FORUMula1.com - F1 Forum

Discuss the sport you love with other motorsport fans

Formula One related discussion.
#34169
From autosport.com:

By Michele Lostia and Pablo Elizalde Friday, February 29th 2008, 11:22 GMT

Flavio BriatoreRenault team boss Flavio Briatore says there will be no problems with his drivers Fernando Alonso and Nelsinho Piquet this year.

Alonso has returned to Renault after one year at McLaren, the team he left after a troubled season.

The Spaniard, a two-time champion, was unhappy in 2007 because he felt he deserved preferential treatment over rookie teammate Lewis Hamilton.

Alonso will be partnered by Piquet, another rookie, this year, but Briatore suggested the Brazilian will play second fiddle to the Spaniard.

"I think Nelsinho doesn't want to commit suicide in his rookie year," Briatore told Gazzetta dello Sport. "When McLaren hire a world champion in Fernando and have a rookie in Hamilton, they must know how to manage them.

"Piquet and Alonso, they both work for Renault. It's up to me to manage them for the good of the team. I must consider that, besides the two drivers, I have one thousand other people working for me."

Briatore says Alonso, world champion with Renault in 2005 and 2006, is very motivated despite Renault's lack of pace so far.

"Fernando laughs now, he's happy with what he does," he said. "At 26 he has a fantastic job and that's a victory already. I see him very motivated, like in 2003.

"He's back to being the Fernando we knew, the one from 2004 and 2005. Is there a risk he'll leave us if we aren't competitive? At the moment I really can't see those conditions."

The Italian team boss claims Renault have closed the gap to the top teams, but he is still expecting a difficult start to the season.

"I think we've (partially) made up the one-second-plus gap Ferrari and McLaren had last year over us," Briatore added.

"In my opinion there will we six or seven cars within two tenths this year. Ferrari keep on having a couple of tenths advantage in race pace, while in qualifying Ferrari and McLaren are on the same level.

"We must defend ourselves in the first three races and score some points, because when we get to Europe we'll introduce some important modifications that should allow us to take some steps forward.

"If Fernando says we have 30% chances of winning then he's optimistic, I'd say it's about 25%."


Ahahahaha. Fraudster Flavio always makes me laugh.
User avatar
By 8-ball
#34170
Piquet's career is not going to be anything special if this is the kind of management that he is in store for
User avatar
By 7UpJordan
#34324
Piquet's career is not going to be anything special if this is the kind of management that he is in store for

I think Piquet Senior will be encouraging Jr to kick Alonso's arse.
User avatar
By racechick
#34335
I do hope so :D:D:D
User avatar
By deMuRe
#34345
More biased dribble from Autosport. Alonso was sold a pipedream, he was told at signing he would be the clear team number one.

Then he wasn't, I would feel cheated if I were Alonso...
User avatar
By racechick
#34356
Should have done his talking on the track, if he couldnt tough.
User avatar
By deMuRe
#34372
Should have done his talking on the track, if he couldnt tough.


For the sake of harmony don't you think it would have been prudent for Ron to tell Hamilton to hold station?

Maybe Alonso is the type of driver who needs to feel like he's number 1 to perform.

He did it for Mika with DC, but maybe that's because DC was Scottish instead of English :wink:
User avatar
By bud
#34399
demure you saying Alonso didnt perform last year? 109 points same as Hamilton!?!?!

what is it with <EDITED FOR SOOKS> making excuses for the two time world champ???
Last edited by bud on 02 Mar 08, 11:05, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
By deMuRe
#34436
He performed, however McLaren would have had both titles if Ron had asked Hamilton to hold station, just for the first year...
User avatar
By Jabberwocky
#34439
Perhaps if Ron put De La Rosa in the other car they would of won both, De La Rosa knows which side his bread is buttered
User avatar
By 8-ball
#34440
He performed, however McLaren would have had both titles if Ron had asked Hamilton to hold station, just for the first year...


why not Alonso hold his station when Hamilton was in the lead at the halfway point of the season? They would have ended up with both titles and Alonso would have been in a title winning car instead of in the mid pack.
User avatar
By deMuRe
#34445
He performed, however McLaren would have had both titles if Ron had asked Hamilton to hold station, just for the first year...


why not Alonso hold his station when Hamilton was in the lead at the halfway point of the season? They would have ended up with both titles and Alonso would have been in a title winning car instead of in the mid pack.


Alonso is a 2 time world champion, he's already earned his stripes. Hamilton is young and talented, he'll have a very bright future ahead of him, he could hold station for 1 season. He hasn't had to cut his teeth with a lower team so he's already got an advantage...
User avatar
By racechick
#34447
Thats no way to encorage young talent, telling them to slow down-that fire needs nuturing not putting out.I agree with 8ball if you must favour a driver then favour the one who's earnt it by mid season. What happenend in previous seasons is not a ticket to be helped to another title. Better still favour neither and let the best man win.
User avatar
By umair_theheadliner
#34448
More biased dribble from Autosport. Alonso was sold a pipedream, he was told at signing he would be the clear team number one.

Then he wasn't, I would feel cheated if I were Alonso...


he didn't wanted a special behaviour but he wanted to see equality at mclaren.. possibly hamilton was given a priority in every case due to his nationality
User avatar
By racechick
#34450
No, if you look at the statistics it was scrupulously fair-that is how mcLaren like to play it. The drivers took turns to have the more favourable strategy. He may have had an emotional advantage in that he knew the team better but that was all.

See our F1 related articles too!