Full fashion thread style.

Alonso beat Fittipaldi as youngest WDC, and again as youngest double WDC (Fitti again) and is chasing Senna's youngest triple WDC this year - and still has 3 years to do it.

After the start of the winter testing he top's all the bet odds. So can the favorite (also on Brundle's predition) win it this year?!

Alonso at Fiorano:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQMxt8dNpoE

There like, wasn't a thread for Alonso yet?

I don't see how he wouldn't be able to win it this year. Ferrari seems to have the best 'allround' package so far, as Renault had in 05-06. But we all know how that can suddenly change over a season.

I like Fred, i'd like to tussle his furry mop the cheeky Spaniard

until a young German comes to take that honour away ;)

I think he will win it like the 2005 and 2006 titles: very strong points scoring earlier in the championship. And Vettel will be his main rival.

Here's an analysis of the winter 2010 odd's:
http://img696.imageshack.us/img696/1382/bi...o20100314uc.png from f1technical.com 's http://www.f1technical.net/forum/viewtopic...?f=1&t=7787

He would have to take that honour from a young Brit I think.

I've said it before and i'll say it again, Alonso in a competitive car gives a great chance of championship glory. I wouldn't be too distressed if Vettel took it though ;)

Gee I would. Vettel looks like a child that needs his nose blown with a tissue by his mother each time I see him out of the cockpit lol.

Go Alonso!

How can he achieve the triple when Hamilton is the youngest WDC ?

At the time the claimed it..

Why not? He would be the youngest triple WDC, like Senna is now.

No he can't, because Senna was 28, and Alonso will turn 29 this July... so impossible

Senna was 28 when he won his first title. 31 when he won his third to make the triple.

Alonso is also my bet for this year. With Ferrari's need for victory after not so good last seasons, Alonso is in the right team and has some of the best driving skills out there. Hamilton will take second. The Young German will be third...

Senna was 31 when he won his 3rd title.

You rate drivers on how they look?

Ghey.

Where does he say he rates him by that? I think he was talking about likability.

I did say out of the cockpit ffs lol in the cockpit he's on fire most times..

I dont know if its real, but here is... race with alonso....

Alonsos street race in melbourne

And another video, highlights Bahrein :

highlights Bahrein

Oh my god, it's Friday

That is Alonso!!! fo sho

heh @ Alonso

I also agree that this year Fernando will become a 3 times world champion though I think it's gonna come down to the wire with Hamilton. It's gonna be a Alonso vs Hamilton / Ferrari vs Mclaren fight all the way to the end.

1:41 suggests it's real. Funny video

No, he was talking about his runny nose...I am pretty sure!

You're right.. he was indeed.

Alonso doesn't seem to have that problem very often. Good enough of a reason.

IF Alonso can outqualify Vettel, Massa and Hamilton
ANDIF Ferrari is more relaible than Redbull Renault
THEN he will be 3xWDC.

At the moment, he's about the 3rd or 4th best qualifier. He is the best racer, easily as good as Lewis - that is undisputed, but this year you win the race on Saturday and I just don't think that there is enough downforce when following the double diffuser to enable him to get past, unless he makes a better start and people will be watching him like a hawk!

No doubt DrF, and that will probably gives us something of interest in this season, otherwise it would be a domination bore feast.

But I will still bet on Alonso: don't believe that Massa can out qualify him in more than half gp's and he is prone to errors; Mclaren start is a bit delayed and they will lose too many points in the first races. Vettel is the real danger and would possibly won the first race - still Red Bull unfortunately are not too consistent enough.

It is going to be very close between Alonso, Vettel and Hamilton, you can be absolutely sure that none of them will dominate and I feel that Massa is going to impede Alonso, especially if he outqualifies him and then blocks him at the start. Lewis will definitely be in the front two rows, waiting to take advantage of any squabble between Alonso and Massa, just as Alonso did when Massa and Hamilton were fighting for P2 and let's not forget that Mark Webber also has a Red Bull and can really mess things up for all three of them if he gets his qualifying together, as can Button.

It's a long season and there are a lot of good drivers in good cars in the top 6. Any of them could take the title, but it will be the one who can put a decent lap together on Saturday in a fast car and so far (based on a sample group of one race lol) that one is Vettel.

yes, he is, 100%.

It's really not much of a race, just a bit noisy because they have powerful cars...

Was it Fisi in the Ferrari?

Fernando Alonso is the benchmark F1 driver of his generation. He is a worthy favourite, a double champion with immense consistency and savvy. This could be his dominant year. Domination on the level of Mansell in 92 or Schumi in 2004 is not impossible.

They dominated because they had far away the best cars, i dont believe Alonso has that

Yes they did. I do believe as the year goes on The Ferrari will move further and further clear. He has Massa in his pocket imho so its not impossible.

Respect your view though and there is evidence to suggest Red Bull will be more than just an irritant but I just think the Ferrari is fundamentally a superior machine with a Class A driver.

a post of conquerage my friend this season won't be about whether Alonso wins (the title) or fails (doesn't win the title), this season already has all the elements of an ultimate slow-burner broiling mulching corker.....great drivers in great cars, great match-ups and inter-team rivalries.....the season may be won by Silverstone (if Alonso gets his sh*t together) but it also might just be as muddy as a muddy thing by Silverstone if we have various winners, various fuhk-ups and various spills by the drivers we think are peerless ;)......the Alonso/Schumacher/Ferrari 'coffee-gate' story was interesting to read but not in terms on a Fred-bash, but rather a man who might just be wondering whether his team are as focussed as he is at the task in hand....truly and utterly fascinating .....forget the whaaaness of 'wasnt it boring' Bahrain, that was a mere aperitif to the season we're entering imvho....tell your friends to stay interested, this might just be a real classic

Only an incy wincy problem, the Ferrari isn't the only car on the grid capable of winning gp's. Red Bull especially are very dangerous. Also dont underestimate Mclaren and Merc.

Come now, after the embarassement of last year, no one truly believes anyone other than Ferrari wins the two championships this year do they? They had a six month head start on the field and that is why their race pace is on a different level to that of Mercedes and Mclaren. Red Bull are a threat at least in Seba's hands but they cannot and will not develop at the rate of Ferrrari.

By the way I am not a Ferrari fan. Just say it as I see it.

Red bull had the fastest car at the end of last year and this year's car is an evolution. If it can stay in one piece and not fry the engine, gearbox, etc. then I feel that Ferrari will struggle to match it. I also suspect that there is going to be more friction between the Ferrari drivers than Red Bull. Massa's shown that his qualifying ability is unaffected by the piece of steel in his head and I don't think he's going to let his team mate sneak past him off the grid. Not again.

Too late for that. The first corner at Bahrain was the watershed. He may as well have draped a white flag from the cockpit. Game over.

As for Red Bull, that is a lot of If's. Ferrari have a more solid motor car, its better on its tyres ( look at Webber's grained rears in free practise this weekend ) and there will be no friction at Ferrari as Alonso has already established dominance ( In Felipe's head )

it is realy good to see fernando in a competitive car again!

and i dont doubt for a second that he will deliver.

lugano to maranello: less than two hours!

I like Nando. Not only he's a superb racer....but he's a cheeky bugger too.

He has the time, the car and the skills to make him the youngest triple WDC. I'd like to think he'd be able to this year. Alas, looking at Red Bull, Maclaren, Vettel and Hamilton, I wouldn't bet on it.....

....and he doesn't either ;)

Impressive Alonso! What happened with Massa, though??

From the Shumi thread....

"I don't think it's a secret that Alonso can get very testy when a teammate is breathing down his neck as we have seen with Trulli at Benetton or Hamilton at McLaren. He has phenomenal mood swings only experienced by females during a certain period of the month should he in fact get beaten. Even Pat Symonds has confirmed that Alonso can be a bit of a child when things don't go his way. Make up your own mind."

I don't have to make up my mind, Alonso has been openly vocal about his character for those that want to "hear" him instead of making their own minds about his personality for whatever reason.

It's not a secret he's extremely competitive on the track and gets cranky with himself for not delivering up to his own expectations. From there to state he suffers from phenomenal mood swings comparing them to an hormonal female cycle you've heard of but know nothing about (if you are in fact a male), is yet again drawing whateve conclusions you want to, influenced by media. BTW, can you provide a link to Pat Symonds' comments? I'm not doubting you, I'd like to read them in full and not out of context if possible.

One more thing.....it's funny how the press build up "old greats" for fans to rave on and how they smash current drivers today depending their interests today. Room for thought?

well, some people still seem to be bitter that fernando retired their idol.

btw, nice qualifying.

Outstanding performance from Fred.

I get the feeling we might need to strap ourselves in, because this has all the feeling of 2005, where Red Bull have a much faster, albeit fragile, car.

Thank god then, if that's the cards Ferrari are dealt, we have Fernando.

Yeah but in 2005, Renault had the upper hand in the first 4 races at least, and Alonso had a significant points advantage by the time McLaren started winning races. So he could rely on that advantage all through the season.
This year is different, I think Red Bull will start scoring victories as soon as tomorrow...

They did look better on the harder tyre which is key. Fernando will have his work cut out but from the clean side of the grid he could nail Webber at turn one.

We will see, I'm not convinced.

Also, something that was remarkable about 2005, is by the end of the season the Renault caught up to the McLaren in terms of pace (think China, 2005).

Ferrari have barely touched their car since the first day of Barcelona, they will make a reasonable jump on the return to Europe, with the way Fernando is driving, finding even just a couple tenths on Redbull could make all the difference.

I hope you are right , but Vettel is driving in a great form as well. We'll see.

If he wants his front wing to remain intact he had better give Webber a wide berth,