So why can't Fred get the job done then? He has more help than anybody. I believe they should try something else. Even if they want to keep running a #1 do it with somebody that can put the car on the front row consistently and won't eventually drag down the team with immaturity.
Well, I think it is widely acknowledged that the Ferrari this year was not a particularly quick car. Alonso kept it competing for the WDC even in the last race of the season, which says a lot about his ability to bring home the results. All the best, Andrew.
Alonso is supposedly more popular with the Tifosi in Italy than Schumacher was back in the early 2000s when he was winning everything, in part because unlike Schumacher he speaks very good Italian. He is almost certainly a major factor in the Santander sponsorship that Ferrari carries. The only reason I can see him leaving Ferrari is 'if' they continue to come up short in the design department. Interesting side stat that was posted on twitter, if he had scored 11 more points split between 2007, 2010 and 2012 he would now be a five times world champion with two different teams!
It would probably have something to do with the fact that Ferrari hasn't produced a top flight car for him yet in his entire stint with the team. Even MS couldn't get it done for Ferrari until he had a car equal to his rivals. The Newey cars have been untouchable from 2010-2012. No one could have put the F2012 on the front row consistently this year. When it rained and the cars were evened out, Alonso put it on pole twice. As for maturity, FA's maturity this year has been remarkable considering that the car was crap from day 1. He never complained and drove it to the maximum it could achieve without making a mistake for an absurd # of races.
I'm starting to wonder if you even watched this season? Either that or you write for PF1. lol It was widely known that the F2012 at the beginning of the season was junk. Even those highest up in the team were admitting they had made mistakes with the car and didn't expect victory. What does Alonso do? Supported the team. Stood by the team. Praised the team even though the gave they gave him at first was junk. And that's before he even gets into the car. Once he's in the car, what does he do? Wins and takes pole positions. Alonso took a team that had accepted failure and makes them believe they have a solid chance at the championship. HE did it. What a crappy guy.
I agree Fred put in some amazing drives and that he is one of the best drivers on the grid. I disagree partially that the car wasn't quick as the race pace was almost always adequate. Regardless it is the fact that he will not play second fiddle that will hinder the team IMO. If Massa is stronger out of the gate next year - I know long shot - then Fred will melt down. Likewise if they make a move for Vettel he will unravel. Based on his past behaviour anyway.
This is silly.....Ferrari needs to hire the best driver available, period! Short of being a criminal, I don't care if he's mature, immature, a cry-baby, has temper issues, whatever??? I DON'T CARE, as long as he can drive and compete and get the maximum out of the car. Should we put Alonso aside and put in a lesser driver because he's a nicer guy? If that's the case, let's make Massa number 1 driver and get someone like Senna as a number 2 and we'll be all set for 2013. Alonso is a big baby, I never liked him as a person. But as a driver, he is absolutely magnificient and, ever since he moved to Ferrari, I'm kind of forced to root for him because my allegiance is with the red cars, not a particular driver. People say Massa sucks, I don't believe that's true at all.....Massa was almost world champion and he missed it by a hair so he can't be that bad. Ferrari also resigned him and they're not complete morons. That right there shows you just how good Alonso is and what he can do. You should also consider that if you get rid of him, he'll go to another team and he will definetly take points away from you no matter what team he ends up in. Keep him right there, he's earned it and he's not competing for Mr Congeniality, he's there to drive!
I can sure think of lots of drivers in the history of F1 that took the championship to the wire with a car that had "almost always adequate" pace. Oh wait, no I can't.
Actually I believe we'll see more of that if other teams were to support a #1 as much as Ferrari did. Like I said he wouldn't even have been within striking distance of Vettel without the help from Massa at various weekends. Ferrari also had the most reliable car by far which in the end was a bigger factor than any delta on pace.
Sorry mate but lets get to the real truth, you do not like Alonso! I see no other reason for such a thread and frankly have no interest in yours.
I cannot stand Alonso, but he drove the wheels off the car this year. Unless Ferrari has Vettel signed up and ready to go, Alonso shouldn't be going anywhere. Mark
I've never denied that I don't like him. Big deal I bet plenty of people here don't like him and I bet half the paddock doesn't like him. That is irrelevant. He needs to go because he will prevent the team from signing any other top tier driver that becomes available including Vettel and or he will eventually drag the team into turmoil with his attitude. The opinion piece linked provides evidence for that statement regardless of whether or not I like him.
Alonzo's talent in the car was never more on display than this year. OK, in his personal life, it is likely that he is a twit. But, I'd love for him to drive for my team. On another note . . . is it just me, or was that article hard to read. It jumped around a lot and was, at times, incohereint, as if English was the writer's second language.
Simply state you dislike Alonso and that's the reason you want him out. Otherwise it appears you did not follow this past season. Ferrari has in Alonso the best driver on the grid. Proof was his impeccable performance this year. Instead of instigating the drivers market Ferrari should focus on building a good car and the titles will come.
I believe this statement is false. Again I acknowledge that he drove very well. However I didn't see anything that Seb, Lewis or even Kimi could not have done it the same car with the same level of support from a teammate. Also if either RB or Mc had the same reliability of Ferrari then Alonso would have been a distant 3rd at best. Beyond all of that like I said who cares? Yes I dislike him. But that is not the reason he has to go. If you want to go on believing that he is the only F1 driver that could have done anything with this year's car then that is fine by me. I just simply don't believe that is the case and therefor it is not enough to warrant keeping him in spite of the other negatives.
He manages to carry what is by most accounts a POS car on his back to many podiums and points finishes (and his beleagered team-mate struggles with an even lesser POS but still scores points) and there are calls for his head??? Wow. Unfortunately Ferrari didn't have the product this year and most other teams have improved theirs greatly over the last 2-3 years. Certainly not the driver's fault.
I'm not saying the driving was his fault although I do think he choked a bit at the end on the occasions that Massa was faster. The urging the team about Seb's pass on JEV does seem to be his doing however and the whole episode is creating backlash in the media and F1 community.
+1 Definitely not a paragon of journalistic virtue. Oh, we've had a few of those over the years too! A silly article that's achieved what it set it out to - Create controversy and stir the pot. Hopefully they'll give 'em a halfway decent car next year and they'll go from their disgusting, appalling, "everyone should be fired", second place to the top step. I'm certain there's 10 other teams that would love to have their problems..... Cheers, Ian
Might be silly but it seems there was enough truth about the general sentiment that Ferrari felt the need to apologize for undermining the legality of the race results. And then blame the whole thing on the tifosi! http://planetf1.com/news/3213/8295335/Ferrari-The-Flag-Matter-Is-Now-Closed
I am sorry to be so blunt, but both you and PF1 are full of poo. First you come to a ferrari fan site to bash the team and the driver who down right did miracles this season, considering the POS he had to work with. Then you post someone's drivel, which failed to show any evidence of anything. Ferrari did not protest the results, they asked for clarification. First PF1 claims it was all Alnso's doing. Now the truth comes out and you shift and claim they blamed it on the tifosi and are apologizing. I somehow don't see either in the article. Basically what I see is that Ferrari asked for clarification to respond to all the fans contacting them. Now they received it and basically have answered their fans. Wouldn't you do the same? Now somehow you have to figure a way how to blame it on Alonso I guess. The only apology needed in all of this is yours for starting this thread on here.
