Comments on: Late tyre change cost Alonso the win

By: von

von — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 23:20:55 +0000

Well, Kubica might have had a shot at overtaking Massa just before the finish line hadn’t the crew botched his 2nd pit stop and consequently given Heidfeld (since he had a better position by then) the opportunity to switch tires. I can understand why he was so angry after the race saying BMW have been helping Heidfeld all season and someone could finally try to help him ;D
I’m just wondering… does that tell you anything in the light of all those rumours on who’s in and who’s out for the BMW seat for the next season… I’m sure Kubica would love to drive for Ferrari after Spa

By: Sumedh

Sumedh — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 14:16:17 +0000

Well, there were a lot of drivers who could have won this race. It was CRAZY ! ! Fernando was one of them, nothing more..

By: Toncho

Toncho — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 10:30:54 +0000

BMW made a great move rather than REN a mistake. In any case the maximum he could get was P2. For the record, ALO said to Spanish media that the team and himself took the decision to pit in that lap together.

By: ninguen

ninguen — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 09:33:28 +0000

Taking that Alonso would have made the same lap times that heidfeld i think he would fighting with massa in the last corner (more or less the same time) so maybe he could have won after the penalty to lewis, but lewis was unreachable.

And needless to say that if Alonso pitted maybe massa o Lewis could have pitted, i was amazed massa didn´t do it, as he had nothing to lose, alonso was almost 25 seconds away and lewis was far ahead when the rain began, just to be sure he would have made it to the end without too much problems

By: Mick

Mick — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 09:28:50 +0000

Not sure he said that…. but I agree he would have won. He was only 28 seconds behind, and Hammy was 30 seconds slower.

By: Keith Collantine

Keith Collantine — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 09:24:32 +0000

Hi Motorbeam - Yep that's because this was written before the various penalites. The updated championship positions are here: Championship tables after the Belgian Grand Prix

By: Motorbeam

Motorbeam — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 09:20:40 +0000

Keith there is a mistake on the last para, Renault are on 36 points and not 24 and Toyota are on 41 not 36

By: michael counsell

michael counsell — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 22:44:24 +0000

If Alonso had pitted on the same lap as Heidfeld he would have won. The same could be said for Hamilton and Raikkonen…

By: ninguen

ninguen — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 19:19:50 +0000

At least on spanish tv alonso didn´t told that, he said that if the tyre change would have been made earlier he would have been on the podium for sure, nothing else, he didn´t told anything regarding catching massa nor lewis.

He talked of the good points today for the run for the 4º place in constructors.

And of the difference in time between alonso and heidfeld, some seconds are from the pit stop, so he wouldn´t have gained them so i´m afraid that victory was beyond his possibilities, maybe second, but still very tough

By: verasaki

verasaki — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 16:28:00 +0000

never mind. i see it now on another site. no way!

By: verasaki

verasaki — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 16:26:51 +0000

milos, where did you see that? the fia still has hamilton in first.

By: Milos

Milos — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 16:21:52 +0000

well, and Massa won … Hamilton penalised …

By: Milos

Milos — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 16:21:13 +0000

win was possible for Alonso, win would also be possible for Massa, same as podiums were within reach of Bourdais or Vettel … we are here in the “if if if” territory … well but speaking about Massa (or Kimi), I wonder what would Ross Brawn do …

and what if that rain that came down so hard right after podium ceremony came 10 mins earlier

By: IDR

IDR — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 16:00:48 +0000

Thanks Keith,

I’m afraid everytime Fernando speaks, there is some people arround distorting what he says.

I heard the comment from him directly at the TV, its the only thing I can say.

By: Keith Collantine

Keith Collantine — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 15:54:05 +0000

IDR – I’d read elsewhere that he’d complained to the team, but to be on the safe side I’ll soften the language in the post.

By: shery

shery — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 15:48:40 +0000

win could have been a possibility for fernando.

By: verasaki

verasaki — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 15:45:41 +0000

on speed we heard alonso ask just before the rain exactly when and where on the track it would first hit, which i thought was pretty interesting insight into how the man’s mind works. whatever anyone thinks about him he’s got a solid head for strategy on his shoulders. i’m still surprised he managed 4th but, then he would have got the same advantage heidfeld got from the incident in front of them. i’m still not sure what that was all about. we only saw the one replay.

pity, though. i’d have loved to see him win one this season. and he can’t get into a competitive car soon enough to suit me.

By: IDR

IDR — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 15:44:42 +0000

Sorry keith but I heard the comment of Alonso in T5 (Spanish TV channel) and he did not said he asked the team to change tryes earlier.

In fact I heard Fernando said the decission was made by him and the team, and they took it too late.

Anyhow, you’re right, if Renault were little bit “on” Fernando would have been on the podium and even close to win the race.

In any case I understand Renault. They desesperately need the points for WCC final round.

BMW are just more relaxed from the moment they have already achieved their target for this year: Win a race. (Thanks to Kovalainen and Lewis/Kimi btw)