Alonso retracts Valencia criticism
Having pilloried the European Grand Prix stewards in the 48 hours following the race, Ferrari have begun to tone down their criticism of Sunday’s event.
Fernando Alonso was first to take a step back from his earlier criticism of the race as “manipulated”, saying “we should talk about it together in a calm way, to ensure that things like this do not happen again.”
We were particularly unlucky in terms of the timing of when the safety car appeared on track. It would have only needed a few seconds more or less to totally change our race. It does not achieve much going over the events that followed on. Obviously, in the clear light of day, I am much calmer than I was in the moments immediately following the race.
At the time, I reacted emotionally and in that situation, it is all too easy to adopt a tone and say things that can be interpreted wrongly, giving rise to suspicions, something which I had no intention of doing.
Sure, I understand that the stewards have a difficult job to do and they have to take decisions that are not easy. What I meant was that those drivers who, like us, respected the regulations, unfortunately, in this situation, suffered much more than those who broke them, even though they were given a penalty.
And I am not referring to any of the drivers in particular: it’s a general matter and I think we should talk about it together in a calm way, to ensure that things like this do not happen again. I was pleased to hear that the FIA has reacted promptly, calling an extraordinary meeting of the Sporting Working Group and I am confident, certain even, that all the points up for discussion will be cleared up in a comprehensive fashion.
Fernando Alonso
Team mate Felipe Massa, who lost even more places than Alonso during the safety car period, added:
What happened needs to be looked into because it is not normal than someone commits a serious infraction like overtaking the safety car, when there is a dangerous situation on track and is not really penalised in practical terms.
We must talk about this together and do something to ensure a situation like this does not happen again. The team has told me that, next week there will be a meeting of the Sporting Working Group: that’s good and it’s an obvious indication that the FIA is paying close attention to the matter.
Felipe Massa
2010 European Grand Prix
- The physics of Webber’s Valencia crash
- Technical review: European Grand Prix
- Sauber “thrilled” by Kobayashi’s passes
- 2010 European Grand Prix – the complete F1 Fanatic race weekend review
- Alonso retracts Valencia criticism
- FIA must learn from Valencia shambles
- Best finish of 2010 (Williams race review)
- Di Grassi shines (Virgin race review)
- Double finish at home (HRT race review)
- Buemi slips to ninth (STR race review)
ado said on 30th June 2010, 10:55
I hope Alonso doesn’t mean a word of it.
It was and still remains manipulation by British stewards. I didn’t see a British referee during England-Germany, obviously.
Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine) said on 30th June 2010, 10:58
The stewards of the meeting were Manuel Vidal Perucho (Spain), Gerd Ennser (Germany), Radovan Novak (Czech Republic) and Heinz-Harald Frentzen (Germany). See: Frentzen joins Valencia stewards
Obbo said on 30th June 2010, 11:37
Oh dear, poor Manuel better look out for flying beer bottles for the next couple of years then!
Hare (@hare) said on 30th June 2010, 13:48
Hurah!! Keith, sense prevails. Seems like the British are fodder for the fanatics (and I think that’s a fair description) of Alonso and/or Ferrari..
I say seems, I can’t be sure, it’s just my subjective opinion.. :)
DaveW said on 30th June 2010, 15:12
And Frentzen’s mother is Spanish.
Anthony said on 30th June 2010, 11:09
it would be interesting to hear the radio transmission with Hamilton as the safety car came out if there is one….
Splint3r said on 30th June 2010, 12:25
Yes. It should give an insight as to exactly what was going on in the mclaren department.
We had the audio on the LH-JB mixup in Turkey. Its kind of weird we are yet to hear anything about the audio transcript on the SC incident this time from mclaren. conspiracy theory anyone? :D
DGR-F1 said on 30th June 2010, 12:27
I hope we aren’t all going to be taken in either by Ferrari’s media-speak as spoken through the suddenly calm Alonso and goody-goody Massa. Of course Ferrari still want something to be done about this, and I think we will be hearing their grumblings all through the rest of the season, as much at the FIA as at McLaren, Sauber, the small teams and anybody else who ruins their races.
Also, just how much can the Sporting Working Group hope to achieve before the next race? Very little I would think. This is just a bit of PR from Todt to calm things down and make everybody feel that something is happening.
I think its going to take much longer and wider discussions to sort out the penalties so they fit the situation, and to get the Safety Car behaving as it should too, but I think the FIA have been too complacent this year, having satisfied themselves that by including an ex-driver in the stewards it automatically makes things better.
We still are lacking the ‘joined-up’ thinking required at a race-track, and at least an acknowledgement that both the drivers and the teams are not deliberately going to break the rules (no matter what Alonso thinks!)
BasCB (@bascb) said on 30th June 2010, 15:04
Ah, so next we will be hearing bad things about Renault as well.
They might get in the way of Ferrari scoring major points pretty often as well.
mw said on 30th June 2010, 13:02
Safety:
Its not just about breaking rules. The appearence of the safety car signals there is a dangerous obstacle on the track. Overtaking it could have put lives of a number of people, marshalls, drivers, drivers needing help being removed from their cars etc at risk.
Nick said on 30th June 2010, 13:06
There is no doubt that Alonso has the natural talent to be THE top driver but he has become so weak mentally since 2007 that his results are badly affected by his inability to put that year behind him. Don’t think he’ll recover and get back to the top regardless of car/team.
Typhoon said on 30th June 2010, 13:57
I find it amazing that such am accomplished driver (Alonso)let this play on his mind the for the rest of the race and affect his performance, even letting the Sauber past on the last lap. Even Hamilton expressed surprise about this ‘weakness’ in one of his post race interviews. I can help thinking he would have gained a few more points at Valencia if just concentrated on his own race.
pitbul said on 30th June 2010, 23:34
“I don’t remember too much about it to be honest.”
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aNT366 said on 30th June 2010, 15:48
Cuanto gilipolla suelto.
Hamiltongo said on 1st July 2010, 1:55
Ja, ja, ja…Ja, ja, ja…
Chaz said on 1st July 2010, 10:06
I was watching the Euro GP at a friends house and Alonso’s protests produced two main remarks. 1) “Me thinks the lady doth protests to much” was one and 2) “its funny how the cheaters always feel hardest done by when things don’t work out their way”. I just thought I’d throw that out there to mull over…
James said on 2nd July 2010, 11:43
this alonso guys always whinges when he doesn’t win or doesn’t get his way,he is a shame on the sport and a lucky 2 time world champion