Is Fernando Alonso for real?

[PSfan]

3 weeks ago did I sleep in and miss the "Is Kimi for real thread?"

Seems to me, they each have 1 win... Except Kimi's win didn't reek of dirty tactics (which confuses the hell out of me cause I thought it was Ferrari's specialties, I'm sure they'll do it too first chance they get.)

Funny how Hamilton's car was damn quick until he got in front of the Ferrari's, add that to his "I wanna win" comments over the radio, followed by the I made him make a mistake comments.

I'll translate his radio conversation as: "One of these times, you'll let me race, and have Alonso hold everybody up"

And his "Forced Massa to make a mistake" remindsa me of some jerks I use to work with that on the drive home after work would insist on driving 20km below the speed limit, and speed up when you tried to pass.

[cannonman]

Dirty tactics? Hamilton was "damn fast" until he got in front of the ferraris? So...for less than half a lap? Balderdash!

I wouldn't read to much into a snippet of a radio comment. The comment has other more likely interpretations. For example, "one of these times, i want to be as fast as alonso was today and then i'll win a race".

Let's hold back from the allegations of team orders and/or dirty tactics until it's a LOT more obvious. PSFan, why is it so hard to believe that Alonso, a double world champion, is legitimatley faster than Lewis Hamilton (whom without a doubt is immensley talented), a rookie in his second F1 race?

Obviously, Alonso is "for real"

[F1boat]

Well, probably Lewis blocked Massa and Kimi - by the way it shows that he is unnaturally calm, but with modern F1 cars this is not that hard IMO, but I think that Alonso is simply faster than Hamilton. In the final stint Lewis wasn't blocking anyone and Alonso still extended his lead tremendously.
And about Kimi topic, it's normal, it's OK. Both Kimi and Alonso are terrific drivers. They are for real. We should be happy that there are two great F1 drivers today.

[Donney]

Well he seems real to me. He made Ranult a winning team, and now he's gone and look Renault is, of course there's always the tires issue.

He went to Mclaren and brought that little extra that separates a good team from a winning team, and they also had to go from Michelins to Bridgestones.

Obviously he's driving a great car, but I think the driver input has something to do with the pre-season work and development.

[F1boat]

Well he seems real to me. He made Ranult a winning team, and now he's gone and look Renault is, of course there's always the tires issue.

He went to Mclaren and brought that little extra that separates a good team from a winning team, and they also had to go from Michelins to Bridgestones.

Obviously he's driving a great car, but I think the driver input has something to do with the pre-season work and development.

Yeah, I think that he can say exactly what he needs from a car. Hell, in his debut race he outperformed the Renaults with a Minardi.

[jens]

It seems that the prohibition of alcohol has had a good effect on McLaren drivers.

But it also looks to me that after the departure of Räikkönen and Newey McLaren-Mercedes has somehow found a new breathing. New driver line-up and also team's personnel has really already had a positive and refreshing effect. For many years McLaren had fast or reliable car - but never both. Now it seems that they have both! I thought that after all those changes it may take a bit of time for McLaren to find themselves again, but it has happened sooner than I expected!

[samuratt]

He is real!

I think he has a lto to do with developing the car potential, but do not get me wrong the car potential was there thanks the the engineers who have made a great job too.

Since Alonso went to McLaren he has been working either at the track or at the factory constantly trying to improve the car everyway he could and pushing the team to got better (remember his words saying beforer Australia that the car was not ready to win, or how he wanted to saty a day more testing in Barhein due to the terrific ferrari's pace...). Do you remember about any other driver who take so damn seriously his job???? yes I do, and as much is I did not liked him, he was no other that probably the driver in the world: Michael Schumacher.

I wuold like to point out another thing about the Malasyan race, and it is about stratagy. i think that Ross Brawn retirement has hurted ferrari very badly. Look at the race and you will see that after the pitstops the ferrari never were able to run in free air... while on the other hand McLaren, who had made a lot of strategies misteakes in the past few years, made it look like Ross himself was the master of puppets at Mclaren.

so, this leds me to the next question: how can a team change so much in just 6 months????? is it Alonso for real?????

[samuratt]

i found a commet of james Allen about Alonso which i found interesting too:
"If he can win, he wins, if he can’t he finishes second"

That is a very tough driver to beat!

[ioan]

He is real!

Have to admit you are right!

so, this leds me to the next question: how can a team change so much in just 6 months?????

Well in fact they started to design this year's car around one year ago, not 6 months.

One thing that helps them hugely is the rev limitation on the engine, I honestly doubt that the Mercedes would have been this good compared to the competition if they would have all run those over 20000 revs/min they showed they were capable of last season. But with 19000 Merc got the chance to get them all limited to its own level.

[Garry Walker]

One thing that helps them hugely is the rev limitation on the engine, I honestly doubt that the Mercedes would have been this good compared to the competition if they would have all run those over 20000 revs/min they showed they were capable of last season. But with 19000 Merc got the chance to get them all limited to its own level.

Also the new tyre rules have helped them tremendously. Also the fact that they started desiging this years car earlier than usual last year, because they saw they werent good enough last season.

Alonso should try to win/beat his teammate without team-orders