Ferrari duo hounded in press conference

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Fernando Alonso and Felipe Massa faced a largely hostile media in the post-race press conference.

In scenes reminiscent of the Austria 2002 press conference, when Rubens Barrichello had handed victory to Michael Schumacher, the pair were repeatedly challenged on why Massa had been ordered to gives up his win to Alonso.

Here’s what was said:

Q. (Ian Parkes, The Press Association) Fernando and Felipe, via a coded message it appears that we’ve just witnessed a clear case of team orders being handed out. To Fernando, do you feel embarrassed about taking such a win, and to Felipe do you feel angry about having to give up such a win?

FM: For sure, you always want to win. That’s always what we’re working for. For sure we don’t have team orders, so we just need to do the race that we can and if you see that you cannot do the race that you can, you need to think about the team. I think that’s the most important thing.

FA: Yeah, same. What’s important is the team result, so I’m happy.

Q. (Fredrik Af Petersens) Felipe, you said earlier that you lost out to Fernando on the hard tyres. How come that after you were passed, that you were doing more or less exactly the same lap times, a couple of times even faster?

FM: I was pushing hard as well but maybe I think he slowed down, I don’t know. He was controlling the pace.

Q. (Alan Baldwin, Reuters) Felipe, after this afternoon, do you now think you’re the number two driver at Ferrari?

FM: Well, I cannot say that I’m there fighting for first position in the championship. I’ve lost many points, important points, and the only thing I can say is that I know what I can do, I can win races, that’s what counts and everybody saw today that I can win races and I can be competitive. For sure, what happened today is something that has happened in many races this year: when I put on the hard tyres I struggle. This is exactly what happened in the race. On the soft tyres, I was very strong and then when we went onto the hard, I was struggling again, so there’s no news about that. So I know why sometimes I’m a little bit penalised, it’s just because of the very hard tyres that we have this year. I don’t think it’s a good thing, to be honest, because you don’t have strategies any more. Then also the grip level on hard tyres for me was always a little bit of an issue this year, and most of the races that we used these tyres I was struggling. And this is another one where I was very good on the soft tyres in the first part of the race, and then we put on the hard tyres and I was struggling again. It’s a similar issue that we have had in some races.

Q. (Livio Oricchio, O Estado de Sao Paulo) Alonso, in a normal race, do you think you could have overtaken Massa, and Massa, in a normal race do you think Alonso could overtake you?

FM: Well, I think I was holding in a good way anyway, but the race is long and you always have many laps, so you never know what can happen in 20 laps. So maybe yes.

FA: Yeah, I think there was one moment also on (I don’t know) which lap it was but we were side-by-side into turn six, especially with the people we were lapping – always there is a better chance to overtake and even though we didn’t see too many overtakings here today we’ve seen a lot in the past on this circuit but this year maybe with the new cars etc we didn’t see too many.

Q. (Ian Gordon, News of the World) Fernando, you said after Valencia that the race had been manipulated in favour of Lewis. Those words seem a bit hollow now. Where will this victory rank in your career, is it up there with Singapore 2008?

FA: I think you have a very strong result from Ferrari today, one and two, a very strong performance all weekend and if the final thought of the weekend is your question it’s because maybe you didn’t see the whole practice, qualifying and the race, so maybe it’s too early for you that Ferrari came back so strong.

Q. (Ian Gordon, News of the World) Team orders are banned in Formula One. They were banned in 2002, that was blatant team orders.

FA: Sure.

Q. (Ian Gordon, News of the World) Eddie Jordan just said that you two should be kicked out of the race.

FA: Again, if this is the final thought of the weekend for you, I think it is because you didn’t see the performance of the team and the performance from our car this weekend.

Q. (Juha P????talo, Financial Times Germany) Fernando, I think we all know what happened on lap 48 and we don’t need any fairy tales about tyres or anything to be clear of that. I just want to ask you, because in 2006 in Monza you said that Formula One is not a sport any more for you but was that which we saw today a sport?

FA: I think we tried to do our race, we tried to do as good as we can. We are professional drivers, we try to work in a team and we try to do the best we can every day, not only here on the track but also between the races, at the factory etc, preparing the races. Again, I think we’ve been doing a good job over the last couple of races and finally we got a strong Sunday with a strong result. I think we are happy with this, although there are things which are more for you if you want to write all these things.

Q. (Carlos Miquel, Diario AS) Fernando, do you feel that some people are worrying because you are back in the championship?

FA: Maybe it seems like this, yes.

Q. (Byron Young, The Daily Mirror) Fernando, what have you got to say to the people who would call this a dirty win and if you win the championship, a dirty champion?

FA: I have 19 races to… look at the overall races, there are a lot of points that we win sometimes and a lot of points that we lose sometimes. As I said, today was a good day, some other races were bad days for us, disappointing but as I said before, we need to remain focused, keep working, keep developing the car, not to be too excited when we win, not to be too down when we lose. In November, (we need to) try to be in the fight for the championship, not forgetting that Red Bull has so far been very dominant, not scoring many points on Sunday, or the points that they should have scored on Sunday, but remain very strong and McLaren as well, leading both championships, so there is still a long way to go for us.

Q. (Byron Young, The Daily Mirror) The reality is, though, that you couldn’t beat him on the track, so you had to get the team to do it for you.

FA: If that’s your opinion.

Q. (Byron Young, The Daily Mirror) I’m asking you, is that not your opinion?

FA: No.

Q. (Byron Young, The Daily Mirror) He had to give you this win, didn’t he, Fernando?

FA: No.

Q. (Ian Parkes, The Press Association) Fernando, you’ve said that you’re happy with this win but to be honest, I’ve never seen a driver look less happy in the middle of a podium there today, and in the middle of this press conference here. Why can’t you just be honest with us for once, and just admit that this win was handed to you on a plate today?

SV: Can I go?

Q. (Ian Parkes, The Press Association) Go Sebastian! Sebastian, give us your thoughts?

FA: Hopefully the next question is for Sebastian. No, stay, stay. As I said, I think we were competitive on Friday, I was very competitive on Friday, first position. Finishing second in qualifying by 12 centimetres, I heard yesterday and today I think we scored the fastest lap of the race, so overall I don’t think I was very slow this weekend.

Q. (Miran Alisic, Korpmedia) I have a question for Sebastian. I think you had some not similar but close situations with Mark as well. Do you feel proud that what has happened at Ferrari today hasn’t happened in your team?

SV: Don’t you have another question maybe? Yeah, maybe they should have crashed. I don’t know, I haven’t seen the incident. I was too far back. I always saw them going into the hairpin when I was coming out of turn five, so I don’t know what you’re all talking about. I can guess but I don’t know. For sure my advice would not be it’s better to crash because also then you get a lot of questions that you have to answer so… Yeah, for me I was focusing on my own race and trying to do my thing, trying to stay close enough, trying to get closer, trying to put them under pressure. It didn’t work, so I’m not pleased with that. No matter who you race, it’s always difficult in Formula One to pass people and sometimes you have to take a lot of risk. When you don’t have to race your team-mate, you’re racing for the team, both of you, both drivers and on the other hand everyone looks for his own advantage. We had a couple of situations this year in our team, so it’s quite a comedy that we are not in focus at this stage but life changes quickly, so?? It’s never wise to say anything that you might regret. Maybe in a week’s time. I’m happy where we are now, as a team. Again, I can only repeat that from the outside there was more of a fuss made than there was inside. I can assure you that Mark and myself are always looking to do our best but on top of that, I think we understood many times this year that the team is the main priority and we are racing for the team, in the end. We don’t get our cheque from you guys, we get it from the team. I think that’s something we always have to respect.

Q. (Ralf Bach, R & B) Felipe, you said it was your decision to let Fernando past, so my first question is why did you take this decision, as a racing driver in Formula One, and my second question is do you have any idea why Rob Smedley said sorry to you?

FM: No. (Regarding your first question) As I said, because I was not so strong on the hard, so we need to think about the team.

Q. (Livio Oricchio, O Estado de Sao Paulo) Felipe, Rubens damaged his image a lot in Brazil when he did what you did today. Until now you had the support of the country; aren’t you worried that now after you did what Rubens did you have deeply damaged your image in Brazil?

FM: For sure not, for sure not. I’m very professional and I’ve showed in my career how professional I am. You are professional as well, you work for a company. I believe you are doing what you have to do, so I’m professional and today I showed how professional I am. That’s it.

Q. (Tony Dodgins, Tony Dodgins Associates) Fernando you’re getting quite a bit of flak but as you say, you’ve been the quicker Ferrari driver for most of the weekend. We see it so often that the guy who is second on the grid gets beaten away by the guy who is third. Is there ever a case for actually asking to reverse the positions on the grid?

FA: I think there are some circuits where the clean side is an advantage. There are some circuits where it is not an advantage, for example in Hungary next weekend, it will be crucial to be on the clean side. There are other circuits like that. There’s nothing we can do. We have a fifty percent chance of being on the clean or dirty side of the grid, unless you are the quickest which secures the clean side. The only thing we can do is to fight for pole position which allows you to be on the clean side. If not, I don’t see any other possibility. Maybe there should be more distance. Instead of eight meters, maybe 12 or whatever.

Q. (Tony Dodgins, Tony Dodgins Associates) Take today, if you’d been able to opt to start third instead of second and actually swap places, would you have done it?

FA: Maybe I would have done a bad start, you never know. I think it was a good start today, overtaking Sebastian and that was our target today. You never know.

Q. (Anne Giuntini, L’Equipe) To both Fernando and Felipe, we always talk about the show, the necessity of the show in Formula One. Can you conceive that race lovers and show lovers might be a bit frustrated today?

FA: Well, I think we try to put on a good show always for people, for spectators but as Felipe or Sebastian said, we work for companies, we work for teams. Sometimes, as we saw this year, there are crashes between team-mates and the loss of 42 points for the team. Today Ferrari has 42 in their pocket, so I think it’s what we are here for.

Q. (Ted Kravitz, BBC Sport) Fernando, after the pit stop, when you were behind Felipe, we heard a radio message, it wasn’t very clear, but it sounded like you were telling the team guys ‘think of the victory.’ Did you say that?

FA: No.

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    Keith Collantine
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    181 comments on “Ferrari duo hounded in press conference”

    1. Apparently Alonso gave Massa the winning driver’s Bridgestone cap. Says it all really.

      I always say you reap what you sow and Fernando got the win he wanted (I don’t hols him responsible at all) so should put up with it but this is awful to read. It just isn’t comfortable. Quite fitting with the race then.

      1. Ned Flanders
        25th July 2010, 19:22

        Really? Where did you hear that?

        I hold Alonso responsible because he was on the radio trying to persuade his team to make Massa move over. Plus he was so unapologetic, surly and downright dishonest in the press conferences

        1. I think on the human side Alonso has gone down ni my estimations but not the racing driving side and ultimately, Stefano is the principal so the buck stops with him. I can’t see I’m pleased with anyone at Ferrari today except the mechanics.

          The cap? It was on Will Buxton’s blog post that Massa had it and someone else on twitter (sorry I forgot who maybe a BBC er I’ll have to check) said Alonso gave it to him. Although maybe Stefano gave it to him, that’s the only other option as Massa wouldn’t have nicked it unless he really wanted to make a statement.

          1. Ned Flanders
            25th July 2010, 19:48

            Well yeah, I agree Alonso is driving very well this season, he was probably the quicker of the two Ferrari’s today and he has comfortably exceeded my expectations this season. But what little respect I had for Alonso the person has just about disapeared over the course of the last few races

            1. Well obviously I’d like you to be a Fernando and Ferrari fan but I can’t blame you and respect your opinion. I think I jinxed the race as this morning I changed my gravatar to them hugging. That was just asking for trouble :P

            2. Ned Flanders
              25th July 2010, 19:57

              Yeah talk about tempting fate! I think you should change it back again now, perhaps to one of them having that argument at the Nurburgring three years ago

            3. Haha I just might! Funny thing is today I was desperately trying to keep cynical and not tempt fate for the win and now the 1-2 feels worthless.

            4. ned what about other drivers like coulthard said all drivers want to win no matter what including himself everyone knows mika hakkinen most of us respect him but still he didnt acknowledge his mistake against coulthard its a small example that there are no ned flanders on f1

            5. Yeah, I used to be a big Alonso fan in 2005 till 2007 (even in 2007). 2008 and 2009 didn;t show much Alonso, but this season he’s really falling from grace. He whines, he makes mistakes, he tinks he’s above the law, he gets beaten by Massa over and over (even up to the point where he needs others to tell Massa to move over). It’s just not good.

              The great Alonso of 2005 and 2006 seems to have gone.

              I really hope he can find himself back again, because he was a great driver once.

            6. Alonso’s driving has been nowhere near his best this year, in my opinion.

              He has made countless mistakes (Melbourne Turn 1, China jump-start, Monaco crash, Turkey qualifying, Montreal traffic etc.) that I couldn’t have seen him making in his championship years, or even in 2008 or 2009.

            7. I think Alonso hasn’t change at all. He is the same. Telling in 2006 the same as this year. Complaining about his own team to get the best from them, as allways. Complaining about the FIA and stewards as nothing has never changed. And for sure, winning again.
              I think Alonso is going to win the next races and he will probably win with more than 8 points of difference to the second. Not the same case of Ham winning with just one point of difference. The point that Kovalainen gave to him, under team orders, but then nobody thought that was dirty.

              This press conference only shows how creeping journalist are. Specially because finally they forgot to inform their readers: The new was that Ferrari is on top now, and it’s not one race fact, because Ferrari has grown since Canada and now we’ll have them on top for a couple of GPs before RBR o Maclaren react. Enought to be on the road again.

              And… What the f**** is doing News of the world on F1 press conference? Do we have to send Hello! to cover te race?

        2. Cunning Stunt 8
          26th July 2010, 0:30

          I think Alonso would have apologised many times over behind closed doors. Apologising in public would surely have made their story even less credible.

          And Steph is right, Stefano is the one who made that call. He’s the boss, with the cool head on the pit wall who has to sort all this stuff out.

          My favourite part of the press conference was when they asked him about people calling him a dirty champion, and I was hoping he’d say something like “Well Michael has 7 and he seems cool with it”.

      2. Santander has bought Alonso number 1 driver’s seat at Ferrari… they also bought Kimi’s contract out because Alonso knew it would be hard to beat Kimi & Kimi will never accept being number 2… and unfortunately Massa has no backbone to stand-up to em.

        clearly car is being developed around Alonso, even then he needs team orders to beat his team mate…

    2. What a baby and lousy hypocrite Fernando Alonso is. Dirty excuses that match his dirty persona.

    3. MASSA IS AN INOCENT VICTIM

      HE WANTS TO KEEP HIS JOB.

      1. Massa is just another F1 darling that didn’t defend his position on the team as Webber or Button did in Turkey. He handed the race to Alonso but then he wanted everyone to know that was a team order. If you do it, do it well. Now, he’s going to loose the seat anyway.

        If he decided to let Alonso pass, he just had to stop the journalist saying: I did it because I wanted to do it, and the rest of questions wouldn’t have occur. But he left alonso alone under the horses feet. What a good mate, If I have a mate like this one, I don’t need enemies.

        Please, Massa, you could have kept your victory, be honest, and shove it up your as*.

        Next year to Virgin Racing.

    4. Roger Carballo AKA Archtrion
      25th July 2010, 19:18

      I would like to know why the brit press isn’t so under pressure to know what “save fuel” means…..

      1. I was on one of the phone-ins with McLaren after the Turkey radio transmission came to light and there were quite a few questions about it.

        1. Roger Carballo AKA Architrion
          25th July 2010, 21:48

          same climate? official after race interview with James Allen seemed and sounded quite different. You know, the one with the three top sit with a jar on their knees.

          You can make tons of questions, and you can make them very intriguing, which I found on your post.

          BEWARE. I like the later the most. Here, in the sports, in politics and everywhere. Press is there to bite, no to caress!

      2. I think because a) in principle holding station doesn’t seem as bad as swapping positions, at least to me and b) it would have been Felipe winning on the anniversary of his accident and it happened in such an obvious way.

        Anyways with Macca in Turkey, I certainly buy that the race pace was so high that it meant they actually had to save fuel, indeed most teams go through a phase in the race saving fuel. In that instance Lewis seemed to have the pace to stay in front it was just that via miscommunication he was saving fuel to a greater extent than Jenson. Rather than continue to race each other after the pass and re-pass they were told to slow down and save fuel as finishing the race tends to aid your points-scoring ability.

        From the information available this appears to be a rather different and, in my opinion, more dubious affair.

        1. Roger Carballo AKA Architrion
          25th July 2010, 21:51

          Hypocrisy apart. I said it before. It’s the same crime against the sport to tell a driver to step apart as it is to tell him don’t overtake.

        2. It doesn’t matter what you consider is better or worse. The fact is that holding positions is manupulation as much as swaping positions. Both are unfair for the competition (not sport, of course). And if the suggestion of holding positions came from the wall… I can not see the difference.

          I think people is hurting Alonso because everyone has his own reasons, not because the fans, the sport values, the fair or unfair results… or as many fans begun to think: Nobody want Ferrari and Alonso wining again, because these two toghether can transform F1 to another Schumacker/Ferrari years, and make return English drivers and teams to the sewers again.

      3. Fact is, telling your drivers to control the race and hold station is not considered team orders. See the Monaco 2007 Hamilton vs McLaren verdict.

        In fact Ferrari (Domenicali) had no problem stating publicly that Alonso was not allowed to overtake Massa in Australia because it’s their policy that drivers don’t overtake each other on the last stint.

    5. It’s funny how eleven years ago, the same thing happened on this same track. Who remembers Mika Salo?

      1. And guess what team Mika Salo was with? Yours truly, Ferrari.

        1. Ned Flanders
          25th July 2010, 19:36

          That’s a very good point. Interesting what a culture change there has been in F1 since then. No one batted an eyelid when Salo let Irvine throught that day

          1. Indeed.
            The first team order move I remember was performed at Suzuka 1997. Irvine let Schumi passed. And after the race they were both celebrated as heroes for a fantastic move and a “beautiful display of teamwork”.

            Anybody remember that? Keith, you?

            1. Certainly wasn’t a “beautiful display of teamwork” in my book. Though again remember Irvine was out of the championship at that point.

            2. Keith, Why do you have to find excuses to the rest of cases? When something is unfair it is in every case. If it depends on the reading then everybody has one reading. That’s the real problem in F1: The rules are not clear and let stewards do what they want, and the people talk about it instead of the sport news, and FIA can control de team with threats because of its arbitrary decisions. Don’t you think so?

            3. I suggest you read this article to understand:

              Why the team orders rule must stay

              There’s a difference between excuses and explanations.

            4. hi keith, I red that article, and I agree there reasons why team orders rule must stay. But it’s difficult to aply rules when the difference between being fair or unfair becomes on so many and complex explantions.

              At the end, this kind of rules gives to the stewards a lot of open field to make mistakes (I’m trying not to think they do it on purpose) and be unfair and seem arbitrary, and let any kind of flagged-journalist-blogger-fans to find “excuses” where there are “explanations” or vice versa.

        2. ferrari are a successful team therefore they’re more likely to be put in this position.

          1. Yeah I was going to say this is being blown out of proportion a bit but even so, it’s Ferrari, the most famous sports car manufacturer in the world and they should expect it and should deal with it since what they have done is wrong. The higher the pedestal you are on, the more it’ll hurt when you fall off and hit the floor! If Mclaren did this personally I believe it would almost be on the same scale.

            1. Maclaren did it many times and as I saw then I consider, about what you say, that it must be in the lowest pedestal or even out of it.

      2. Indeed – that would have been his only F1 win.

    6. Justifiably brutal, that is how I would describe that press conference.

    7. The thing that gets me is that they keep saying that it was for the team. In the WCC it doen’t matter which way they end up, they still get the same points. If Ferrari were worried about Massa holding Alonso up to the point where Vettel could have a go at him (which, after the initial few laps after the stop, I’m not sure was the case), surely if Massa was in that position, it was even more likely they’d lose the place.

      1. Well it’s better for the team if Alonso wins the drivers championship, and he has a much better shot at it at this point. I get what you’re saying though, in terms of the constructors championship it’s the same either way…

    8. my favorite part is Sebastian asking to be excused ROFL… Red Bull are possibly having the happiest Post race time of the season now… the press is off their backs… well for a week at least anyway until the next cock up ensues…

      1. That was classic. His responses to the questions after that were great too. He even got a dig in at Webber there where he said:

        It’s never wise to say anything that you might regret.

    9. Spot the obsequious question from Diario AS. Someone’s trying to get into Alonso’s good books…

      1. Ned Flanders
        25th July 2010, 19:40

        Haha yes, is he employed by the Ferrari PR team by any chance?! Incidentally, I’d love to hear the reaction to this in Spain and Italy if you can find it Keith. Maybe you could do a special feature on the international reaction, or put it in the round up tomorow?

        (sorry for telling you how to do your job!)

        1. I would if my Spanish or Italian was up to it. My Italian’s getting there but my Spanish is only good enough to get me a meal and a beer.

          Speaking of which…

        2. Here are some headlines of Italian online newspapers

          Gazzetta dello Sport: “Alonso re-opens the WDC but celebrations are ruined by fine”
          Corriere della Sera: “Ferrari triumphs but the red team gets a fine”
          La Repubblica: “Ferrari, triumph with big fine. Alonso-Massa overtaking punished”
          Corriere dello Sport: “Ferrari, suspect overtaking.”

          In general, newspapers praise this back-to-form performance but the Alonso-Massa affair is considered a “sad scene” and a “black stain” for Ferrari.

          1. Ned Flanders
            25th July 2010, 20:16

            Thanks for that Matt. Glad to see people in Italy are disapointed about this too

            1. Spain headlines saud it was a shame too, but that it was a team’s fault. The interpretation given in England on that Alonso controls everything in the team has no base. This blog has created a whole theory about a comment that has a thousand faces: “This is ridiculous.”

              Nobody blames Alonso for besides that has nothing to do with it despite being the end benefited, is being massacred by all the English press.

              In contrast, Massa has been criticized because, although it’s bad to let the other pass, it makes no sense to do it that way and then leave your team in evidence.

              The next day it was also published the fact of the press conference, and how biased is the British press, and how being the most knowledgeable of Formula 1, just talk trash.

            2. This blog has created a whole theory about a comment that has a thousand faces: “This is ridiculous.”

              I have done nothing of the sort. I haven’t even mentioned it.

            3. Truth, your post doesn’t say that, the comments do.

              Maybe I’m putting toghether many things: English press, tabloids, Hello!, English bloggers, English fans, trolls… sorry but I think I wasn’t prepared to start reading F1 english blogs. I see now that english media is just like spanish media. I should have known it.

              Unlike your posts and headlines, which I see unbiased, your participation in the comments sides with your “flag”, if I can use the metaphor. Do not blame you. I also have my flag.

              I also want to point out that the journalist at the press conference are flagged aswell, but FIA shouldn’t have allowed that public humiliation of a man. Even Vettel was surprised.

            4. I don’t know how long you’ve been reading this site for but you’ll usually find what I write in the comments reflects what I write in the articles. And I haven’t mentioned this “ridiculous” quote in any of my comments either.

          2. I wonder what the headlines will be when Ferrari get the verdict on team orders from the WMSC.

            1. Well I can tell you what the Spanish headlines were when Valencia and Silvestone, but as Spanish journalist don’t control FIA press conference and you cannot read spanish for your own, then you cannot know how deceived spanish fans were.

      2. AS.com titles:
        * Alonso: “Vi a Felipe un poquito más despacio y aproveché” (“I saw Felipe was a little bit slower and I took profit”)
        * Alonso el mejor piloto para sus compañeros (Alonso the best driver, his fellows say)
        * Alonso vuelve con Massa de escudero (Alonso returns, with Massa as his squire)
        * Massa: “Sólo estoy trabajando para el equipo” (Massa: “I’m just working for the team”)
        * Ferrari, sancionada con 77.000 euros y enviada al Consejo Mundial de la FIA (Ferrari, fined with EUR 77.000 and sent to the FIA World Council (sic, they dont say World Motor Sport Council))

        1. Marca.com titles:
          * Massa afea un doblete de oro (Massa tarnishes a golden one-two) -this one is unbelievable-
          * Massa: “No siento que se me haya impedido ganar” (Massa: “I don’t feel that anyone has prevented me to win”)
          * Domenicali: “En interés del deporte no vamos a apelar” (Domenicali: “For the sake of the sport, we will not appeal”)

          1. MASSA tarnishes a golden one-two?

          2. Ned Flanders
            25th July 2010, 23:25

            Thanks for these qazuhb. Like you say that first Marca one is crazy- how could anyone possibly blame Massa for what happened today?!

            1. In Spain Alonso is a god and can do whatever he wants, and Massa is there to clean his shoes. If Hamilton wins with contoversy they say the FIA is against Fernando, if it is Fernando the one who wins with controversy they say that his is the best and everything he does is OK. It’s really pathetic the press in Spain.

            2. Please stop to use Marca or AS headlines to talk about Spanish press.I don’t see anybody coming here with the heads of The Sun, Daily Sun or similar garbage.

              This is what serious Spanish press is telling in their heads:

              ABC: “Una victoria por la radio” (A victory through the radio)

              EL PAIS: “Massa se quita del medio” (Massa separates)

              LA VANGUARDIA: ”Ferrari a Massa: “Fernando es más rápido que tú, ¿has entendido el mensaje?” Ferrari to Massa: “Fernando is much faster than you. Have you got the message?

              All serious press is criticizing the situation, as well as the majority of the people who post comments in those newspapers.

    10. For some reason the TV coverage went all rubbish for me so I missed the switch and the press conference. So glad to see that Teflonso got a roasting. Whoever coined that phrase “Teflonso” is right on the money…

      Ferrari tell Massa to let him past ->Ferrari’s fault
      Massa does as he is told -> Massa’s fault
      Alonso “takes advantage of the situation” -> not to blame

      1. Alonso wanting no. 1 status at the team and asking for Kimi to be sacked, knowing that Kimi wouldn’t yield to his sweet-16-like whining –>

        1. British prime minister phoning Ecclestone asking for a safety car to stop Alonso, because national honor is going to dead after being failed in world cup.

          Please, don’t say silly things.

          Maybe Alonso talked to Emilio Botin that he wanted to win and Santander gave 10M dollars to Massa’s familys to let him pass.

          Maybe Alonso had a telepathically talk to briatore and asked him to send his mafia friends to brake the legs of Maassa family.

          I’m sure this last one would like you. I’m sure you believe it.

      2. alonso getting on the radio to get massa out of the way… his fault.

    11. Q. (Carlos Miquel, Diario AS) Fernando, do you feel that some people are worrying because you are back in the championship?

      FA: Maybe it seems like this, yes.

      That says it all.

      1. It certainly says it all about Diario AS. Less interested in getting to the truth of the matter than cheering on a driver they like.

        1. Bigbadderboom
          25th July 2010, 19:40

          Can’t blame them for backing their man, even if to us it seems squirmingly embarassing.

          1. Well I think they shouldn’t be taking sides but it’s up to them how to do their job.

            It’s like when you see one of the British papers or other media giving Hamilton or Button an easy ride when they’ve done something wrong, you just think they’re sucking up to them.

        2. Well the questions from The News of the World and the Daily Mirror aren’t much more interesting, are they?

          I suppose you know a bit about journalism so you must admit that these are not even proper questions but just the mere expression of their hatred for Ferrari and Alonso.
          They’re just bitter because Alonso is back on track.

          Actually I’m quite surprised that rubbish newspapers such as The DM and the NOTW are allowed to take part in the press conference.

          1. you must admit that these are not even proper questions but just the mere expression of their hatred for Ferrari and Alonso.
            They’re just bitter because Alonso is back on track.

            No, they’re not. You’re just projecting an assumption onto it, like the Diario bloke is doing.

            I would say some of them go a bit far, they’re borderline insulting in places. But Alonso’s a big boy and if he’s going to sit there and give a version of events that’s little short of lying (and I’m being generous) then he can’t really complain.

            1. sorry keith i’ve jsut read carefully through everything Alonso said in the above press conference and cannot find anything that came close to a lie

            2. He had to give you this win, didn’t he, Fernando?

              FA: No.

            3. Ned Flanders
              25th July 2010, 20:22

              But Ads as an Alonso fan you are of course biased. Admittedly, as somebody who has never liked Ferrari I suppose I am too, but today I don’t think I’m exaggerating when I say they and Alonso have let the fans down big time.

              OK, so if he wasn’t lying, then was he telling the truth? The whole truth, and nothing but the truth? Nope.

            4. Meh ok you’re prob right. That one was close to being a lie but still not quite. But unltimately he was as the title says being hounded by British tabloid journalists. He’s not a poltician and he’s going to be understandably very defensive so whenever people ask him a question like that the reflex answer was no.

              True Ned I am pretty biased, but I tend to feel too many people have an inbuilt bias against Fernando and I don’t think the reaction would have been anywhere near as strong had it been another team/driver

            5. You would’ve never seen a press conference like this one if Hamilton was the one sitting out there. As simple as that. Whether you like it or not. Get over it people. Alonso will win this just to make everyone happy ;-)

        3. Carlos Miquel knows personally and perfectly all the journalist in the conference and the english press. I’m sure he was jast trying to help Alonso in that disgunting situation, that leaves english press at the height of the subsoil.

          Anyway, he was the only one who asked about something related eith the champinship: Ferrari and Alonso have a car to win.

          See you in Hungary.

    12. typical british media hypocrisy

      didnt kova let several times hamilton let to pass during the 2008 season and long before the season end.

      sore grapes are crying but for what, it was between ferrari drivers and at least none of them past a safety car on track and stole points from other teams drives.

      1. Hamilton passed him at Silverstone in the rain, and at the Hockenheimring. Certainly in the latter he was going quicker than Kovalainen because he was on a different strategy. In the former Hamilton ended up winning the race by over a minute from everyone so again he was clearly quicker.

        I don’t think we should start looking at every pass between two teams mates and assuming it only happened because their team instructed it. The Force India drivers swapped places about three times in Canada.

        Here it’s quite clear from the radio traffic that Massa was moved aside.

        1. Roger Carballo AKA Architrion
          25th July 2010, 21:54

          Keith…. it doesn’t sound reasonable to compare the competition between the Force Indians with the fight for a championship that carries Ferrari….. it’s as close as Andrómeda constellation and our sun, mate.

        2. Well, I don’t know why drivers after being in mclaren prefer to go to renault, lotus, rallies or go away from F1.

          “Quite clear” is not a very scientific measure.

          And what about barrichello in 2009 telling his team “is it normal that I run 1 second slower after de pit stop?” wall: “Yes, it’s normal, push”. How many gap of points had button and barrichello then?

          OH! it’s true, Brawn is better than ferrari team giving politically correct instructions.

          You attack some ones and defend some others with a blatant bias, even if you surround all your biased opinions with so much data.

      2. Also as Keith made reference too in the race raview article, not that two wrongs make a right though, but surely there’s a degree of hyprocrisy to Mr Alonso. He banged on about the European GP being manipulated but still seems happy to take this and his Singapore 08 win as perfectly valid victories (although admittedly Singapore was a whole other kettle of fish).

    13. Q. (Ian Gordon, News of the World) Fernando, you said after Valencia that the race had been manipulated in favour of Lewis. Those words seem a bit hollow now. Where will this victory rank in your career, is it up there with Singapore 2008?

      Ouch, harsh.

      1. My favourite bit. He’ll dodge this bullet too, but at least he gets to feel the air rush past his nose.

      2. I would reply: where do you rank News of the World news about Mosley’s orgy? :P
        Idiot journalist.

      3. Ned Flanders
        25th July 2010, 20:00

        Trust the tabloid journo’s to tell it like it is. And Shostak (above), it’s hardly fair to blame that one journalist because of NotW’s lurid reputation. I hardly think their sports reporters were involved in the Mosley sting

        1. I didn’t get the whole story over here in the US, was it really a sting? I thought it was a leaked tape.

      4. Ian Gordon is my new favorite journalist! If Alonso is going to accept a win from the gutter like this, he deserves every question thrown at him.

      5. This one had me chuckling… got to love the tabloids for getting straight to the point!

    14. Bigbadderboom
      25th July 2010, 19:35

      Lets see how Mr Todts approval rating stands after the FIA deal with this one.
      Truthfully it was best for the sport that the press were allowed their bit of flesh today, to see a humbled driver try to defend the indefensable will take the sting out of it slightly. But once again F1 will make the back pages for the wrong reasons. Bringing the sport into disrepute is the charge Ferrari should face from the FIA. But will we see it……I doubt it.

    15. Does Alonso pay Brazilians to hand him race wins.

    16. the key part will be the “it’s ridiculos” FA radio comment on the 1st part of the race. it’s a clear reequest to the team to manipulate positions

    17. I’m as disappointed now as I was when Lewis got caught lying to stewards. I was excited for Alonso this season, but the constant mistakes, the excuses, the complaining and throwing the toys out the pram attitude and now this! It has changed my view on him as a great WDC currently racing, not to say his past WDC titles weren’t deserved.

      But the way he seems to expect to just be given a free pass is unsporting and as a fan who expects to see fights for wins it’s poor taste. He did it at Mclaren when he kept giving Ron attitude to get Lewis to let him pass at Indianapolis, but Ron wouldn’t budge. Seems to me Ferrari don’t have the back bone to do the same.

      I’m not a fan of Felipe, but I have to say I feel horrid for him, his body language and his face in post-race was cringe-worthy. I hope he does better. I know he hasn’t had the best start, but I hope finds a team who can appreciate his skills much more then Ferrari.

      1. The key difference with 07 was that Hamilton was on Alonso’s pace and leading the WDC. Massa has no chance at the title and was way off Alonso’s pace all weekend, they would never have asked Massa to move over if he’d been close to the WDC leaders.

        1. @Ads21..

          how do you say that Massa has no chance at championship.. there are still 200 possible points to be won..

        2. obviously its mathmatically possible but seriously Massa was already out of the title race before today and had not looked like out pacing his team mate all year never mind Hamilton, Vettel and co.

          1. Going into the race, Massa was 78 points behind Hamilton with 225 left to win.

            He was only 31 behind Alonso and would have been within one win of him had he been allowed to keep his victory today.

            1. MouseNightshirt
              26th July 2010, 0:25

              Just look at Raikkonen in 07. 17 points behind with 20 left if memory serves.

              He managed it.

            2. Sorry but I dont think anyone honestly beleived Massa was a serious title contender in the run up to the German GP

            3. Neither was Alonso

          2. Agreed. Few weeks ago most non ferrari fans were laughing at the idea of Alonso having a shot at WDC. Now after yesterday’s drama suddenly Massa had a shot too?

            1. Yes, good point.

              All this comments are becoming to MARCA or AS.

              Well I think MARCA and AS have more serious opinions.

    18. Someone once used the word ‘ruthless’ to describe Ferrari. I can’t think of a better word.

    19. hmm hasn’t taken long for people to get their teeth stuck in and get out the tired old labels people can’t wait to use against Alonso the “petulant” “dishonest” “childish” “dirty spaniard”. If this had been Button doing the same for Hamilton the complaints would be much more muted.

      This is a team sport and there will always be team orders, the fallacy as DC pointed out is to think that it could ever be stopped with regulations. Team orders have been a huge part of the sport, was Hakkinens win in Melbourne ’98 a dirty win? Was his title in 98 a dirty title? What about when Ferrari blatently fiddled the pit stops at Brazil 07 or Kimi let Massa thru in China 08. Or go back even further to the days when a driver would hand his car to the other driver in the team or when Pironi was demonised for disobeying team orders and racing Villeneuve at Imola 82?

      Team orders will never go away and it should be expected that Ferrari should favour the driver who can win the championship when they’re so far off in the standings.

      Having said that the team were stupid to make it so obvious, surely Dominicali could have delivered the message, and made it less obvious, but there shouldn’t be a rule there for them to have to dodge. Also the comparisons with 2002 are off the mark. In 02 Schumi was already running away with the championship and Rubens had simply out performened him that weekend. Where as today Alonso was in a bad state in the WDC and needed the points, whilst he’d comprehensively outdriven Massa all weekend only to be blocked by Vettel at the start.

      As for Massa his loyalty to the team is hugely admirable and he’s a man of enourmous integrity and decency thats been shown many a time in the last few years. To do that for the team must have been gut wrenching, but he knew it was in the best interests of the scuderia.

      1. I think in all honesty I lost a little bit of respect for everyone today and yet feel great pity for them. Ferrari at the top needed it and I thought it was wrong but if they made that decision then Stefano should have been the one to say it and instead he seemed to be leaving Rob in the firing line, I wish Felipe had said after his radio have broken and he’s a great team player and on the human side I like him more but on the driving side slightly less perhaps whereas it is the opposite with Fernando. I don’t thnik Fernando did much wrong. I didn’t hear the radio but if he asked for Felipe to be handled out of the way then I’ve lost respect for him. I didn’t expect him to say ‘no thank you’ though.

        Your examples are bang on and all are occassions where I have hated it. In an ideal world it would always be sorted on track. I say I don’t like today but I understand it. In Stefano’s position I can’t say I wouldn’t do the same.

        Oddly from the team that was meant to be the most passionate this seems quite cold and calculated and more head over heart unless you look at it as their passion for winning.

      2. “hmm hasn’t taken long for people to get their teeth stuck in and get out the tired old labels people can’t wait to use against Alonso the “petulant” “dishonest” “childish” “dirty spaniard”. If this had been Button doing the same for Hamilton the complaints would be much more muted.”

        Agreed. There also wouldnt have been so much fuss about it if the commentators didnt make it out to be the end of the world.

        At the end of the day, its about the team and not any single driver. The team decide which driver must win, and they have that right because the drivers are their employee’s. You get a primary driver and you get a support driver.

        In other sports such as football, if a player fails to preform they call him off the field to make way for a player who is in form.

        Ferrari are not there to serve the drivers. The drivers are there to serve them. They make the rules and if Massa does not like it, he can find another team to drive for.

        1. “Ferrari are not there to serve the drivers. The drivers are there to serve them.”

          That’s actually along the lines of what Luca di said at the beginning of the season. Well, they’ve stuck to it.

          1. Would be wrong not to.

        2. Frank Williams said something along those lines after ditching Hill – anyone could drive his cars and win. Hmm, doesn’t seem so now does it?

          Personally I admire loyalty but hate subservience and I’d admire drivers who will tell the team bosses to shove it where the sun doesn’t shine when necessary. They’re still the ones who are risking their lives out there. Webber did as much after the Silverstone GP and has probably salvaged equal treatment as a result. Massa could have done the same but didn’t. Nou doubt his non-confrontational makeup. I feel really sorry for him. He lost in 2008 because of Ferrari hiccups and the points he lost at Singapore – that went to Alonso.

          1. Massa can perfectly think that he lost in 2008 because mclaren team orders made Kovalained be passed by Hamilton. He has the same evidences to think both things.

            1. But Massa also benefitted from team orders in China that year, allowing him to overtake Raikkonen. Looking at the circumstances of those two races you can realistically conclude that Massa was not going to get past Raikkonen in China, whereas in Germany Hamilton was going a lot quicker than Kovalainen because they were on different strategies – look how easily Hamilton got past Massa just a few laps later for evidence of that.

            2. The fact of having this discuss about “and you more” evidences that the enforcement of the rule during these years has made the rule become a shadow of what it wanted to be.

    20. These two aren’t the only ones getting a hard time, I imagine Stefano has faced a right grilling all day.

      This was the worst answer I’ve seen from him though

      “SD: For sure, we know that it was very important for Felipe and that he will deserve a victory very soon.”

      http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/85557

      I know they’re saying and portraying it as just giving Felipe the information and he made the choice but I can’t help but feel Stefano should have done it and not Smedley. I wish someone had asked Stefano about that too.

      1. agree with that was one of the first things DC pointed out about the incident. Was very harsh to make Smedly do it

        1. Stefano should have taken charge. Stefano even talks about the special relationship between those two and this has risked hurting it. It was a situation where they really needed the boss.

      2. Ned Flanders
        25th July 2010, 20:08

        Yeah, but it backfired on Ferrari a bit when he apologised to Massa!

        1. It did but they wriggled around that too.

    21. “Q. (Byron Young, The Daily Mirror) Fernando, what have you got to say to the people who would call this a dirty win and if you win the championship, a dirty champion?”

      i wonder if he ever think to ask the same question to hamilton when he passed the safety car on the track or when he danced in front of petrov form one side to other several times or when he brought his car to pits by pushing.

      what will Byron Young will say say to the people who would call this a dirty win and if hamilton win the championship, a dirty champion?”

      1. Ned Flanders
        25th July 2010, 20:05

        Two wrongs don’t make a right. If you think Alonso is being hard done by, try defending him rather than blaming McLaren

      2. or when he danced in front of petrov form one side to other several times

        You don’t seriously think what happened today and that are even remotely comparable do you?

        1. if rules are rule and if it is same for everyone than to change direction more than once banned just like team orders and in the same way one can not push his cars to the pits during the qualifications.

          now im not trying to say they should have punished hamilton, the point is; there were no big fuss than why now.

          this is why i said typical british media hypocrisy.

          1. i totally agree

            1. Same. I’m glad I’m not the only one who is completely sick of it.

    22. Wow. That was brutal! I’ll be anxious to hear what Ferrari’s final punishment winds up being. I’m betting on loss of manufacturer points for this race, but I ain’t betting much :)

    23. This is nothing compared to the grilling Massa will get in Brazil. Fair or not, the bench test is Senna. Would Senna have let Alonso past? The racing gods would laugh at the mere idea!

    24. HA, Funny Diario As (from Spain, of course) asks such stupidity: “Q. (Carlos Miquel, Diario AS) Fernando, do you feel that some people are worrying because you are back in the championship?”

      Pff…! they really are biased down there!

      1. Ned Flanders
        25th July 2010, 20:25

        He’s Spanish??! Oh wow, that’s sheds a wholenew light on his question! I assumed he was from Turkmenistan or somewhere :)

      2. Thats about the same level bias that comes from the British camp (only noticeable by non-british).

        1. Like in the discussions re the Vettel vs Webber conflicts;-)
          But even if I think Team-orders should be allowed, Ferrari must be punished with more than just a fine. Otherwise RedBull could just have ordered Webber to yield and paid 100.000$ for a secure 1-2 victory. They told to him to “Save Fuel”, but Webber didn’t show the professionalism displayed by Felipe today.
          But how can FIA decide that a TO to “Save Fuel” isn’t affecting the race result?
          The FIA must accept the fact that a ban on these team orders are just serving the purpose of giving the audience the impression that TO don’t exist.

          1. “The FIA must accept the fact that a ban on these team orders are just serving the purpose of giving the audience the impression that TO don’t exist”
            You know, I’m inclined to think that’s the only reason why the team order ban is in place. That, and to make it look as if the FIA acknowledge it’s wrong just so they please the audience but deep down they know there’s nothing they can do about it so they just try to keep it on the quiet.

    25. Also too much harm made by those english-spoken guys…

      it’s not a serious question to ask something like:

      “(Ian Parkes, The Press Association) Fernando, you’ve said that you’re happy with this win but to be honest, I’ve never seen a driver look less happy in the middle of a podium there today, and in the middle of this press conference here. Why can’t you just be honest with us for once, and just admit that this win was handed to you on a plate today?”

      1. Ned Flanders
        25th July 2010, 20:26

        More of a demand than a question… but he has a point, and he’s just asking what the people want to know

        1. He is out of line.

      2. Again, it’s a harsh question, but it’s not an unjust one. Alonso didn’t look particularly happy afterwards and he wasn’t being straight with them, was he?

        1. Yeah, but how many times out of ten is any F1 driver straight with the press on anything?

        2. The reporter was putting words into Alonso’s mouth and when Alonso didnt go with it, he became rude and ruthless.

          The reporter shouldn’t have expected alonso to answer questions he is clearly not allowed to answer.

          If he had said “yes we gave team orders”, the FIA would have been all over it. I wonder if that was exactly what the reporter was trying to stoke.

          1. @ ‘The reporter shouldn’t have expected alonso to answer questions he is clearly not allowed to answer.’

            So you mean give honest answers that would compromise his team for breaching FIA regulations? The real question isn’t verifying the team orders – everyone knows that happened – but why they were deemed necessary and what effect this will have on Massa.

            And Ferrari want two number two drivers. You can see why. Why not a whole peloton of eight to protect Alonso?!

        3. “Why can’t you just be honest with us for once…”

          That’s a proper expression for a journalist?

          1. It shows disrespect, but being told blatant lies is a disrespect and insult to the listener or journalist in question, wouldn’t you agree? I’m all for better journalistic standards, but I’m not opposed to seeing someone who’s lying (for no good reason) being grilled for it. Lauda’s angry response to Alonso’s posture tells you everything – he obviously empathisized with Massa a year on from his accident being bulldozed into accepting this situation by his team. It really was shameful stuff at a human level.

      3. MouseNightshirt
        26th July 2010, 0:28

        Personally, I thought Lewis looked much unhappier at Turkey!

    26. Felipe massa is the best, Alonso Cry in radio and win. Formula 1 lost with episodi

    27. Wow, these British journalists were really hostile, hoping FA or FM to lose it, so their papers could have some “shocking” headlines. Disgusting. You Brits should do everything (especially racing) except journalism :P

    28. the whole thing is such a crying shame,
      Massa missing out on a win because of crybaby Alonso who cant get passed his team mate, Team Orders virtually telling Massa to give up his hard earned position to his team mate, because he’s got more points than you.
      then all the none truths and cover-ups in the press conference.

      i truly hope they get a lot more punishment than a $100thousand fine, if not at least give the win back to Massa and demote Alonso back to second where he should be.

    29. After treating Massa so well while he struggled to recover from his injuries, Ferrari have taken it all back. On the anniversary to the exact day that he was hurt, they stole a win from him. Unbelievable, cowardly and unsporting.

    30. Has anyone else noticed how Alonso can’t do math? 25+18!=42; 25+18=43

      1. I think all the drivers are struggling withthe points. Everytime you read/hear them it sounds like they can’t add up to save their lives

        1. That’s probably why some still think the new points system actually made a difference.

    31. While I am British, some of the so called ‘newspapers’ that were asking the questions here are indefensible if I’m honest.

      Still, Ferrari lying to the stewards should have got them in a lot more trouble than the team order… but this seems to have been missed today. It shouldn’t sit kindly with anyone who likes F1, if you are Spanish, British, Italian, whatever.

    32. where is the videolink to this conference?

    33. What did you expect Alonso to do? Apologise in the press conference, say that Massa should have won? The tactics were disgusting, but they both understood that after all that, they had to try an AVOID a penalty. They were always going to be hounded, and they did the best they could…

      1. Which is lying. Which apparently was a pretty big deal at the start of 2009 …

    34. I suppose Fernando could have asked the team to inform Massa to hit the pitwall to bring out a safety car, then I have just remembered that he has already pulled that trick! The worst thing McLaren ever did was to hire him and the best was to tell him to f**k off!

    35. I suppose Fernando could have asked the team to inform Massa to hit the pitwall to bring out a safety car, then I have just remembered that he has already pulled that trick! The worst thing McLaren ever did was to hire him and the best was fire him.

      1. Too funny! This one is going to run and run.
        What I would have liked to have seen is a different radio communication that went to both drivers:
        – “Guys, you’re racing for P1. Just give each other room and don’t take each other out. Other than that, let’s see what you’ve got!”

        Isn’t this why we watch?

    36. Fernando, you said after Valencia that the race had been manipulated in favour of Lewis. Those words seem a bit hollow now. Where will this victory rank in your career, is it up there with Singapore 2008?

      I think that wins COTD right there, even if it wasn’t actually posted in the comments here ;-)

      Some of Alonso’s answers are downright disgusting:

      Again, if this is the final thought of the weekend for you, I think it is because you didn’t see the performance of the team and the performance from our car this weekend.

      Same old Ferrari-Alonso arrogant garbage we’ve heard all season.

      1. Alonso’s arrogance in the press conference was a disgrace. He’s basically insulting all of the viewers across the world. I feel for you Alonso supporters out there – must be quite embarrassing right now.

    37. I personally liked Vettel’s intervention… “er… can I go now?”

    38. Keith,
      Brilliant piece mate.
      It’s an important addition to the overall narrative of this disgraceful episode.
      What a shame this wasn’t televised.
      But the transcript goes some way to soothing my anger because it shows the message must be getting through.
      Interesting, though, that the ringleaders of the inquisition were the “non-core” motoring press.
      Byron Young from the Mirror and Ian Gordon of News of the World seem to have led the attack.
      Very well done chaps?
      What were the so-called “motoring press” afriad of? Not being invited to the next freebie press day?
      Stag
      SweetF1

    39. That should be “very well done chaps!” without the question mark… I

    40. If ALonso REALLY said on the team radio “think about victory”, then he should get a penalty. But i didn’t hear him say that on the race.

    41. There are a few things to think about…
      1) The rules are the rules, if you blatantly break them then of course there will be an uproar
      2) After Australia 2009 Hamilton lied to the stewards and there was a massive uproar about it, how is this situation much different? They clearly are lieing about the situation.
      3) Should team orders be made legal again….well yes and no after 2002 we can all agree that took it to a new level, however we all accept there are team orders but its normally done in a much more secretive way.
      4) The media have every right to question the drivers after the event, they have put them selves in that position and they have to be answerable to it.

      1. It doesn’t matter if team orders are legal or not. They still happen. Remember Massa and Raikkonen at China 2008. Or Kubica and Heidfeld in Canada that year.

      2. Indeed, I was thinking about the lying too. It’s just an utter insult the way the Ferrari team members are talking.

        Lets wait for the verdict on the actual charge of team orders. if they don’t take away Alonso’s points then indeed there is no sense of keeping that rule still in the rulebook.

        At the very least it would be good if they written out the rule a bit more. Explain that “hold station” is an acceptable order. Maybe team orders in the final phase are ok too (when only one has a numerical chance to become WDC)

        It should also explain that a combination of orders (telling one driver to save fuel and the other that he has 3 laps to overtake) is not allowed either.

        In the end it should either be clear what’s not allowed or remove the rule altogether. Now everytime a driver doesn’t offer too much resistance against a team mate, we get fanboys of an opposing team whining that it’s a team order.

    42. To me there is one big difference between this race and Austria 2002…

      …the reaction of the “winner”.

      Michael Schumacher was visibly embarrassed in 2002 and even tried to swap positions with Rubens on the podium.

      Alonso seems to think that he deserved to win this race and says that he’s happy with it. This seems to be the same attitude he had to the race-fixing in Singapore 2008 and I think says it all about his mentality.

      Win at all costs taken to a new level.

      1. I think the biggest difference is the fact that team orders are banned since 2003.

    43. I just hope there’s a better guy underneath all of this and that Alonso truly is embarrassed and feels guilty. I’d respect him a hell of a lot more. If he genuinely believes the end justifies the means, then he’s not a worthy world champion in my eyes.

      You can buy race wins (about $100k apparently). You can’t buy class.

    44. how many times has Hamilton done illegal things to affect the race yet no one says anything.

      The British media are biased to their drivers. if they cant sit on the fence they shouldnt be journalists.

      they are just worried that Ferrari are faster and see a threat to their dear Hamilton.

      Pathetic i tell you.

      1. Everytime Hamilton did something wrong he was punished.

        Just as Alonso will be when the WMSC rules on this case.

        Then with some luck Alonso loses the title by an 18 points difference.

    45. Spy-gate,Crash-gate,now the team order gate all of these involves Alonso somewhere, what is with him?????

      I felt very bad for Vettel as he would have thought that he won’t be answering anymore questions regarding the British GP but sadly he couldn’t avoid.From thw questions it looks like the journalist were very angry with Alonso & a little bit with Massa & Alonso had a huge amount of excuse against all the question.

    46. Dear mr Byron young ?(journalist at German Gp press conference)

      Stop being so biased towards British drivers.

      How many incidents as Hamilton been involved in this year that u don’t even bring it up in the slightest.

      Yet ironically when something happens in the Ferrari team and more so with Alonso then you come out all guns blazing.

      Aren’t journalists meant to be unbiased towards the every situation?

      I don’t even want to have to remind you about how Hamilton won his championship and how many incidents he was involved in that went unnoticed.

      It seems the question asked by mr Carlos Miquel, should have actually been directed at you. In case you were too busy trying to find more irrelevant questions to ask Alonso in your quest for absolutely nothingness, here it is again:

      Fernando, do you feel that some people are worrying because you are back in the championship?

      Please try to be a better journalist from here on in cause at the moment you’re terrible.

      Thanks

      1. Interesting to see what he posted on his Twitter account late on yesterday:

        “If the truth be known I rather like and admire Fernando and my abiding feeling tonight is just sadness. Sad for him and the whole sport. Alonso threw away his reputation for 25 points. Is that ruthlessness? Hunger? Ambition? Or just plain stupidity?”

        http://twitter.com/byronf1/status/19517093826

        1. 7 points to be precise!

        2. they are just trying to exaggerate the situation as ususal, nothing more.

          typical partisan british media, i wonder if he ever thought about his own reputation, after his unbiased questions?

      2. I was a big Alonso fan once, but he seems to be going from bad to worse.

    47. Ferrari are in desperate need to engage someone from McLaren or Brawn. They would teach team some useful orders like “save fuel”, “your engine has a problem, reduce revs” or how to come up with strange strategies to undermine your chances to beat you team mate… Also, making sure that 90% of the press is Italian to attack the other teams and praise your victories would be handy.
      Ironic mode off: I did not like what I saw yesterday, but suddenly you are all so naïve as this was the first time it happened when the majority of teams are doing all the time (in a more elaborate way).

    48. Oh My… what a whiff of nostalgia… coming back to the discussions on this blog… NOT FOR THE RACE…

      My few bits…

      Alonso is trying too hard to ape Schumacher… but he forgets… if you are trying to ape someone else then you should at least not ape their mistakes…

      Schumi made the same mistake when he thought it was ok to drive into Hill/Vilenueve… because Senna/Prost got did it (to each other)…

      Sadly, as much as people might want to diss it out to him, I think the only person to be blamed for this entire fiasco has to be the team principal… the buck stops with him and unless Luca told him to do it… he has no excuse…

      Today, he comes off as a spineless leader. If there were team orders in Austria ’02, you need to remember that Michael had spent more time on the team and had been with Ross Brawn and Jean Todt since his F1 childhood. So there was a lot going his way.

      Yesterday, he just told his best employees (Rob Smedley and Felipe Massa) that guys you are good, but you know what we have this new guy whom we are paying a lot of money, and he has brought with him a lot of money. Forget that we are the wolrd’s most popular sporting brand. Forget that without Ferrari, Schumacher is doing that great. Forget that you are tenured. Forget that he is not fast enough to overtake you.

      Just remember that “Alonso is Faster”. I just wonder houldn’t they have also informed both of them that Vettel was faster, when he was busy doing purple laps. Maybe they both could have revved down at the hairpin to let past.

    49. It’s AWESOME how many people forgets other situations.

      Anyone remember when Kovalainen gave the win to Ham on Hockeheim 2008? Anyone remember when Ham thanked to Kova? Ham said Kova did the easy thing for him. He thanked him a lot and blah blah. He said Kova acted like a good tem mate.

      What’s the difference?

      Why UK journalists didn’t asked about it?

      And Ham asking his engineer i Turkey 2010: “Hey guys, Button is pushing to hard on me. Is he going to pass me?”

      Engineer: “No.”

      Engineer’s Button to Button: “Button, you must save fuel. It’s critical.”

      What a JOKE.

    50. Massa and his engineer acted like stupid ones.

    51. What’s the difference between Hockenheim 2008 (Ham and Kovalainen) and 2010 (Alonso and Massa)???

      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=epI6u6uA8hM

      Could anyone explain me it?

    52. Dennis asked after Ham/Kovaslainen move in Hockeheim 2008:

      “all we do is advise our drivers of the respective pace of the other driver. He (Heikki) knew that this was the only way, because the more time had retained Lewis, would have been more difficult to recover the lead. That is what it means to be a competitive team. The real team players do these things, because that is.”

      What’s the difference PLEASE??

    53. If FIA penalizes Ferrarin in September, …. SAUBER must be penalized too. Sauber told Pedro de la Rosa to don’t push on Kobayashi on last laps. Also they must penalize McLaren in Turkey. And much more…..

      It’s obviuos FIA has developed an investigation thanks to the naughty UK press. They’re the worst.

    54. No team orders?

      Well, do the racing teams with only 1 car instead 2 cars.

    55. If Ferrari woulnd’t used team orders in Brazil 07 Alonso (not Ham) would have won the WDC instead Kimi.

    56. SV: Can I go?

      Was seeing this as funny as reading this? Cause I nearly puked laughing lol.

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