Alonso burned that bridge by trying to blackmail McLaren with the whole spygate info into making him the exclusive number 1 driver for the team. Bad mistake considering Louis is like the Messiah for McLaren........and deservedly so!
Ron Dennis decided to pay the piper instead of allowing Alonso to have the upper hand......expensive bill if I remember.....

Regardless, F1 is about competition to the narrowest limits of tolerance.....machinery and participants......that's why we love it so much.....may the best team win.....

I dislike the fact that Flavio is allowed back in though......

 

Every team attempts to push the limits of the regulations before during car developement and the race season. The latter is exemplified by other teams questioning the rigidity of the front wings of RB and Ferrari (http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/85532). If following the race the wings are out of spec and one or both of these teams wins, it would only be fair to DQ them for same race; it appears that this assumption may not be valid.

Look for same tire strategy as Valencia for those <tenth position.

Weather looks good.

Later, Ken

 

where did the Ferraris find all this speed

 

BS!

If you want to pass, then pass him. Its racing! Isn't that the whole idea...?

 

I feel for Felipe......Alanso has become a premadona....seems he is always whining about something or someone or someteam...etc
Glad to see the scuderia back in form though

 

I read a post (dont really feel like going back any pages and finding it) that said something about weber complaining and needing to advert for a tampon company my first thought was ferrari should replace the marlboro barcode with a few tampon barcodes made to look like alonsos face (I might be photoshopin somthing soon). If I were felipe id be like f*** this im out of here first schumacher now alonso hes the new barrichello and they only got fined 100k WTF thats not even a scratch in the ferrari wallet

 

Ferrari was fined $100,000 for issuing team orders. When anyone else uses code to let a driver by it's fine but as soon as Ferrari does it they're fined and refered to the WMSC?? How many times this year have the stewards ruled against Ferrari? Be it issuing them penalties or ignoring other driver's infractions. Someone there has it out for them.

As for Alonso whining. Webber whines, Vettel whines, Hamilton whines. The squeaky wheel gets the grease, and the drivers know that. For as many times as he's been shafted this year, I think he's stayed very well composed.

Something I haven't seen anyone mention, he was voted best current Formula 1 driver by the drivers this weekend. I have to agree.

 

As fans no one likes to see the results of a race manipulated. Ferrari is notorious for breaching this rule but I am certian other teams do the same. That said, it is rather ironic that in previous races it has been Alonso that has moaned and groaned about the "stewards manipulating the race" against him. My question to Fernando is, Who is doing the manipulating now?

There are some quotes I want to leave with"... Overtaking is a skill to be performed, not a charity to be handed out...Ferrari didn't just manipulate the result of a solitary race. In effect, they announced that only one of their drivers is contending in the World Championship." The last of these is really sad because, as Newevil has pointed out, Massa had to play second fiddle to Schumi and now Alonso when clearly he deserved his due yesterday.

Later, Ken

Edit: This (http://www.crash.net/f1/news/161938/..._ive_seen.html) from a former F1 driver

 

that was another pretty boring race. aside from the start, where vettel had he just driven in a straight line would have won the race (instead trying to cut across the track to head off alonzo).

they seriously need to do more to help cars get by other cars. they did a good job of evening out the front of the field as far as overall speed, but when they are all so close, no one ever passes and everyone watching at home falls asleep.

 

Please provide an example in this year's championship where one driver was forced to let his team mate go by.

I've always liked Ferrari, but I've never agreed with the whole team orders thing. I think that it's fantastic that Ferrari is being fined, and quite frankly I hope they get DQ'ed from the race. Other than satisfying Alonso's whining, bi***a$$, there was no reason to order Felipe to give up the position. Everyone likes to argue that it's for the team, which is utter BS, since Ferrari as a team would have finished 1-2 regardless of letting Alonso pass. Alonso just would have had either fewer points for the driver's championship - boohoo - or he would have actually had to earn first place (I know, it's a difficult concept to grasp). I will be most impressed with the FIA if they issue post-race penalties. The sporting regulation is quite clear and it's about time it's enforced.

l8r)

 

last ferrari orders i remember was when kimi won his championship in sau paulo. massa was leading the race, and kimi was in second. kimi needed the position win to take the championship. and coincidentally massa pitted REALLY early, which like 5 laps later kimi pitted and pulled out in front and low and behold, kimi wins the championship by a point we will see as the season progresses how important this occurance was. it would be particularly funny if alonzo has some problems, and massa winds up with more points by the end of the season. and even more ironic if he loses the championship by <7 points.

 

Seems with the lack of fuel stops, a single tire stop typical, Ferrari has lost the flexibility to "adjust" their driver positions. McLaren-merc 2007 illustrated what happens when the team does not manage their drivers. So far, ScudFer has the haul of points from Germany, which Redbull sacrificed in Turkey. McLaren's "drivers free to race" passing demo in Turkey, ends fine, so long as it ended up with Hamilton in front. The team orders prohibition is silly, F-1 is an commercial entertainment business first, a sport second.

 

Well, the big gas bag, Montezemello doesn't agree with U: " ...I simply reaffirm what I have always maintained, which is that our drivers are very well aware, and it is something they have to stick to, that if one races for Ferrari, then the interests of the team come before those of the individual..." I guess he doesn't understand how the team points are determined or thinks that Alonso's points are greater than Massa's.

Later, Ken

 

Ferrari, team principle Montezemello in particular, seems to think the ban on team order rule is inappropriate based on the past and the current ban is just political..his words are "...The polemics are of no interest to me...In any case, these things have happened since the days of Nuvolari and I experienced it myself when I was Sporting Director, in the days of Niki Lauda and not just then." I guess it didn't occur to him that the ban was inacted by Ferrari's use of it in the past and he, as Ferrari director agreed to it as a member of the FOTA by signing the current Concord Agreement. So I shall let the hypocracy of these statements go and note that James Allen seems to agree that team orders are a part of F1 racing and a change in the rules should take place (http://www.jamesallenonf1.com/).

Two points to Mr. Allen and Mr. Montezemello.
First, as a fan, I want to see racing between participants both inter and intra team drivers. No fan wants to see a rigged race for one driver over the other especially when one was ahead of the other..otherwise we are watching "Professional" wrestling.
Second, rather than accept team orders as a reality and change the rules, why not eliminate the problem completely by restricting each team to a single driver. By so doing, team orders are a nonsequator and every driver is trying to win each race. In addition, such a change would reduce the number of cars on the track thereby reducing congestion and allowing a faster grid with perhaps greater passing opportunities.

Bottom Line: Since it is impossible to eliminate and therefore control team orders in the present two driver/team configuration, restrict each team to one driver. Such a change will restore F1 to a total racing venue by eliminating team minipulated results.

Yes, I know...the likelihood of this ocurring is equivalent to that of... the sun will not rise tomorrow.

Later, Ken

 

ok so by the way I read Montezemello's statement hes changed the name of the team from "scuderia ferrari" to "fernando the great alonso ferrari racing team fernando alonso because I am really ferrari's only real driver fernando alonso" I think massa should take on a little of webbers attitude towards situations like these and not ***** out.
I dont think mclaren had a problem managing their drivers in 2007 just fernando because he whined, b****ed and complained because hamilton was as fast as he was then threw his temper tantrum and left. he just wants a team with an ok secondary driver that will roll over when he needs them to. but what I find interesting is that hes claiming that he thought massa had a gearbox issue and had no knowledege of any team orders it kind of reminds me of the renault cheating scandal that gave him the race which he also claimed to have no knowledege of.

I was an alonso fan when he won his first two championships but not anymore Ive lost respect