Alonso reignites Ferrari speculation | FerrariChat

Alonso reignites Ferrari speculation

Discussion in 'Other Racing' started by jk0001, Feb 6, 2008.

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  1. jk0001

    jk0001 F1 Veteran

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    http://www.f1complete.com/content/view/7580/900/

    Fernando Alonso has reignited speculation that his future lies at Ferrari by suggesting that he would already like to be piloting the Italian team's newly launched F2008.

    "At the moment they have the best car and that is why everyone wants to be in the places of Kimi and Massa," the Spaniard said in an interview with the Swiss publication Motorsport Aktuell.

    Former double world champion Alonso, 26, was strongly linked with Ferrari towards the end of his unhappy tenure at McLaren last year, but for 2008 he has returned to Renault.

    It is understood that his new contract with the French team binds him only for this year.

    Along the same lines, Alonso refuses to confirm that he will still be a Renault driver in 2009.

    Asked if he can guarantee that he will still occupy the same seat next season, he answered: "No. My decision will depend on a combination of three factors: the competitiveness of the car, the atmosphere and the financial element."

    Alonso is also not confident that he will be a championship contender with Renault's R28 machine.

    "The title is more a medium-term goal," he said. "It is going to be very difficult to fight with the fast ones; the objective (for 2008) is to fight for the podium."
     
  2. shahedc

    shahedc Formula 3

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    After all that happened in 2007, and now Alonso's silence after the Spain controversy.... I doubt that Alonso will be invited to Ferrari...

    ~shahedc
    .
     
  3. wetpet

    wetpet F1 World Champ
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    i bet they want him. and they get who they want.
     
  4. shahedc

    shahedc Formula 3

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    so... will he have to work with Kimi or Massa... ?

    They can't kick out Kimi, since he's the world champ...

    They can't kick out Massa, since he's trying to aim higher, and has been a good sport...

    But then again, if Massa is vying for the #1 spot, how much longer can Kimi and Massa work together?

    Even if Massa was replaced by Alonso... that creates an even bigger problem with Kimi and Alonso trying to fight for #1, and getting pissed off about it. (Of course, Kimi won't show any emotion while Alonso cries like a little girl.. :) )

    My suggestion: keep Ferrari as is for now, and tell Massa that he has to be #2. :D

    ~shahedc
    .
     
  5. SrfCity

    SrfCity F1 World Champ

    It sounds like there's still a distinct possibility FA could go to F depending on how things unfold. I'm sure LdM has said this to FA. Makes sense that they want the top drivers and will keep that carrot dangling in front of them.
     
  6. Remy Zero

    Remy Zero Two Time F1 World Champ

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    it's funny how he's 'not sure where i will be next year' automatically re-ignites he's going to the Scuderia. why can't he go to BMW? people are just assuming and speculating that he's going to Ferrari, thats all.
     
  7. RP

    RP F1 World Champ

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    Absolutely correct Brian.

    When Kimi leaves, and I understand it is unlikely he will leave in 2009, the seat (note I do not say his replacement) will be filled by someone not yet mentioned. I have heard the Rosberg is a distintct possiblity, and also that the driver is not yet a household name.

    If Massa were to leave in 2009, I understand the odds are even greater for a Rosberg to fill the vacant Ferrari seat. Or again, some currently unknown potential superstar. The odds are quite low that you will see a pairing of Raikkonen and Alonso, especially after 2007.

    I really do not believe that even Luca would bring in a driver that remains as unpopular as Alonso, Todt has voiced internally he does not want Alosno. Michael does not want Alonso.

    As always, today's stories become the lining for the bottom of the hamster cage. But this type of headline sells gossip rags.
     
  8. Remy Zero

    Remy Zero Two Time F1 World Champ

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    don't forget Vettel ;)
     
  9. shahedc

    shahedc Formula 3

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    I underestimated that kid.. !

    Hey, whatever happened to Winkelhock... what an amazing start to the crazy 'Ring race last year....

    ~shahedc
    .
     
  10. Ambassiatore

    Ambassiatore Formula Junior

    Jan 30, 2007
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    ...they can Kick out whoever they want...only thing is that Massa aint champ yet, so he has to become champion to make things harder for them to kick him out but that is not the point, the real problem is that as much as I hate the possibility of Alonso coming to Ferrari, is a VERY VERY likely possibility...both parts are interested?...most likely
     
  11. RP

    RP F1 World Champ

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    Right again, I think he will prove himself, but I have not heard his name mentioned.

    Now that I think about it, not hearing his name may mean something is or will be happening. Interesting.
     
  12. 1_can_dream

    1_can_dream F1 Veteran

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    +1 Brian, All he said was that he wishes he was in a car as quick as the Ferrari is showing right now, which I'm sure is the sentiment of most of the drivers on the grid. I don't see anything that speculates a move to Ferrari yet.
     
  13. TonyL

    TonyL F1 Rookie

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    Unless Alonso wants to stir up trouble which is more like it.

    Alonso -Ferrari...........doubt it.
     
  14. kraftwerk

    kraftwerk Two Time F1 World Champ

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    No prize's for guessing who will be doing being this..:)
     
  15. shahedc

    shahedc Formula 3

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    want to rephrase that? :)
     
  16. Senna1994

    Senna1994 F1 World Champ
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    Wow that would be a dream team with Kimi and Alonso, I am sure they will have Massa back doing the testing or he could go to Renault. Lets see how the year unwinds. Hopefully Kimi wins this year's WDC as he is setting a blistering pace right now in testing in Bahrain, and with the addition of FA in 09 Ferrari wins every GP of the season.
     
  17. kraftwerk

    kraftwerk Two Time F1 World Champ

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    LOL Tony you got your flame suit on!! the back up's been banned till tomorrow.....:)
     
  18. IanMac

    IanMac Formula 3

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    No, that's not what he said. The quote was, "At the moment they have the best car and that is why everyone wants to be in the places of Kimi and Massa," the Spaniard said in an interview with the Swiss publication Motorsport Aktuell.

    He suggested that everyone, which presumably includes him, wants to be 'in the places of Kimi and Massa', which is in a Ferrari, not in 'a car as quick as the Ferrari'. He possibly meant 'in a car as quick as the Ferrari' but he didn't say that so it's not too surprising that some speculation about a move to Ferrari was generated.
     
  19. Far Out

    Far Out F1 Veteran

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    2007 has shown: You can't have 2 numer one drivers in one team, especially not if one of them is called Alonso. No way he'll end up at Ferrari, only if Kimi retires and the youngsters like Vettel aren't ready for the cockpit
     
  20. kraftwerk

    kraftwerk Two Time F1 World Champ

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    Wishfull thinking eh, Florian :)

    How you doing..?
     
  21. 1_can_dream

    1_can_dream F1 Veteran

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    Yes because someone with such a mastery of the English language as Alonso wouldn't incorrectly phrase the sentence.
     
  22. Senna1994

    Senna1994 F1 World Champ
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    No flame suit needed Steve, I just put the MassaPhiles (no pun intended) on ignore. Its laughable that they would even consider him in the same breath as Kimi, FA, and Hamilton. It was like comparing MS to Reuben or Irvine, except Reuben in his prime would have destroyed Massa in the same car. The only teammate Rebeuns or even Irvine for that matter had any competition was Michael.
     
  23. tifosi12

    tifosi12 Four Time F1 World Champ
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    +1

    Why would he want to drive for the 3rd of 4th best team if he can drive for #1?
     
  24. Remy Zero

    Remy Zero Two Time F1 World Champ

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    who knows where BMW will be in 1-2 years time. they'll prolly beat Mac and even the Scuderia.
     
  25. DF1

    DF1 Two Time F1 World Champ

    Since anyone who is a small backer of FM is ignored here is a nice article on Alonso. You might want to put the Alonso backers on ignore as well. This presents a less than complimentary picture of him. For me his enthusiasm to take STOLEN data from Ferrari and use it gladly in testing is all I need to know about him. NO matter how good he is, and he is only when he is granted title of King over a team(yes like MS), i will never support him. Id much rather see FM or Kimi or Heidfeld WDC than Alonso again. Enjoy!

    FROM PLANET F1
    Alonso Must Give Fans The Lead
    Wednesday 6th February 2008

    If I were the organizer of the Valencia GP right now I'd be very very worried. In the wake of the unprecedented racial abuse aimed at Lewis Hamilton in Barcelona the FIA have got tough and threatened the Spanish Federation that unless they tighten up their act they will lose both GPs.

    And though we're unlikely to see fans dressed up like the black and white minstrels again, the prospect that the racist abuse will continue in a more covert fashion is very great indeed.

    What's clear is that although the people in charge have reacted to the criticism that Spain is harboring a brand of racist sports fan that makes Kazhakstan look like a bunch of progressive liberals, they don't really understand why everyone's come down so hard on them.

    The warning signs were in evidence last October when the head of Spanish motorsport, Carlos Gracia, was brought in to check that McLaren were treating Fernando Alonso equally. Interviewed beforehand he reportedly said: "It is perfectly normal for a British team and British fans wanting to succeed in formula one but it is ironic that the racists in England are having to rely on a coloured pilot."

    However, Gracia said his comments had been misinterpreted.

    "What I meant was England has been looking for a Formula One idol for years and no matter who he was they were going to give him all their support. There was no racist element to what I said."

    The key phrase being "no matter who he was", which is just digging the pit even deeper. Ironically it is now Carlos's lot to sort out racism amongst F1 fans in Spain. Though it's been action and statements from him and other Spanish politicians that have actually brought about this situation.


    Fernando Alonso is responsible too.


    Alonso's constant bleating about being unfairly treated to the media over the course of last season has given rise to a national feeling that he was somehow cheated out of the 2007 title by McLaren.


    Anybody who watched the last three races of the season would have realized that had he managed to keep his car on the road at Mount Fuji then he WOULD have been World Champion. It was his monumental cock-up in the rain that handed a 10-point advantage to Lewis. It wasn't McLaren sabotaging his car, or Lewis banging wheels with him, he just couldn't keep the thing on the track.


    Raikkonen couldn't either, but Kimi knew exactly where he could take risks and where he couldn't. And now he's World Champion.


    And it's not as though Hamilton had any more than the occasional snipe at Fernando in their time together. The only major thing Hamilton did was veto the team planning and nip out in front of him during the 2007 Hungarian GP qualifying. And even then Alonso showed no real desire to get the place back, there was no hustling to get through or dodging around on Hamilton's gearbox for a lap.


    If you look at the balance sheet of what Alonso's done in return it's a bit more. He's kept set-up information to himself, was gifted the most prestigious GP on the calendar - Monaco - when Hamilton was refueled early to keep him behind Alonso, he's banged wheels into Hamilton at Spa, he's taken information on set-up from Nigel Stepney and claimed he improved the car by half a second and then threatened to expose his own team to the FIA unless they made him No.1 ahead of Hamilton.


    As a driver he's still fantastic to watch, but as a person he has serious shortcomings.


    Lewis Hamilton doesn't deserve racist abuse, he doesn't deserve any kind of abuse. In the past the only kind of sustained booing and jeering that happened in F1 was for individual acts that fans have considered unfair, such as Schumacher being gifted the 2002 Austrian GP (God only knows what would have happened if it had been Fernando Alonso, not Jacques Villeneuve, Schumi tried to push off the road at Jerez in 1997)


    The fact that Alonso has stoked up fans' hatred of McLaren because of ill-judged comments is a reflection on him. It was certainly true to say that McLaren preferred Lewis to win the World title. He was a Brit driving for a British-based team. He'd also been employed by McLaren for nine years before Alonso arrived on the scene. But to promote the idea that McLaren hampered him from winning is nonsense.


    What Alonso needs to do now is go on Spanish television and state quite clearly some of the things he has subsequently admitted. That he did get reasonable treatment from McLaren in his time there. We know from his old Renault days that he says things in the heat of the moment that he subsequently regrets - like the time he said his team didn't want him to win the 2006 World Championship. A very public statement is the only way forward.


    It would also help foster the idea that Alonso is a man, not merely a sulky reclusive teenager, albeit one with a remarkable talent and passion for driving cars very fast.

    Andrew Davies
     

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