Did Ferrari management just throw the WDC away for Alonso???

[markabilly]

I found the race very frustrating to watch, as 2 of the title contenders could not race their way toward the front of the pack. I prefer that the title is decided by racing rather than by qualifying and the luck of the draw from a 1st lap safety car. Granted, neither driver was helped by team strategy.
My recollection, say from the mid 1990s, is that drivers gave way to the contenders in the final race and let them go to it. In fairness usually only 2 contenders were involved, with much simpler points calculations. I do not expect the others simply to move over, but I would expect Alonso and Webber to be able to force their way by.
.

I agree, and later Petrov said what I was thinking, that if Alonso really stuck his nose in, Petrov would not have pushed him off track or had contact, for fear of the possible sanctions. (for pushing off the leader of the WDC by a non-contender--remember the contact between JV and MS??? at least they were fighting for the WDC.....))

So he bluffed Alonso, BIG TIME

But we weren't talking about a situation where the drivers were equal on points and winner takes all. If all the non-contenders had let Alonso go, that would have given the title to Alonso.

Certainly Renault would be asking questions of Petrov - and probably showing him the door, if he had done.

See above

I think when Vettel, a non-contender for the WDC broke this unspoken rule of not challengning the contenders in the last race of the season, that this may have shown something for future events---what I am talking about is when Hamilton won the WDC despite the pass from Vettel at Brazil that appeared to knock him out of it.

Meanwhile after the MS/JV clash, the others permitted JV to limp along in the lead for lap after lap until the last corner, when a certain mac driver passed him for his first f1 win, after Jock Clear had repeatedly reminded JV of the "agreement"

[D28]

Meanwhile after the MS/JV clash, the others permitted JV to limp along in the lead for lap after lap until the last corner, when a certain mac driver passed him for his first f1 win, after Jock Clear had repeatedly reminded JV of the "agreement"

The comparison with 1997 is interesting. Under the current regulations, just what would the FIA make of the Williams and McLaren radio traffic. At the time they were absolved of any accusations of collusion to fix the race results. The FIA had enough on its plate with the disqualification of M. Schumacher, from the title results, thus elevating HH Frentzen to second place.
This scenario may serve as a warning of the problem with a blanket rule for team orders covering all situations.

[Valve Bounce]

Whereas they should have been thinking about how fast Alonso was relative to Alguersuari and Petrov (who held up Webber or would have done so), rather than how fast Webber might have been on the new tyres. Easy in hindsight of course.

Not really, Andy. They could have checked their laptops and worked it out - the time delay for the pitstop/tyre change would have shown exactly where Alonso would have emerged from the pits and the cars ahead. That's what the guys in the pits looking at the computer is supposed to determine.

[Big Ben]

And we all would have been shocked when Petrov would have put up a fierce fight against the other renault powered car... just as fierce as the one the toro rosso showed a few laps earlier

[Big Ben]

I agree, and later Petrov said what I was thinking, that if Alonso really stuck his nose in, Petrov would not have pushed him off track or had contact, for fear of the possible sanctions. (for pushing off the leader of the WDC by a non-contender--remember the contact between JV and MS??? at least they were fighting for the WDC.....))

So he bluffed Alonso, BIG TIME

It makes the whole thing look more interesting but even Petrov admitted there was nothing great about his driving.

FA couldn't even get close enough to him to make an attempt... every time he tried something he went off road because he couldn´t get close without outbreaking himself.

FA did a very good race but it just happened that MS caused that crash and some cars pulled in and that was that. From that point forward Ferrari had it really tough. i guess they thought they have more chances against a renault than a redbull. And Massa was really lame once more. I really wonder why the team didn't let him get his lucky win this year at his team mate expense. . Well, I don't acutally but it still seems to puzzle some

[Tazio]

ailor: Yes!!

[Garry Walker]

OK! I'll bite - where did Webber come out after he pitted? and how many cars were there between him and the championship win? He was finished - gone, buried and cremated behind cars that were slower than Vettel and the two McLarens. He wasn't going to make up time on the leaders - he was going backwards

You`ll bite?

Look, you clearly dont understand strategy at all.
1)Alonso had tyre issues on friday, the softs were not lasting at all well for him (or felipe). They were not sure how long they were going to be able to go on them.
2) Webber, once past JA, was showing very quick pace, including doing a purple in S3 that was 1 second faster than anyone elses time in that sector. One more lap for FA and Webbo would have been so close to him that once pitted, FA would have come out behind Webbo.
Now this is where tyre issues came to play, because if Alonso had experienced the kind of tyre issues with softs that he had on friday, he most likely would have started going slower than Rosberg and Petrov on hard tyres. So ferrari took the risk that they could get past Rosberg and Petrov instead of gambling on softs tyres lasting.

[ioan]

You`ll bite?

Look, you clearly dont understand strategy at all.
1)Alonso had tyre issues on friday, the softs were not lasting at all well for him (or felipe). They were not sure how long they were going to be able to go on them.
2) Webber, once past JA, was showing very quick pace, including doing a purple in S3 that was 1 second faster than anyone elses time in that sector. One more lap for FA and Webbo would have been so close to him that once pitted, FA would have come out behind Webbo.
Now this is where tyre issues came to play, because if Alonso had experienced the kind of tyre issues with softs that he had on friday, he most likely would have started going slower than Rosberg and Petrov on hard tyres. So ferrari took the risk that they could get past Rosberg and Petrov instead of gambling on softs tyres lasting.

Exactly.
Ferrari's only mistake was to believe that Alonso would be able to get past, not sure on what they based their belief on.
It was funny to hear Stella kissing Alonso's rear in an attempt to make him drive faster!