Alonso Unimpressed by Rossi Tests

What makes him think that Rossi couldn't do the same in cars, with the time to practice?

Is Alonso going to block the fast line with his swollen head? I hear it gets wide in the turns.

 

That makes 2 of us ... Rossi so far is below average in any car; and yep testing is like masturbation, just not the real thing.

Pete

 

I really like Alonso, he's my favourite driver. But for him to say that he can can accomplish the same thing on a bike given enough time is ludicrous. It takes a lot more balls and skill to ride a bike. There is no way Alonso can get within 1 or 2 secs of Rossi's time in the same amount of time it took Rossi to accomplish that in an F1 car.

I use to ride a sports bike (2003 R6), and granted it's nowhere near a MotoGP bike. But I had so many guys who thought they where fast in cars, tell me they would be crazy or so fast on a bike. And some of them got a bike and even after 2 or 3 seasons they where pretty slow.

It's easy to go from a bike to a car, but not the other way around. IMHO!

 

If Alonzo said that, he's a fool. I rode professionally for 10 years, and represent a rider or two today. I think I know a little about this. Those at the top of the food chain are so good, that they probably aren't really human. Rossi may be the best that ever was. Alonzo doesn't have a clue what it's like to slide a 290#, 260HP motorcycle at 150 mph, I suspect.

At the National level here in the USA, 90% of the riders couldn't stay within 5 seconds a lap with Rossi, on the same equipment. Classic example: Colin Edwards, multi time world champion in World Superbike. Consistently 2, 3 seconds a lap slower on an idential bike, and he's about the best that the US has turned out in the last 10 years (I include the Haydens in that statement).

Art

 

Perfect oppurtunity for Rossi to say ok-Let's take a GP car and a motoGP bike on the same track, each driver would do a few laps in the car and on the bike, and compare/add the lap times. Why do I have a feeling that Freddy would say no?????

 

If Rossi can get on the podium in his rookie season then Button and Webber are definitely overpaid given they've been driving professsionally forever and yet to win a race.

 

Michael Schumacher tested a motogp bike during the offseason at an Italian track, I forget which one, one that he was familiar with. He got Within 25 seconds(twenty five) of Rossi's time, I believe.

 

Art welcome back and thanks for the input. Pete that Masturbation comment is pretty damn funny.

 

I agree with Jameel's comment that it's easier to go from bikes to cars than vice versa. Whatever Alonso meant in his comment, I'm sure the gist of his point was, given enough practice, just about any racer is going to start putting up respectable times in a car. That's what I was getting at a couple weeks ago, before this horse was completely beaten to death, when I questioned why so much attention, time and money is being spent on this adventure when there are future stars like Rosberg and Piquet Jr.s ready for their final groomings. I guess as the season approaches it's hard not to talk about anything F1-related. But all this ever does is get the bike-racing fans all in a bunch because they feel that somehow any questioning of Rossi's potential racing cars should be interpreted as a shot across the bow of 2-wheeled racing period. I still think this entire thing begins and ends with PR. It's win-win for everyone. Rossi and Ferrari get all this attention and exposure. If it doesn't work out then, hey, he's a hell of motorcycle racer and everyone knows how hard it is to cross over and win. But if, in the end, he's able to race competitively in cars, then aren't Ferrari geniuses for doing this?!

Question: Why does Valentino Rossi want to race Formula One?

 

I agree with you. There might be more qualified drivers but, I think the "higher-ups", Mosely / Eccelstone probably pushed for Rossi to bring more attention back to F1. And he's doing a pretty good job. Even CNN had an article about Rossi testing a Ferrari.

I think he wants to race F1 because he's bored of winning MotoGP. He wants to try a new challenge?!

 

I also think this whole thing is PR ... and stupid Bernie is in there somewhere, and probably offering huge $$$$'s to Ferrari and Rossi.

Bernie and Max have, by themselves, made F1 so boring that they are desperately looking for characters. I think relaxing the rules would bring the interest back straight away ... lets have some engineering excitement again.

Pete

 

Rossi would get slammed in F1.

 

Just some more infos.
Shumacher tested a Ducati Desmo 16 MotoGP at the Mugello circuit. His best lap time (2'08") was almost 20 seconds higher than the time Rossi did on the same track (1'49"223). That says it all.
As far as the potential Rossi has to be a winner in F1, only time will tell.
Alonso, if he has really said what the newspaper refers, is simply ignorant (ignorant from latin: not knowing something) of the reality of the world.
Ciao
Eugenio

 

I disagree. Boy, Fernando sure is doing a lot of talking these days. Is he F1's new official loud mouth?

My opinion: the only question is if Rossi can come to grips with the car and do the lap times. Anyone who doubts is competitive edge and race craft has never seen a single race of his. If Rossi is on the pace, his instincts and talent will take care of the race.

I'm however not yet convinced that he will be able to get on the pace, that remains to be seen.

 

What he said.

Alonso simply has the gutts to spell out what others think: Rossi stands no chance.

 

Sorry to disagree.
Initially Alonso said that times in private tests were not meaning a thing. "Come and test with other pilots, then you will see..."
During the Valencia tests, Rossi was not so off pace. I seem to remembre that he was faster of many regular F1 drivers.
Now Alonso says that testing is not racing, "Come and race with us, then you will see..."
In Monza rally he defeated a guy called Colin McRae. That mean something.
Alonso has not a correct idea of the level of MotoGP racing: it is far more competitive than F1
Should the mighty Alonso like to test for even one month the MotoGP and then mix with the best without being annihilated, only then i will say he has the gutts!
And again, before saying that someone who, at 27, allready won 7 (not 1, SEVEN) world titles does not stand a chance in a different motor sport, give him the benefit of doubt.
You could be eating your hat sooner rather than later.
Ciao
Eugenio
BTW, welcome back Art.

 

Is that right? .... In that case, I should be getting a call from the Scuderia soon enough. Wish me luck.

 

Not that I wear a hat, but anyway.

It is silly of Alonso to make comments on his own ability to race on bikes, no question. But nothing I've seen from Rossi in a F1 has so far convinced me in any way that he stands a chance.

He did ok at Valencia, I agree, but we really don't know what the conditions were. The only time where we can compare apples to apples were his test runs at Fiorano and they were not competitive in a F1 way.

I still believe this is all a big PR stunt by Ferrari and can only hope they have figured out who will be driving for them in 2007. I don't mind if Rossi gets the 2nd seat, but I do want to see a real #1 in the other car.

 

As I said before, I am not sure that he will be a winner. I simply say GIVE HIM TIME.
On a MotoGP he is the best rider ever. Period. He COULD win on F1 either.
As far as his testing in Fiorano is concerned, look at the older thread. Bottom line is that some insider state that the REAL times were not bad at all.
And I do not think Ferrari would waste his time with a looser.
Ciao
Eugenio

 

Interesting, everything I have read in European journals is that Rossi was impressive in these tests. I would agree with those of you that stated that it would be harder to drive a MotoGP than a four wheeler. Entirely different dynamics. Certainly more side by side competition.

I did read, I believe inthe new Autosport, that an F1 car was some 20+ seconds quicker around the track than a MotoGP. Don't forget, there have been other successful F1 drivers that came from two wheel racing. So only time will tell. I do not believe that Ferrari would be wasting time on Rossi, if they did not feel he had the potential. Its gone beyond PR for the Italian tifosi.

 

If Rossi can get to a point where his lap times merit a position on the grid, then I don't really see where "racecraft" will be an issue. First of all, F1 isn't NASCAR, so let's not forget that an F1 race track isn't exactly Chicago's Eisenhower Expressway at rush hour. Second, he IS used to situational racing, albeit as the overTAKER. He may find himself becoming the overTAKEE in F1. To be a multiple champion on bikes obviously takes skill and bravery, so that's no issue. Seeing as how Ferrari has been involved in rumours as far as signing half the drivers currently in F1, plus who else, I just think they could have done this with anyone and had at least the same results. He may be great, he may suck balls. What will prove hardest to him will be the "final tenth". That's where he has to push the car to the limit for 70 laps, stick his pit stops and constantly manage the onboard systems.

Plus, the issue of car setup will rear its head at some point. I suspect that Rossi currently enjoys the benefits of a collaborative setup effort. That would change when it was for real, and no amount of experience on 2 wheels will help him there.

 

Eugenio, I know you have dismissed the bad Fiorano laptimes before citing Gazetta dello Sport. Frankly I have never ever seen any times other than the ones that sucked, but I can imagine that the truth might be different.

I agree with you and Tifosiron's argument that for a PR stunt it has been going on an awful long time and Ferrari is not that stupid to waste their time. That argument does have weight to it.

I got nothing against Rossi (also nothing for him), so if he drives, fine. What I don't quite get is a) the hoopla about him and b) why try to improve this guy when you can have faster drivers on the free market? Italian loyalty?

 

He takes grooming lessons from Emerson Fittipaldi!

 

He does?

Emerson was a two time world champion. I take him very serious.