesting - thanks for that snipet of an interview.
Also it is telling that he still counts MS among his most worthy opponents. Well, after Monaco it is understandable, although the move was.....(let´s not start that discussion now )

If we go by that logic, Schumacher's titles mean jack, so does Hill's, Mansell's, Prost's at Williams and about 80% of the other champions. I guess you not convinced by their talent as all of them had bad seasons by their own high standards in inferior equipment. Hell, Prost even went as far as comparing his Ferrari to a truck. Also comparing 2 drivers with different machinery who happen to have driven for the same team doesn't cut it as well. In this case, even more so as the Renault team is under new management with very different philosophies. I would use the current season and performance against team mates (it is the best way of judging a teams/cars relative performance) as a measuring stick for all drivers. Alonso has made his fair share of mistakes but it is undeniable that his pace has been remarkable when compared to his team mate (I honestly don't believe that Massa is that bad a driver). So has Kubica's, but he is up against a rookie. Anyway, just some food for thought.

http://www.marca.com/blogs/elgrancirco/201...ludes-eres.html

they used very colloquial language thoughout the interview, so some parts i will leave almost literal because the exact meaning has no equivalent exact expression. i hope its enough to understand






Q: At this stage of the championship, do you detect too much pessimism on press and fans?
A: I dont know, from outside the races and results are always seen differently, but in the team we are very calm and happy because we continue with our same goal: to be champions.
We have done some better and some worse races and, of course, we know the bad ones have the most repercusion because we are Ferrari. People expect a lot, that we always win, and sometimes it just can't be, but that part of being in a big team like it happens with Real Madrid or Barcelona: if 2 matches are lost in a row it has more impact that if it happened to Deportivo.


Q: You(in polite form) are really 14 points away, 4 points away with the old scoring system, and it is so close that you can even come out leader from Canada.
A: Yes, yes, i have been in the top 3 all season and in any race, having such small distances, you can come out in front. That's why we are calm, knowing the effect a bad race from our part can have, but we accept it without catastrophism.


Q: We are almost at the middle of the championship and you are 4th, with one race victory. Would you have signed for this result before the start? (meaning if the situation is on par with his expectations)
A: Yes, i think so. Winter testing was very good, the car had good performance since we went on track for the first time in Valencia, and we had hopes to make a good start for the season, but thinking about it with a cold head, when we made the presentation of the car in Maranello, if we had know that after 7 races we could be 14 points from the leader and having won a race; yes, we would have signed for that. Among other reasons because we knew how hard this championship was going to be, that 2009 ended for Ferrari with well-known drivers like Fisichella and Badoer out of Q1, so there was much to improve and the team made a great job to be prepared. Then winning or not, it will be decided by small details and the evolution of the cars, but at least we are going to be one of the candidates.


Q: We are watching attacks between teammates in other teams, crashes, team orders that may or may not be, etc. Those that criticized you for overtaking Massa in China, have they taken their guns back or is it that some dont understand that in this sport sometimes you have to pass your teammate...
A: Controversy is always there because of how mediatic F1 is, the many interests that are in play. Depending on what country, they try to destabilize that one or that other team. It was already tried to create polemics during winter, but it didnt happen, then about China they lifted the head out of the water and tried to make it a noise week but then nothing happened.


Q: And now...
A: And now nothing is happening. But we are exposed to any detail or any gesture to be interpreted their way, trying to destabilize. Anyway, we are calm, our team is very united.


Q: You asked for a bit of time to adapt to Ferrari at the start of the championship. How does one make to feel at home, home of a past great rival of yours?
A: With a very fast adaptation because i was in contact with them since november of last year and since january the preseason was very intense, with many days working at the factory and the simulator, so we arrived at the first races in good position. After 4 or 5 races you get to know everybody better, knowing the name of the mechanics, which wasnt that way at the beginning, to have more confidence. And it is a very open team that is making some group activity or a dinner with everybody every thursday before each race. There is always something new compared to my previous experience


Q: Is it more the similarities between two teams like McLaren and Ferrari, the greatest of history, or the differences
A: They are different teams, both very good, always dominating F1, but the way of working and the philosophy is different. The atmosphere is much more familiar here, they are more proud to be working for the team, for the brand, and the live it with much more passion


Q: The fac that the team dispensed Raikkonen, who had current contract, and brought you instead, that they trusted you so much.. was that reason to have extra motivation, even past the capabilites of the car, to pay their confidence back wanting to win WDC with them at first try, all the races?
A: No, it wasn't that the feeling i had when i arrived nor that i have now. They dispensed Kimi and i came with great enthusiasm after years of rumors. Every year it seemed like it was to happen but at the end it didnt, it was greatly expected from my part, and yes, i come wish to give them successes, but not with obssesion.

Q: Aren't you overwhelmed by the desire to reciprocate? (the trust of the team betting on him)
A: Mmmm no, i am cold and methodic in the way i prepare a GP and it may come out good or bad result, but i dont usually let the feelings or personal desires carry me away


Q: Could your situation be similar to that of Cristiano Ronaldo in Real Madris? That he was so awaited, generated such high hopes, that later, not achieving anything (no titles) was a bit of a disappointment. The best team considers you the best, won't it be a great disappointment not winning the championship?
A: No, i think its part of sport. This is not pure mathematics, we see it with football as well. In semifinals USA beat us. They could play against us 30 times and most likely Spain can win 29, but on that ocassion the americans won fair and square. That's sport, very complex. Ferrari is the best team, but not winning, more than a disappointment would mean more thinking into how to improve, because winning depends on us, we are the team with the most potential and the best technical staff and if we dont wint that would mean we have done something wrong.


Q: This year F1 rewards race winner more than the regular car because of the new scoring system. Maybe being on the podium and being up there with the top finishers, one of your strengths when not in dominant car, is not enough. Do you need a race winning Ferrari to be champion?
A: Yes, the new scoring systema rewards those winning races, yes, but it is still needed to be consistent. as an example take a look at RedBull, they have won several races but are not distanced away in the championship because they had DNFs as well. We have to win races, yes, but also to be consistent, we have to be on the podium more often that we had been so far, because we only managed it in two races, Barcelona and Bahrein and we know it is not enough in seven races.


Q: That new Ferrari, the F10B that comes for the race in Valencia, will it be enough?
A: I think we have to advance bit by bit, the championship is long. There is a great evolution for Valencia, a great hope, but not all ends there. In silverstone in july there are more new parts and then again in Germany.. so we are going to be fighting up till the last race at Abu Dhabi


Q: If it was possible to drive 2 or 3 lap on the Red Bull car would you diagnose what is it that car has that makes is superior?
A: We know it already


Q: What is it?
A: It has more grip that the rest. It is a superior car for now, but its only been 7 races and we want to have the best car in little time


Q: Is is said Leo Messi hasn't played his best 5 matches yet. Have we seen your best 5 races?
A: (takes his time to answer) Most likely there will be better races, but the best 5 of my career.. maybe 2 or 3 i have done already


Q: From all that happens during a GP weekend in a complex sport such as this, how much does it make it to the press and the public? Do we get to know all that is going on?
A: I dont think so. The info making it to the homes is very distorted, a lot of information is received, many hours on TV, many newspapers and radios, but it is a lot of poorly organized information and normaly not very true, so people gets confused with things. But it is also the charm of this sport, the secrecy and holding back things you dont want your rivals to know or make use of the media to send strength signals to your rivals

Q: So we aren't aware of much
A: (laughs) i think very little... very little


Q: At your 29 years old to be next month you declare to be better and more complete than ever, specially after your second period at Renault. What do you need to be the perfect driver?
A: Bah, i think one is always improving, every year one gets to be better, better technically because you get to know more aspects of the machine or technological innovations that come up every year and you get to discover them. Then changing teams is a very enrichening experience because you get to know new technicians and engineers like i am doing this year, with new ways of working that you didnt know and they open new paths for you. All this experience shared with this so intelligent people, because people working in F1 making this cars i think is above the average, they make you become better.


Q: And the superstitions and habbits? The numerology and repeating what had gone well the previous year? Are you leaving this behind with the years?
A: Theres still a bit of that, but less because as you get experience you discard some of those things when you realize what was it causing the problems in the first place, which renders some of those superstitions useless


Q: Does your perfect rival exist or you would need to add qualities from different pilots?
A: I have fought against very strong rivals. Each had its strengths so i suppose joining the best of them makes for a very good driver and a very hard to beat rival. Thanks God none has it all


Q: Would it have the head of Schumacher and the aggresivity of Hamilton?
A: They all have things, Lewis and Michael, and also Kubica, they are all very good drivers


Q: Is it necessary to hate your rival a bit in order to win a wheel-to-wheel? Is it the one who thinks before or the one braking later that wins?
A: I think in those moments of fierce fighting with your rival, what is most necessary is to remain calm because they are moments of a great adreline rush, with big tension and rivalry. Your rival is driver as well as yourself, having as much experience as yourself, taking the racing line as well and has a good machine, so to pass him or attack him you have to be... a bit smarter than him or remain a bit more calm, else it is very difficult nowaways (the overtaking)


Q: What is the great truth about F1? That you are only what you made on the last GP, that there are many races...
A: (thinks). for sure there are many truths, but i wouldnt know which one to pick. I think, as in all sports, it is the results that count. You can make a really great job, your team being pleased with you, being media friendly, and friendly with the public, spend all your day signing autographs, but if you finish 18th you are going to be horrible for everybody and receive many criticism. And if you are extremely good and win all races and championships, even if you dont talk with anybody not even saluting the public or anything, you are charming. So it is the results, as in all sports, that count.


Q: Is there envy between the great drivers?
A: No, no, at least i never felt real envy. It is true though that you try to show yourself as strong among the great drivers, and if you have a strong car for that certain race you park it in the first line for the others to see, but not for any other reason.


Q: I know you never gave up, but did you get to think during the last 2 years at Renault.. "dang it, i might remain here and never make it to Ferrari"?
A: No, no, i had much hope of making it here, to this team, and if i hadn't make it to Ferrari i knew there would be more opportunities and that i would win races again. I never had that feeling.


Q: You like magic tricks, what is the best one that can be made on track?
A: You always do something you think the otheres are not doing, at some strange corner, or during the warm-up lap, it doesnt necessarily have to be during the race. There are always tricks, warming the tyres while behind the safety car, a particular racing line... there is always some thing we do differently and we think we do it best. We all think we have tricks.


Q: About your thumbs being worth 10 million euros.. do you feel strange when shaking hands with someone or maybe fear of getting cut while cooking, that you like so much?
A: Not me me, but maybe to Santander, i dont have any problem, on the contrary i seek contact (laughs). Now seriously, i dont think about it.


Q: Then how much should be your head insured for?
A: It could be worth less..


Q: You continue not using Facebook, Twitter, nor any other fan club or social network...
A: Nothing, none. I dont have any interest, i am very traditional. There is nothing to be telling there at every moment, and those are things not to be told. If i want someone to know i give that or that other friend a phonecall.


Q: With the years have you made a positive balance of the enormous fame you had to endure?
A: Well, there are always positive things


Q: Tell me something, guessing.. the traffic fines?
A: You are know in every place in all countries. Sometimes you arrive at a restaurant and there are no tables left, then maybe they ask two customers to stand up (laughs) if you are around or they set up a table quickly for you in a corner and you get served first. So sometimes you do get something out of fame but then you have to sign some autographs and take pictures with the cooks... but at least you have had dinner!


Q: Switzerland is the best country to do...?
A: To relax, to breathe in calm and serenity, it is spectacular in this respect. I feel great there and in between races i can truly find peace there.


Q: Are you addicted to something new with the years?
A: No, nothing different. Not fishing, not golf, i am yet young.


Q: Is a victory comparable with sex?
A: I dont know, id have to think about it and try to imagine, i dont know


Q: Question to TV series fan, did you enjoy the ending of Lost?
A: I havent seen it yet so dont tell me


Q: Are we going to win the Footbal Championship?
A: Its going to be hard. I know all Spain is extremely optimistic, and there are reasons for it, our team is one of the best, but then winning is a different story. I wish it with all my heart, but i know of the great difficulties we are going to face.


Q: What about the F1 Championship?
A: Its hard, just like with footbal the championship is very close, with 2 or 3 very strong teams, but what i am sure about is that we are goign to be in the fight for it until Abu Dhabi and if we make it there we are going to have more options than the rest because both the team and myself have the experience of winning championships.

Thanks for that! I always find the translation of colloquial phrases fascinating, the meaning is normally clear and I enjoy the feeling of eavesdropping on a slightly different culture that it gives.

Kubica has not done anything to suggest he is on the same level as Alonso. Look at his performance against Heidfeld. I don't believe a driver suddenly turns into a monster overnight. I will say he has been consistent though.

And Rosberg was last year iirc only 3 and a half tenths or so ahead of Nakajima in qualifying. Alonso was further ahead of both Piquet and Grosjean than that.

So I really doubt that either have surpassed Alonso. Its important to be consistent, but speed is also very important. And its not that Alonso's not conistent. He has shown he can be, he's just having a poor year by his standards and his consistency should not be judged just on a few races this year where he has made mistakes especially when he has shown just how consistent he can be in the past.

And the Renault's in 2005 and 2006 were definetly not easily the best car on the grid. The Mclaren was definetly faster in 2005 although it did brake down a lot probably meaning that the Renault was the car to have and in 2006 I think the Ferrari and Renault was pretty even but Alonso just did a better job than Schumacher. I certainly would not think an easily best Renault.

Brilliant interview

Slightly OT but (like Hamilton) Alonso doesn't ever seem to mention Vettel when asked about his great rivals.

Brilliant, Vortex, thanks for the hard work!