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

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Originally Posted by thunderbolt

'Ashamed' Italian minister calls for di Montezemolo to resign

'Ashamed' Italian minister calls for di Montezemolo to resign

http://www.crash.net/f1/news/165087/...to_resign.html

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Last night I tried to think of a last race in the history of the WDC, where the driver leading, was called into the pits by such a stupid decision and ended up in mid pack, unable to do anything but trundle along until the end, blocked because as even FA has admitted, someone overlooked the fact that Rosberg and Petrov had already pitted and intended to run to the end on their tires.....

and the driver in second place, (webber) was also called into the pits to be similarly stuck.

Two stupid decisions, unless they really knew that the Webber rear tire was damaged

duh..... :rolleyes:

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Originally Posted by Valve Bounce

I can't understand why Ferrari would want to cover Webber who was actually behind him. That's stupid. Why not just keep going. Maybe I'm stupid. :(

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Because they were afraid Webber with new tyres would be so fast than once Alonso pitted, he would come out behind Webber. Then Alonso wouldnt have been in position to win the title anymore.

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Originally Posted by Garry Walker

Because they were afraid Webber with new tyres would be so fast than once Alonso pitted, he would come out behind Webber. Then Alonso wouldnt have been in position to win the title anymore.

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Eg. Button pitting early in Brazil

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Originally Posted by markabilly

Last night I tried to think of a last race in the history of the WDC, where the driver leading, was called into the pits by such a stupid decision and ended up in mid pack, unable to do anything but trundle along until the end, blocked because as even FA has admitted, someone overlooked the fact that Rosberg and Petrov had already pitted and intended to run to the end on their tires.....

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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.
Two factors may be at play here IMO.

Abu Dhabi is not a classic GP layout by anyone's standards. Perhaps more thought should be given to the location of the final outing.
Current F1 cars remain plagued by the problem of overtaking. On a pedestrian circuit slower cars can keep quicker ones at bay indefinitely.
All said, Vettel certainly deserves congratulations for a superb effort.

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Originally Posted by markabilly

You said it. Make up your mind or is your brain still spinning from seeing Webber kicked off in Brazil by his team and then freeddie kicked off by his team....

Or is it the strain of having to see Vettel is the one who profited and is now WDC???

:D

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I have absolutely no issues with Vettel winning the championship. He qualified on pole, Mark was 5th. He lead from the start, Mark was 5th behind Alonso. Vettel drove like the champion that he is, and he won the championship fair and square - I have no problems with that. No team orders were necessary. I did not see Mark kicked off in Brazil, I did not see Mark kicked off in Abu Dabhi. He simply wasn't good enough on those two days and no good complaining that there was a conspiracy or team orders - there were none.

AS it turned out, Ferrari made a stupid tactical move to bring Fernando early for tyres; too bad.

But anyone that begrudges Vettel his championship has rocks in their head.

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Originally Posted by markabilly

Last night I tried to think of a last race in the history of the WDC, where the driver leading, was called into the pits by such a stupid decision and ended up in mid pack, unable to do anything but trundle along until the end, blocked because as even FA has admitted, someone overlooked the fact that Rosberg and Petrov had already pitted and intended to run to the end on their tires.....

and the driver in second place, (webber) was also called into the pits to be similarly stuck.

Two stupid decisions, unless they really knew that the Webber rear tire was damaged

duh..... :rolleyes:

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Webber and Alonso were called in by the stupidest pit crews imaginable. It was a dumb move, and I can't think of any logical nor mathematical explanation for it. In the final analysis, Webber didn't lose the championship - when he qualified 5th, and then ran 5th from the start, he was gone. That Ferrari should make a dumbass move to kill Fernando's chances was just plain stupid. All he had to do was continue to trundle along behind the two McLarens and the championship was his. What the hell??

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Originally Posted by Garry Walker

Because they were afraid Webber with new tyres would be so fast than once Alonso pitted, he would come out behind Webber. Then Alonso wouldnt have been in position to win the title anymore.

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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 :rolleyes:

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Originally Posted by thunderbolt

/forums/"][/URL]'Ashamed' Italian minister calls for di Montezemolo to resign[/B]

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Roberto Calderoli, what a man. This is what he said after the World Cup in 2006:
http://www.ilgiornale.it/interni/cal...e=0-comments=1
Quella di Berlino è una vittoria della nostra identità, dove una squadra che ha schierato lombardi, campani, veneti o calabresi, ha vinto contro una squadra che ha perso, immolando per il risultato la propria identità, schierando negri, islamici e comunist
He complained about Italy lining up to play a French team full of "Niggers, Islamists and Communists" (his words not mine).

His opinion counts for a lot doesn't it? It would be like Nick Griffin telling Lewis Hamilton to leave the UK. Basically, Mr Calderoli's opinion is toxic, and he should be held up for the idiot he is.
The call for di Montezemolo to resign is a stupid call by a stupid person.

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Originally Posted by D28

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..

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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.

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Originally Posted by Garry Walker

Because they were afraid Webber with new tyres would be so fast than once Alonso pitted, he would come out behind Webber. Then Alonso wouldnt have been in position to win the title anymore.

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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.