McLaren vs Renault - the impact of Alonso

[jens]

One thread from me today. McLaren vs Renault. I'm wondering whether Alonso's impact is really that strong... And I'm not talking about raw speed, but about car development.

I mean, McLaren wasn't a top car last year, also they lost several important engineers and have a totally new driver line-up for this year. But getting Alonso has done a miracle - the car is already better than Renault and close to the top. That Spaniard amazes me more and more and I think he could well be compared with M. Schumacher. Similarities are clear.

On the contrary - Renault lost one Alonso and practically nothing more. And look at the car now! If Fisi had been 5th on an unsuitable circuit for him like Imola or Magny-Cours, then we might say that the driver was slow, but at Albert Park, where he won in 2005 and could have won last year if he hadn't stalled. Now lucky 5th (Kubica retired and Massa finished behind)?? It's pretty evident that Renault's machinery is weaker than McLaren's, also it's struggling to keep the pace with BMWs. I really thought that Renault still can build a top-class car, but can't they really without Alonso? (when Alonso was working for them since 2002, then they got better and better every year) And poor Fisichella again - again, when he is a team leader, he looks like a great driver beating a team-mate, but struggling in a half-decent car at best. But is he as a team leader really unable to develop the car to the top? That may also explain, why Benetton was getting weaker and weaker during 1998-2001, when Fisi was their team leader.

[F1boat]

I think that the change to Bridgestone is Renault's biggest problem.

[jens]

I think that the change to Bridgestone is Renault's biggest problem.

McLaren has also changed to B-stones, but somehow they have managed to adapt a lot better?!

[F1boat]

Maybe Renault worked better with Michelins.

[Garry Walker]

Renaults problem is that they dont have michelins anymore, check the interview with Briatore at autosport. BS tyres work with McLarens car very well, but Renault is built so that they have more weight at rear, that doesnt work with BS tyres. It used to be way to go with Michelins.

Alonso has nothing to do with McLaren suddenly being better than last year.

[FAlonso]

Renault chief Flavio Briatore admitted on Sunday to missing World Champion Fernando Alonso who witched to McLaren over the winter. Alonso today finished 7.2 seconds behind winner Kimi Raikkonen.

The best Renault runner, Alonso's former team-mate Giancarlo Fisichella, crossed the chequered flag one minute later, leading Briatore to recall 1996 when back to back world champion Michael Schumacher switched from Benetton to Ferrari.

"In the same way that I missed Michael then, now I miss Fernando," the Italian Team Principal said. To the newspaper Welt, he admitted that the loss of the Spaniard has cost Renault about half a second per lap.

source F1-Live.com

Alonso is bad, Hamilton is great, Renault are bad because of the tires, yada, yada, yada... These "anti-someone" trends are always amusing. It´s Fernando's turn now. Others have preceeded him. It´s fine. Makes winning even better. Cheers to the British Press!

PS: Hamilton is a top guy. Let´s hope this over-hype doesn´t ruin him. Both he and Fernando will bring McLaren forward.

[Ian McC]

It is difficult to say how much of a difference he has made to the team so far, I doubt that FA can take much credit so far for the performance of the team.

[Donney]

I like to think that the driver's input means something in all the pre-season testing, but what do I now?

[jens]

Well, the Michelin problem is also another good explanation about Renault. But probably time will give us answers. If Renault can get better in future, then they have proved that they can do well without Alonso. And that's what I'm really hoping for - would like to see Fisichella winning another race before the end of his career and especially at Monaco or Montreal, where he has been always quick. These races are not far from now! But also probably it can't be said that the loss of Alonso hasn't had any impact on Renault. The team was built around him and now the team is in new situation.

[ArrowsFA1]

Alonso has nothing to do with McLaren suddenly being better than last year.

I disagree. I think his arrival, along with the signing of Hamilton, has reinvigorated McLaren. That might not have a direct effect on performance, but indirectly it has made a difference, just as Alonso's departure from Renault has had a negative impact on their motivation. They are not acting or talking like two-time champions, and their expectations seem to have taken a dive as well.