FORUMula1.com - F1 Forum

[Jabberwocky]

it is strange how no other media outlet has picked up on this. Maybe Alonso wrote a 10k cheque to make the problem go away.

[Hammer278]

Probably trying to impress his new russian gf being all alpha male and all. I can't imagine the vertically challenged Alonso trying to fight anyone, but hey there you go.

[LewEngBridewell]

Great scenes from Barcelona today. Alonso has transformed the F1 following in that country. Valencia last year and this year's Barcelona race have been raving with atmosphere

[Hammer278]

Alonso Predicts Mercedes Show

"We know that we have a competitive package with both cars on the podium in Barcelona and we know that Monaco is a very unique track and you need a good set-up and confidence to drive here," he said. "But we also know Mercedes will be strong, they have been on pole position for the last three grands prix, so we have to expect them to be very strong here again.

"They were on pole here last year with Michael [Schumacher] but had a penalty. We know how difficult it is to overtake and if they are on pole position maybe they are favourites here, but we must not forget our main target is the championship and Vettel and Raikkonen are ahead of us. If Mercedes has to win one race then this is the one and we will just concentrate on finishing in front of the others."

Ahead of next weekend's Canadian Grand Prix, Pirelli is planning to tweak the tyres to return to its target of two to three pit stops per race. Red Bull has been the most vocal team to oppose the original 2013 specification tyres, arguing that it has to tell its drivers to race at 80% in order to protect the tyres. But Alonso is not convinced by his rival's protestations.

"We know that Barcelona was a good race for us and not so good for some of our competitors," he said. "Some of those competitors claim to have a super car but the last three pole positions were for another car. Sometimes when you win too easily for so many years it is difficult to lose some races."

__________________________________________________



As I said before, the Bieber syndrome...nobody takes Vettel's achievements seriously, when his teammate is treated like a 2nd grader and the car is/was just dominant. Alonso has just fanned the flames here, I LIKE!

[andrew]

Ain't jealousy a cruel mistress Mr Alonso?

Thought it was about time for one of his pre-race weekend soundbites.

[vaptin]

Alonso Predicts Mercedes Show

"We know that we have a competitive package with both cars on the podium in Barcelona and we know that Monaco is a very unique track and you need a good set-up and confidence to drive here," he said. "But we also know Mercedes will be strong, they have been on pole position for the last three grands prix, so we have to expect them to be very strong here again.

"They were on pole here last year with Michael [Schumacher] but had a penalty. We know how difficult it is to overtake and if they are on pole position maybe they are favourites here, but we must not forget our main target is the championship and Vettel and Raikkonen are ahead of us. If Mercedes has to win one race then this is the one and we will just concentrate on finishing in front of the others."

Ahead of next weekend's Canadian Grand Prix, Pirelli is planning to tweak the tyres to return to its target of two to three pit stops per race. Red Bull has been the most vocal team to oppose the original 2013 specification tyres, arguing that it has to tell its drivers to race at 80% in order to protect the tyres. But Alonso is not convinced by his rival's protestations.

"We know that Barcelona was a good race for us and not so good for some of our competitors," he said. "Some of those competitors claim to have a super car but the last three pole positions were for another car. Sometimes when you win too easily for so many years it is difficult to lose some races."

__________________________________________________



As I said before, the Bieber syndrome...nobody takes Vettel's achievements seriously, when his teammate is treated like a 2nd grader and the car is/was just dominant. Alonso has just fanned the flames here, I LIKE!

It wasn't really directed at Vettel's driving? More about Redbull saying they have a good car, but it's Perrelli's fault, Alonso is saying that's not true.

It's intersting actually, Ferrari don't seem to care the tyres are being made more durable, I suspect they have performance too held back because of the tyres, and don't think they are losing advantage by the tyres being made more durable (i.e. their performance gain is justified versus the performance gain Redbull will also get).

[spankyham]

I said elsewhere that I thought Red Bull and Vettel do themselves no favours placing their focus on the tires. On the other hand, Alonso knows that every bit of attention Red Bull isn't putting into their car means a slightly less than optimal performance from them. I think he is just having a go at winding them up a little more - if they bite all the better for his chances.

[spankyham]

Nando's Monaco helmet looks very cool.

I spy with my little eye something beginning with "D" and followed by "asha"

[sagi58]

Pete Gill wrote:">Fernando Alonso placed under investigation by Hungarian Grand Prix race stewards

Spaniard had already fallen further behind Vettel in Budapest

According to the charge, Alonso activated the DRS system on his Ferrari on three separate occasions in Sunday's race when he was more than one second behind the car in front.

Under the current rules, a pursuing car is only permitted to employ DRS when it is within one second of the car ahead when they cross into the DRS detection zone.

On a disappointing afternoon for the Spaniard and his Ferrari team, Alonso fell further behind World Championship leader Sebastian Vettel at the Hungaroring as he trailed the German over the line in a distant fifth place.

However, Alonso's afternoon may yet take a further turn for the worse after the FIA Technical Delegate Joe Bauer announced that he had been summoned to the stewards.

The statement declared: 'After the race, DRS Activation data from car number three were analysed and it was found that the driver had activated the adjustable bodywork in three occasions when he was more than one second behind another car. As this is not in conformity with article 27.5 (b) of the 2013 Sporting Regulations, I am referring this matter to the stewards'.

[LewEngBridewell]

Alonso & Ferrari.

Will he stay or will he go?

[sagi58]

Alonso & Ferrari.

Will he stay or will he go?

I believe he's committed to winning a WDC with Ferrari!
And, I believe Ferrari is committed to giving him the car to do it with!!

Which makes di Montezemolo's life all the more difficult this next few weeks!!
He's got some really hard decisions to make and he needs to make them NOW!!

[sagi58]

Staff wrote:">Alonso dismisses Red Bull link
July 28, 2013

Fernando Alonso says he is happy at Ferrari amid speculation he is considering a switch to Red Bull in 2014.

Alonso's manager held a meeting with Red Bull team principal Christian Horner in Hungary, prompting rumours that Alonso could be in the frame to replace Mark Webber at the end of the season. Having lost out to Sebastian Vettel in the championship over the last three seasons, Alonso was asked if he's committed to Ferrari and happy to remain even if the title continues to elude him.

"I'm very happy," Alonso said. "Of course we need to improve the car if we are going to have chances to win the world championship.

"Always with four weeks with no Formula One it's a very dangerous period for [the media] so hopefully we will have a quiet summer."

Reflecting on his race in Hungary - in which he finished a distant fifth - Alonso said his lack of race pace could be attributed to the updated Pirelli tyres.

"I think we need to look at the details. It's true that with degradation we have been historically good, but we saw on Friday's long runs that we were not very competitive here. We had some doubts, we changed some things today which did not improve the situation too much.

"We have been half-surprised, we need to improve the situation. With the 2013 tyres we had very good degradation similar to Lotus - or more similar to Lotus than the other cars - and with the 2012 tyres it seems we are much closer to the higher degradation cars than Lotus. So it's something we will need to improve."

[Denthúl]

Wasn't the move to Ferrari also played down in 2009?

I don't believe that it will happen, but we all know that contracts don't mean much in F1.

[sagi58]

Wasn't the move to Ferrari also played down in 2009?

I don't believe that it will happen, but we all know that contracts don't mean much in F1.

Touche'!! All we need to do is ask Kimi... or even Hamilton, eh?

[Jabberwocky]

I do not think Alonso would want to move to Redbull, then again it might depend on who gets signed as the number 2 driver at Ferrari