Comments on: Links: How Alonso helped Massa

By: Keith Collantine

Keith Collantine — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 15:03:08 +0000

Becken – I hadn’t seen that quote, thanks. Have repaired your link btw.

By: Becken

Becken — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 14:57:33 +0000

WOW… James Allen is a great blogger. I will miss his comments but I think we will gain a great blog.

Thanks for this link, Keith!

Another point: Lewis has answered Alonso:

“When someone has been winning then another driver comes in and takes over then of course they are not going to be too happy about it,” he said. “There is nothing I can do about that except try to stay positive.

“I’m not here to piss anyone off. I’m here to race, be competitive and push everyone to their limits whether that be people in my team or other drivers. That is what motor racing is all about. If I get a challenger that comes along and gives me the toughest time ever, I’m not going to hate him for it. I’m just going to try even harder to try to get past him.

“I’m not here to make friends. I’m here to be successful, to win the world championship and enjoy my career in Formula One along the way.

He added: “He (Alonso) was a double world champion. He came to a team and got beat by a rookie. I’m not here to be involved in any mind games. I’m here as strong as ever. I put my hands up and admitted I made a mistake at Fuji.

“I have apologised to the team and now we move forward together. I have no need to play mind games with anyone. I’m here to do a good job and be competitive. The most important thing is to focus on my job. To be challenging for the world championship again is pretty cool in only my second year.”

I have some mixed feelings about that. I think Lewis could let this word war by, and demonstrate some maturity been silent about it, but I think that Alonso has deserved this time. He opened his mouth first and has tasted the own poison…

By: roser

roser — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 13:37:55 +0000

Keith, Alonso also said
“El Mundial normalmente siempre lo gana el mejor y si al final gana Hamilton será porque ha sumado más puntos que nadie y porque en fines de semana como éste ha hecho la pole y ha ganado la carrera. Es incontestable que se lo merecía.”
Which means (if someone can translate it better, please go on):
“Usually, always the best wins the WC, and if Hamilton wins in the end, it will be because it has added more points than anyone, because on weekends like this one, he has done the pole and won the race. It is incontestable that he deserved it”

By: Elli

Elli — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 13:36:36 +0000

What is the deal with Fernando Alonso,why has’nt he confirmed that he’ll be staying with Renault next year,his only options are Renault and Honda and looking at the performences this year of the two cars there’s no chance of him joining Honda and to go with that Renault has been performing pretty descent of late so why do’nt he just confirm that he’ll be staying with Renault or is there any truth in the rumuor that he might be joining Ferrari !!!

By: DG

DG — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 13:31:08 +0000

Typical! The one time I was hoping McLaren could get a real advantage….oh well, on with the show

By: Keith Collantine

Keith Collantine — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 13:08:31 +0000

DG – You don’t get an engine change ‘for free’ if you do it before the final race. For the record, Kovalainen used his in Singapore, Hamilton hasn’t used his.

By: DG

DG — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 13:04:06 +0000

Have McLaren used their two ‘free’ engine changes yet? (I mean one for each car). If they haven’t then this is the perfect time to do it.
Though I don’t think Ferrari have used their ‘free’ swaps either….

By: Jean

Jean — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 12:45:17 +0000

Alonso was used big time by McLaren , so when he gets a chance to display his dislike for them (which I think is far more intense then his dislike of Lewis) he will do it. That’s why he made it public he would “help Massa” , if he could. I’ve been waiting patiently for him to be back on form with Renault , which is looking imminent , hopefully the rule changes work a bit more in their favour , then we will see Alonso against Lewis , but this time without one hand tied behind his back.

By: Adrian

Adrian — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 12:23:33 +0000

Alonso has something of a subtle mischievous grin about him whenever he delivers quotes like this, he’s not serious. Sadly the needling is pretty unnecessary and highlight to me just how much Hamilton rattled him last season.

He’s not stupid, he knows if he makes a quote like that it will get him (and his team and sponsors) media exposure…

“So who do you reckon is going to give Lewis a race-ending bump? Kimi off the start line? Alonso on the squeeze into the first corner? The same Alonso, remember, who last week told a Spanish newspaper that if he could help Massa to win the championship, he would?”

I wonder whether Vijay Mallya would instruct one of his drivers to accidentally run into the lapping Ferrari of Massa in order to grease the wheels of his rumoured Mclaren deal…?? (Given the stewards recent form I’m sure if Heikki took out Massa then Lewis would get a penalty!!)..:-)

By: diseased rat

diseased rat — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 08:51:11 +0000

Obviously Alonso’s comment is more gamesmanship. If he thought a pass on Massa was possible then he would have gone for it. I don’t believe for one second that Alonso declined the race Massa to help him win the championship. Alonso has something of a subtle mischievous grin about him whenever he delivers quotes like this, he’s not serious. Sadly the needling is pretty unnecessary and highlight to me just how much Hamilton rattled him last season.

I still think Alonso is the best all round driver on the grid though, let’s hope he’s competitive next season.