Briatore on Fisichella and Alonso

Ummm, Alonso was on his ass? At what point?

 

Can't give you the lap #, but it was pretty obvious when you sat in the hairpin. Some laps he was literally on Fisico and then he had to drop back a few laps to cool his engine and thereafter he would close in again.

From where I sat I can't tell whether Alonso was actually faster and Fisico an obstacle, but it was clear that Alonso was right on his tail. Kinda like Rubens was to Michael in a previous Canadian GP.

 

To be honest, I'm not sure why Fisi did the wrong thing considering Renaults tire wear issues...should he have gone out full blast?

 

I don't rememeber any point were Alonso was even close enough to overtake Fisi. He wasn't holding him up at all he was simply driving his race. When Alonso was behind him i think he was upset because Fisi didn't move over and didn't look like he planned on it (lack of mental toughness?) I think people are being a little hard on Fisi, while this year has turned to crap, he's generally been faster than any teammate he's ever driven against, with the exception of Wurz. I think that renault is bascially a one car team and it's starting to show. Webber is in deep sh$t this year, i think.

 

I don't even think Webber did that poorly in the last race. Certainly qualified better than Heidfeld considering their respective qualifying order. Webber had fastest lap...

 

He did well in Canada but he has to keep it up. Heidfeld is faster than he expected and he may be rattled because of it.

 

Thus Fisi was hampering Alonso's progress ... as you say they were on different strategies and Alonso needed Fisi to go faster for Alonso's strategy to work. Alonso has the points on the board ... Fisi doesn't thus from a team perspective Fisi was hampering the Renault WC.

Now you all know I am all for one person doing their own race ... but from where I was watching Fisi was just plain too slow and IMO (yep only that) the McLarens would have swallowed him.

Yeah ... I understand what you are saying but remember guys this will be Renaults FIRST drivers WC ... thus Fav is probably getting it from Renault.

They have to ... just like Ferrari did to Irvine, etc. Once Renault has broken it's duck things will change but all their money is on Alonso.

Pete

 

Yea I agree, Prost does tend to drive... HEY wait! We're talking about Fisi. You of all people should know the first rule in racing is to run your own race. Race the line not the driver. Doesn't matter if you cross the line 8 laps ahead of the second place guy (or girl) or .08 of a second. I’m sure the pit wall was keeping him abreast of the pace of Kimi and JPM.

I've listed Fisi in my top Five drivers for the current crop and I still think he belongs there. Above Alonso.

As far as him not being Chicken Little like Alonso, "The McLarens are coming!!!! EEEEKKKK!!!!!" Part of the beauty of the one tire rule, yes I said beauty, is it gives us the distinction between that of the calculating driver and the reactionary one. I'm not saying Alonso isn't fast. He certainly is. But, I don't think he's any faster than Fisi and he certainly doesn't have the strategic mind that comes with having run many Grand Prix.

 

I've always been of the opinion that if you are racing you are doing just that, teammate or no teammate. If you are that much faster then pass him. This is racing not a sunday afternoon cruise with your buddies. You should race a teammate just the same way as you would race anyone else. Just my opinion on that.

 

Webber should have been on the podium ... yep I have turned and now have guns blasing for the guy.

His mistake into the hairpin (twice he badly locked under brakes but once was a shocker) allowed 2 or 3 (can't remember) cars passed him, including yet again his fncken team mate. Thus he finished 5th ... minus 2 cars makes him third!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If I was Frank Williams I'd have left a foot print on his @rse after he got out of the car ... and read all the Williams and BMW post race articles. They are not happy ... yep there is lots of political talk, but reading between the lines they all know that a podium was on the cards, and Webber fncked it (again).

Pete

 

Yeah I actually agree totally with you .... but we do not have Renault behind us saying 'if you do not win the WC this year I will castrate you'.

So as far as Fav is concerned ... fnck racing, he just wants the WC.

Remember Renault are paying the bills and this must be costing $$$$$$$$$$'s and they do not want to watch a great race (unfortunately) they want the trophy.
Pete
ps: This is why too much money in F1 means the racing quality suffers

 

And telling Fisi to go faster ... thus their computer, etc. was telling them that Fisi was not maintaining a fast enough pace for a win ... OR they just hate Fisi

That was the telecast that I was watching anyway ... but I also am not a Fisi fan

Fisi has been in F1 longer than many on this site even knew that it existed ... there is a reason why he has been close but not quite close enough every time. If he had the goods he would not have had to suffer teams like Jordan and Benetton (when they were lost).

Pete

 

Yes, what you are saying is true as well but i think there may be a little more to that. I don't know if it's Renault that putting that kind of pressure for Alonso to win, because when you think about it, Renault would want the constructors championship, not just the driver's so they would have no problem with Fisi doing well. I believe Flav is out for his own best interests and that would be Alonso winning it all. Funny how cars hold together better and mistakes get overlooked when you have a management deal with one driver not the other.

 

No ... read up. Renault bought into F1 to win the drivers. They have already been part of a constructors championship many times ... infact possibly already won one back in the Prost days (?).

In the end the drivers WC is where it is at. Yep watch the news reports, etc. "MS wins the world championship for Ferrari (again)" ... much later and in a mumbling, close to it does not matter voice, "and yeah Ferrari picked up the manufacturers WC too".

Also note how Ferrari constantly referred to the fact that they had not won the WC for 21 years ... that shows that they really only focus on the drivers, 'because the won the manufacturers in '84.

Far more important for the winning driver to be driving YOUR car.
Pete

 

Hmmm very interesting. It was back in the prost days when he was teamed with Cheever and Arnoux. They might have won the driver's title then too but i don't rememeber exactly. I don't know what the truth is but i seems to be kicking Fisi in the rear and Kissing Alonso's. I think there must be a reason for that champion**** or no. Just my opinion.

 

Flavio should like to see Fisichella get upset. It shows that he cares. What Flavio should say is how Fisico deserved to win and how great a start he made. But no he complains about him throwing his gloves and lets Alonso off easy. Fernando has outperformed Fisichella so far this year though. You know that Alonso is going to get preferential treatment since Flavio is his manager. Fisichella better get used to this type of treatment. Don't know where Fisichella will be next year though. I hope he will be on a competitive team.

 

Alonso started to catch up to Fisichella when he started to have hydraulic problems didn't he? When hydraulic problems happen does it happen at once or is it gradual? I don't know the answer so maybe someone can let me know. If Fisichella was slower than Alonso wouldn't the team have held him in the pits longer during his first pit stop and let Alonso pass before letting him out?

 

I just checked on www.formula1.com ... and Renault (by themselves) have never won either, thus I guess both would be perfect . Note 1979 was not available on that site ... ?

I agree that Alonso is their golden boy ...
Pete

 

Yes he is. It's very unfair when your boss critizes you for your equipment breaking and letting your co-worker slide even though he messes up bigtime to put it in real world perspective, lol.

 

Indeed - a car "failure" and Flavio blows his top but when the other driver retires through complete driver error, it's ok..... very odd behaviour from Mr B. I'm just amazed that Flavio is allowed (by Renault) to continue to act as Fernando's personal manager whilst he races for him; an evident conflict of interest that should have been nullified prior to the signing a race contract.

 

Wow, subliminal typo there, sorry guys, lol

 

Briatore is an ass. A talented ass for sure but an ass nevertheless. He has an ability of identifying talent but not nurturing it.

If Im not mistaken Fisichella and Trulli were under his management for some time in the past. They both left him as they felt he was not a fair man.

And Pete, regarding your post earlier .. if Alonso was that quick he should have passed him on his own merit. I think Alonso is a great overtaker and it was well within his capabilities to do so. Instead he acted like a whiny baby - re the "What more can I do" bit. Canada is a difficult but not an impossible track to pass. Alonso may be partly exonerated if indeed he was carrying more wing and was quicker than Fisico thru all the twisty bits but lost out on the straights where all the overtaking takes place. Dunno!