- 05 Jan 11, 18:22#233183
I watched the race again last night, only to consider when Alonso should have pitted best to improve his position. The Ferrari tifosi want to blame Domenicali because it exculpates their golden-haired boy but I have to agree it was no one's fault in particular. Alonso simply didn't have the pace. He overdrove the car, as evidenced by the fact that he had off-track excursions in both stints yet he never showed pace enough to be in command of his own destiny.
Alonso had 10 laps after the safety car period and before his pit stop to pass Button and reclaim the position he'd lost at the start. He failed. And he had 38 laps to find a way around Petrov. He failed again.
The truth is both he and Webber suffered off days, which proved a two-edged sword. Had Webber's pace been notably better than Alonso's, Domenicali might not have keyed off the RBR's pit stop. The irony is that Webber's lack of pace made him a Judas goat.
It appeared that Alonso was driving conservatively his first stint, presumably an effort to stay out of trouble and let the race come to him. At first I thought this a mistake but I'm not so certain he simply couldn't find any more speed.
One point that gets little mention is that if Vettel had not had such an excellent pit stop and if Hamilton not had a mediocre one, Alonso should have been 2010 WDC. Hamilton's radio call to Andy Latham showed he was distraught to learn Vettel had pitted and yet managed to return to the circuit still ahead of him. Latham replied that Vettel's pit stops (sic) made the difference. And none of this was Domenicali's fault.
There are no certainties but the there are three possible scenarios under which I think Alonso would have been virtually assured of coming at least fourth. Had he not lost a position to Button in the very first corner of the race, or had he not struggled for grip with both tyre compounds, or had Vettel emerged from pit lane behind Hamilton, I think Alonso would have been 2010 WDC. And none of those were Domenicali's fault.
Look for him to replace Stefano as team principal in 2012. Or maybe part-way through the 2011 season. One does not hire a man of Frye's abilities and stature in the sport for such a menial role (not for long, anyway). Leaving Domenicali in his position a while longer will allow for a smoother transition, plus it will limit the further loss of face to both he and the Scuderia.
...First, Stefano showed reponsability for the fumble, which as he said himself wasnt entirely his (or anybodys) fault in particular, but because of the devastating effects....
I watched the race again last night, only to consider when Alonso should have pitted best to improve his position. The Ferrari tifosi want to blame Domenicali because it exculpates their golden-haired boy but I have to agree it was no one's fault in particular. Alonso simply didn't have the pace. He overdrove the car, as evidenced by the fact that he had off-track excursions in both stints yet he never showed pace enough to be in command of his own destiny.
Alonso had 10 laps after the safety car period and before his pit stop to pass Button and reclaim the position he'd lost at the start. He failed. And he had 38 laps to find a way around Petrov. He failed again.
The truth is both he and Webber suffered off days, which proved a two-edged sword. Had Webber's pace been notably better than Alonso's, Domenicali might not have keyed off the RBR's pit stop. The irony is that Webber's lack of pace made him a Judas goat.
It appeared that Alonso was driving conservatively his first stint, presumably an effort to stay out of trouble and let the race come to him. At first I thought this a mistake but I'm not so certain he simply couldn't find any more speed.
One point that gets little mention is that if Vettel had not had such an excellent pit stop and if Hamilton not had a mediocre one, Alonso should have been 2010 WDC. Hamilton's radio call to Andy Latham showed he was distraught to learn Vettel had pitted and yet managed to return to the circuit still ahead of him. Latham replied that Vettel's pit stops (sic) made the difference. And none of this was Domenicali's fault.
There are no certainties but the there are three possible scenarios under which I think Alonso would have been virtually assured of coming at least fourth. Had he not lost a position to Button in the very first corner of the race, or had he not struggled for grip with both tyre compounds, or had Vettel emerged from pit lane behind Hamilton, I think Alonso would have been 2010 WDC. And none of those were Domenicali's fault.
...Will be interesting to see how the traitor cough Pat Fry goes.
Look for him to replace Stefano as team principal in 2012. Or maybe part-way through the 2011 season. One does not hire a man of Frye's abilities and stature in the sport for such a menial role (not for long, anyway). Leaving Domenicali in his position a while longer will allow for a smoother transition, plus it will limit the further loss of face to both he and the Scuderia.
"I'll bet ya a hundred and five thousand dollars you go to sleep before I do."
--Dobbsie
--Dobbsie
exactly what i think. Stefano is a great manager, from a managerial pt of view; but the weaknesses in the sporting side of things have been notable in the last yrs. These moves have been lingering around long before the last race, but for some reason journalists would rather add "...following the race in Abu Dhabi" 
