That's my impression too, TBH.

But it's not a fundamental problem and I don't consider it too serious yet. It hasn't cost him very much (might have to reconsider that at the end of the season), and the performance itself has been top-notch.

He just needs to string a series of incident free races together and the rest will sort itself.

The pressure is certainly on, and it won't vanish if one's supposed to be Ferraris lead driver.

Maybe I'm simply too cynic, but I don't give Montezemolos words much value one way or another. At this point in time he would always talk like that, regardless of what goes on behind the scenes. That goes for his words about Massa also.

At the end of the day, both drivers have to meet certain expectations from the managment. If they do, all will be fine. If not, it won't help either of them to point at this interview and how LdM has backed them (apparently).

um, I'd say he's driving slightly more aggressively than in the past (at times when he wouldn't) which leads to errors and some pretty dicey decisions - and some flat out bad decisions. But you see where he is in the standings - so he has some room for mistakes built in. Course, he might want to start saving that for the F10's reliability issues - tho maybe he has more faith in the red car than I do.

Wait till the "It's Alonso's Brother" comment comes out....

forgot about that ...


P.S. I've just seen Alonso in today race in IL GIRO. He handed the prize+flowers to the cyclist on the 1st place (pink shirt).

Media is media and our only reference framework, but on some dutch websides im reading that the pressure on Alonso is growing and growing. The mistakes Alonso has already are reducing Ferrari's trust in Alonso, Fernando cant affort any more mistakes in this yet still young season.

Any links or are you just making things up?

http://www.f1journaal.be/index.php/nieuws/...lijks+F1+Nieuws

Thanks so it's basically the same info Autosport published:

Montezemolo: No regrets about Alonso

Aaah yes thanks for that link.

this is the most ridiculous thing I have ever read on this bb

I'm sorry but where it says that the mistakes Alonso has already are reducing Ferrari's trust in Alonso?

About Alonso



So let us just hope that he wont have any problems in the next races!

GO FERNANDO, GO FERRARI!!!!

The only problem ATM is Ferrari needs to close the gap with the Bulls and stay ahead of McLaren which it seemed had changed in Barcelona. I hope Turkey shows a better picture for the red cars but it seems they are behind McLaren.

I don't really see that picture, fernando's lapped today in 1.32s on long runs, whilst hamilton and button were doing 1.33s, and fernando was flying on his best timed lap up to came across schumy in s3

Okay guys, this is it, he made a mistake again.... But let's not despair...

Let's hope for another drive through the field.. Common...

I'm shocked by Alons's performance today... He needs to get everything together, the sooner the better, if not, we will see another thread: Kubica to replace Alonso in 2011

This guy is so overrated. I agree that his performances in 05 and especially 06 were good but he really dropped the ball from 07 on.

Well, after all the soundbites last year as to why Raikkonen was going (in reality, Santander and Alonso came as a package and Ferrari needed the money) I suppose Montezemolo has to say that.

Second WTF moment from Alonso in 2 weeks. Don't know what to think of it. The points are given out tomorrow however.

What else would he say? It's the same as with saying that Massa will drive for them next year, just to give the driver confidence. Both of them are out next year, Kubica and Vettel/Webber in

(Would be fun if Ferrari added some clauses in their contracts after Kimi..)

Everyone has off days from time to time.
I don't think Alonso should be lambasted for messing up one qualifying.

He made a mistake in Monaco as well, but that was in in FP3. Unfortunately for him the car couldn't be fixed in time for Q.

I honestly don't see the mistakes as so damaging as some say.
Ferrari are not in the top 2 now, so the drivers have to take more risks to keep up with Red Bulls and McLarens.
Of course he's gonna make mistakes then.
But he still is only a couple of points behind the overall leader. Pretty good performance.

(I can't believe I'm defending Alonso. I dislike him personally but he is a damn good driver.)

I think, and haven't seen this mentioned by anyone, that the new points system could have something to do with the string of mistakes. If you think about it, he jumped the start in China because he desperately wanted to be in front of the Red Bulls so he could win the race. He crashed in Monaco because he wanted pole position, as with any other starting position it's a lot less likely to win there. He did well in Bahrain because it was just the first race so there was no big need to win there, and in Spain because a Red Bull win was a given there.

So maybe he has the wrong approach, yes winning is more important than last year, but consistency is not much less important.

Talking about jokes, if Ferrari keep on downgrading the "quality" of the Ferraris I guess it's them who will have to get customary to just hire drivers from GP2 to give them a "try" in F1.

Althought I still think they are better than last year.

Great Race by fernando! What a shame with the benchmarkers! They costed him the victory! But as Alonso said: "we are back in fight"

When I saw him so sad on the podium, I thought I was going to cry. But that is it, maybe McLaren luck will not last forever...

if you mean, good luck, I don't think they had good luck. They do have a good car (which probably will get even better) and 2 good drivers. Luck plays a part, but not that much.

Maybe He meant the pity of Alonso behind the benchmarkers As luck for McLaren

Alonso is back!!!

I'm one of those who thinks in most cases you make your own luck.
In Alonso's case, he should have been more careful with those benchmarkers while defending the position.
Anyway, he learn today and I'm sure next time it won't happen again.

He was most unlucky not when He was defending his Position against lewis ans Button but when Lewis went into pits and Alonso dro e the fastest lap and on the Next lap He was Held up by à benchmarker, where He Lost over 1 Second! And so a Position against lewis!

McLaren is doing a very good job with the car. They were so much quicker on the straights that Alonso's only chance to win was to keep them behind. He had no chance to pass them on track I'm afraid. But Alonso was very unlucky with a backmarker in the 2nd pit-stop. Hamilton pitted first and Alonso purpled all three sectors to get stuck behind a backmarker the next lap.

I don't know whether the second problem with the backmarker when Button passed him was avoidable but it was again very unlucky and a clever move from Button.

Let's not forget Turkey also, where RedBulls hang them the victory...

So? Lewis would have passed Alonso again

And the gap between Lewis and Alonso was too big to just blame on traffic, because else it would have been much closer if he supposedly was faster than Lewis on his new tyres.

same goes for Bahrain, right?

There no point in debating over this because there are examples that go both way.

More like a small mistake by Alonso. That he chose to 'go around' that last backmarker instead of straiht 'pass' him.. A hard left was alright, after all he had to dodge around, but then he went back hard to the right, losing all momentum AND opening the doors wide for Button to slip through, I go ???????

I think Ferrari were also in the fight in Turkey, but Alonso simply screwed up. If Kobayashi in a extremyl slow Sauber outqualifies you, then you did something wrong.

This race only confirms it. Massa was still around position 8 like last race in Turkey so the car really didn't change much.

The Ferrari is still a great car that is in the race for the championship.

Why do people want to prove that Alonso is a silly pilot? why do you all hate him?
Yes, all issues Ferrari have can be ordered to alonso. If you feel better then say Alonso is not a good pilot. But he remains to be the best of the whole field.
Anyway he is a human, too. He also can make mistakes.

Alonso drove a great race today --- the big question his why has Massa still got a job ?

Congrats to Alonso - he drove a great race today!

For anyone who thought Alonso was better than Hamilton, then all I need say is he's taking an excruciatingly long time to prove this. This is not an anti-Alonso point, but when was the last time that Alonso actually overtook Hamilton? Sure the Ferrari is slower than the Maclaren at moment and on certain tracks, but today there wasn't that much in it.

He did... I think I'm so upset because I can't criticize him for this one...

And BTW kudos to McLarens. They were great both...

Before Hamilton went to pits Alonso already was past him! To answer your question in Canada 10 ( and that as you stated in a slower Ferrari!)

I'm just amazed by McLarens really taking all opportunities with both hands. They have the best year so far, not making mistakes and doing better and better, always there to capitalize.... Well done to them

It was amazing seeing how Alonso purpled all three sectors when Hamilton pitted. Alonso was just behind Hamilton when the latter entered the pit-lane but in the next lap Alonso lost a lot of time behind the backmarkers. Alonso should have pitted straight away, that second lap served the win for Hamilton on a silver platter.

Anyway, good job Ferrari even if it wasn't a great result.

Alonso really is wringing the neck of that Ferrari. I am hugely impressed.

I think Alonso IS better than Hamilton, and he will prove it at the end

I predict great races and wins for Alonso now- he is coming back from an unlucky period. Today it was podium, the next one will be better! (I have a feeling he'll win).

Still that look on his face today was like it was in 2007: What the f...k, I did nothing wrong, I drove superbly still this Lewis kid is in the front...

He impressed me this weekend. Don't know if that's partially because since a long time, he did not ruin his weekend at some point, but nevertheless, he (like baddog said) was really wringing the neck of that Ferrari in the race. I don't believe the Ferrari is on the pace of the McLaren at this point of the season, certainly not after what we've seen in Istanbul, yet he managed to stay very close with Hamilton and the McLarens in general. On the other hand, he made some mistakes with backmarkers that a 2 times WDC shouldn't have made, like for instance let Hamilton have the slipstream of a backmarker when Hamilton tried to overtake Alonso, and when Button passed him at the end of the race.

Very good race from Fernando, a pity the backmarkers robbed him of a chance at the victory.
Seems Fernando is back on bussiness after a bad weekend in Turkey. If the Valencia updates on the Ferrari are good, we´ll have a classic Hamilton-Alonso for the WDC!!!

But why is he better? How has he shown he is better? Alonso did not deal with the back markers effectively enough today. Hamilton's move on Alonso today was brilliant, but he only got past Alonso at that moment in time because Alonso didn't deal with the car he was trying to overtake.