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[What's Burning?]

What do you guys think of the longevity of this pairing? I think some of it will depend on the car Ferrari puts on the grid next year, but for the life of me I just don't see this as a long term (2+ years) situation.

[operaman]

I think it will work fine, but no longer than 2 years. I think Alonso's clouds have a silver/pewter lining.

[acosmichippo]

No idea, but I know it'll be fun while it lasts.

[racechick]

I'm really looking forward to watching these two in the same team. Kimi won't make demands( Re special treatment) but neither will he accept being a number two. I would think Ferrari have more sense than to treat him as such. But what if the championship is close and Alonso ahead, but not by much and Ferrari ask Kimi to support Alonso in that case?......

On Alonso's side, he's never been asked to support another driver and though he's matured , I'm not sure he could handle that if it happened.
So I think some fireworks might be on the cards.

[spankyham]

Kimi's already been both a number 1 and number 2 at Ferrari and was fine each of those times in the past. It's only 2 years so I think it will end well.

[NHcheese]

They might have a woefuly rotton year like McLaren. Then McLaren won't get Alonso.

[sagi58]

Doesn't this sound a lot like last year's Hamilton to Mercedes thread?

[What's Burning?]

No, because there are two key differences, Mercedes and Hamilton. I really do think that Kimi is a fine driver, but he's just so touch and go when things aren't going his way. He's just not a guy that will take a car over the top and certainly this year with Grosjean owning the team the second half of the season... perhaps he'll be glad to just cash a nice big paycheck unlike 2013.

[sagi58]

No, because there are two key differences, Mercedes and Hamilton. I really do think that Kimi is a fine driver, but he's just so touch and go when things aren't going his way. He's just not a guy that will take a car over the top and certainly this year with Grosjean owning the team the second half of the season... perhaps he'll be glad to just cash a nice big paycheck unlike 2013.

Oddly enough, I see Hamilton also as being "touch and go"!! He's all cool, calm and collected, as long as things are working out for him;
but, he can/has gotten flustered enough to take risks and make mistakes he himself recognizes in retrospect.

Kimi, on the other hand, stays pretty cool, calm and collected, regardless.

Besides, NONE of us know what's going on inside anyone else's head regarding motivation!!

(( By the way, wasn't it you that suggested drivers put their lives at risk and deserve their big salaries?? ))

[CookinFlat6]

I think Alonso will have Kimi under manners fairly early, and Kimi will settle down to his number 2 role without rocking the boat or his pay chaque

[What's Burning?]

No, because there are two key differences, Mercedes and Hamilton. I really do think that Kimi is a fine driver, but he's just so touch and go when things aren't going his way. He's just not a guy that will take a car over the top and certainly this year with Grosjean owning the team the second half of the season... perhaps he'll be glad to just cash a nice big paycheck unlike 2013.

Oddly enough, I see Hamilton also as being "touch and go"!! He's all cool, calm and collected, as long as things are working out for him;
but, he can/has gotten flustered enough to take risks and make mistakes he himself recognizes in retrospect.

Kimi, on the other hand, stays pretty cool, calm and collected, regardless.

Besides, NONE of us know what's going on inside anyone else's head regarding motivation!!

(( By the way, wasn't it you that suggested drivers put their lives at risk and deserve their big salaries?? ))

You won't find a Hamilton fan worth his salt that wouldn't agree with you on the Hamilton taking risks and making mistakes. He does however own them when he make them. 2010 it cost him a championship, 2011, no one was going to touch Vettel so why not risk is all for a win? But I've actually seen Hamilton really transform himself as a driver in 2012 and this year. He's driver pretty much mistake free and his consistency has shown that. I don't think things have worked out for him throughout his F1 career so it's not like he's not accustomed to it. I'd actually love to see Hamilton and Alonso as team mates once again but it's likely never going to happen.

[operaman]

No, because there are two key differences, Mercedes and Hamilton. I really do think that Kimi is a fine driver, but he's just so touch and go when things aren't going his way. He's just not a guy that will take a car over the top and certainly this year with Grosjean owning the team the second half of the season... perhaps he'll be glad to just cash a nice big paycheck unlike 2013.

I disagree. Kimi is the classic "just drives the car" kinda guy. I put the falling off of performance (compared to Grosjean) down to three things .... not getting paid, the back injury flaring up and the fact that Grosjean is a driver with a ton of natural talent, who was finally starting to put it all together. He'll do fine at Ferrari, and although I think Alonso will win the war at the Scuderia, Kimi will win some battles.

[1Lemon]

Grosjean and Hulk at Ferrari in 2016.

You heard it here first chaps!

[racechick]

No, because there are two key differences, Mercedes and Hamilton. I really do think that Kimi is a fine driver, but he's just so touch and go when things aren't going his way. He's just not a guy that will take a car over the top and certainly this year with Grosjean owning the team the second half of the season... perhaps he'll be glad to just cash a nice big paycheck unlike 2013.

Oddly enough, I see Hamilton also as being "touch and go"!! He's all cool, calm and collected, as long as things are working out for him;
but, he can/has gotten flustered enough to take risks and make mistakes he himself recognizes in retrospect.

Kimi, on the other hand, stays pretty cool, calm and collected, regardless.

Besides, NONE of us know what's going on inside anyone else's head regarding motivation!!

(( By the way, wasn't it you that suggested drivers put their lives at risk and deserve their big salaries?? ))

It's funny, you see hamilton very different to the way I see him. Calm and collected are not really adjectives that come to mind first when I think of him. Heart on sleeve, emotional, naive, trusting, come to mind more easily. That said, in the car I think he is cool. Yes he takes some risks, not because he is flustered though, but because he is a racing driver and in the words of the greatest ever, 'when you no longer go for the gap, you are no longer a racing driver'.
Out of the car, yes, he can appear flustered because he is not good at PR, not good at twisting the truth, not good at hiding his feelings and when he hasn't lived up to the very high standards he sets himself, he is unbelievably downcast.

[vaptin]

It might not be for very long - considering how esteemed both drivers are in the paddock, but it should be great to watch and a really strong pairing for its duration. Personally I think Kimi is actually really professional, but just quiet, and can struggle at times with the car or certain circumstances - preferring to not take the risk if he's not comfortable and keep it clean.

Actually, I'm not sure his style in that sense is dissimilar to Alonso's, both are kinda safe performers who are far better in races than qualifying IMO.


I'm not sure it will flair up, guess they are more likely to criticise Ferrari than each other.