Formula 1 - Hamilton v Alonso

screenexile · August 06, 2007, 10:27:53 AM

Anyone else watching the madness unfold in the McLaren team... I usually hate motor racing but F1's turned into more of a soap opera at the minute with new boy Hamilton stealing all the accolades from seasoned pro Alonso who is not taking it well... The weekend past is just another in a long line of incidents between the two drivers

From bbc.co.uk

Alonso is ignoring me - Hamilton

Hamilton leads Alonso by seven points in the F1 title race
Hungarian Grand Prix winner Lewis Hamilton admitted his relationship with McLaren team-mate Fernando Alonso had hit rock-bottom after Sunday's race.
"He doesn't seem to be speaking to me, so I don't know if he has a problem," said the 22-year-old Hamilton.

"If I walk in and I see him then I will speak to him, but I won't go looking for him and make him feel better."

Hamilton's win came after Alonso was demoted five grid places for holding up his team-mate during qualifying.

The relationship between two-time world champion Alonso - who joined McLaren from Renault this year - and F1 rookie Hamilton has appeared strained since the Briton's astonishing start to his debut season.

In June, McLaren boss Ron Dennis was forced to play down Alonso's comments that the team favoured Hamilton.

Matters came to a head during the build-up to the Hungarian Grand Prix when Spaniard Alonso stayed in the pits just long enough to prevent Hamilton from getting out in time to complete a final qualifying lap.

That came after Hamilton had refused to obey team orders to let Alonso past at the start of qualifying as part of a pre-arranged strategy.

Alonso was angered by the penalty, feeling he had explained to the race stewards why he had stayed in the pits for a further 10 seconds after being given the signal to go.

I guess he [Hamilton] will have a different relationship with the team in the next race, because I don't think they are very happy

Fernando Alonso
"I hope he still speaks to me. I'm easy to get on with. I don't hold grudges over anyone," added Hamilton, who stretched his lead in the drivers' championship to seven points with victory in Hungary.

"But if he doesn't want to speak to me, then that's for him to decide. But I'm open."

Alonso said his relationship with Hamilton had not changed.

"It's the same as before the race," he said.

"Each of us looks at his own interests, trying to do the best race possible, with the best strategy, and I try to do the same with my group of engineers and mechanics.

"But I guess he will have a different relationship with the team in the next race, because I don't think they are very happy, and I will have the same one (relationship)."

Hamilton said he had cleared the air with Dennis, who admitted on Sunday that the tension between the drivers had led to "a very difficult time" for the team.

"We sat down, we spoke about it and came to a mutual understanding and started with a clean slate," said Hamilton, who has known Dennis since he was 10.

"The relationship we have is very strong and something like this is not going to come between us, so we will move on to bigger and better things."

mannix · August 06, 2007, 10:37:06 AM

looks like hamilton is the new baby and the 2 year old brother doesn't like him getting all the attention.

we are blue... etc · August 06, 2007, 09:38:12 PM

Interesting little soap opera alright. But will it make the actual races any more interesting? Not on your nelly.

inisceithleann · August 06, 2007, 10:27:37 PM

Alonso has to accept that Hamilton is the better driver. He's making a fool out of himself and losing a lot of credibility. F1 seems to be very predictable these days. I've often wondered how much is down to driver talent and how much is it to do with the quality of the car?

we are blue... etc · August 06, 2007, 10:34:36 PM

The British GP is the only one I watched this year, and the first I'd watched in full in about 3 years. I can see no discernable improvement. It's all about pit strategy and obvious overtaking manouevres. You never see nose-to-tail battles any more like the days of Senna/Prost.

Actually, watch this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fVQFEFtFBCA

Senna's opening lap at the European GP, Donnington 1993. Hard to watch 70-odd laps nowadays, the most excitement is wondering how much fuel each driver is carrying.

we are blue... etc · September 15, 2007, 11:17:00 PM

[bump]

Four races to go, Hamilton ahead by 3 pts and 4th on the grid tomorrow. A Ferrari win will only get either Raikkonen or Massa within spitting distance assuming Hamilton or Alonso bail out at some point. It's getting interesting.

Quote from: 5iveTimes on August 07, 2007, 11:38:59 AM
What you have to remember is that Senna and Prost were two of the greatest drivers ever, who had many years together on the same track. Of course you were going to have some epic battles. Senna was probably the most naturally talented driver ever. Prost not far behind. If Senna had lived there would have been some equally epic battles with Schumi, who although not as natural a driver, was a more technical driver and could get the best out of his car in any conditions.
At the minute there are no really outstanding drivers and regulations arent helping matters either, but lately there has been some good races, especially in the rain. Watch out for Spa in 3 weeks time, best track on the entire F1 calendar and you never know what the weather will be like. Good to see Belgium back on the F1 map.

Good indeed to have Spa back, a great driver track. Lest we forget the first GP which Jordan won.

gerry · September 17, 2007, 11:09:15 PM

QuoteGood indeed to have Spa back, a great driver track. Lest we forget the first GP which Jordan won.

What a day that was, with the rain lashing down

Deal_Me_In · September 18, 2007, 11:51:58 AM

Anyone see Alonso take a swipe at Hamilton going into the first corner? Hamilton was taking him and going onto the racing line and Alonso swerved across the track and made Hamilton use the run off to have any chance of staying in the race. Don't know how he didn't get a 10sec or drive through penalty for blatant obstruction.

gerry · September 18, 2007, 03:18:48 PM

If it was the other way around the hyped british press would have said, great driving. Hamilton to go the way of button."Down the grid".

We see how good they he is next year with less funds to spend. Alonso not be there next season after he dubbed them in

Aghdavoyle · October 21, 2007, 06:48:41 PM

Yee Haaaaa

what a week for the english!

tyroneman · October 21, 2007, 06:57:30 PM

Great to see Alonso and Hamilton end the season with what they deserved.............zero, nada, nothing.

Well done Ferrari.

Could the weekend get any worse for the English?

?

Having said that imagine the red tops if the results were all reversed...........

Square Ball · October 21, 2007, 06:59:10 PM

Wonder what the Brit meeja will make of this, at the start of the week we had England to qualify for the Euros, England to win the rugby world cup, and Lewis to be crowned world champion.

Now, its looking bleak for the Euros, no world cup and Lewis isnt world champ!!

Feel sorry for him, seems like a decent fella, but its the meeja that puts me off him,

Cloc Mor · October 21, 2007, 07:04:52 PM

Quote from: Square Ball on October 21, 2007, 06:59:10 PM
Wonder what the Brit meeja will make of this, at the start of the week we had England to qualify for the Euros, England to win the rugby world cup, and Lewis to be crowned world champion.

Now, its looking bleak for the Euros, no world cup and Lewis isnt world champ!!

Feel sorry for him, seems like a decent fella, but its the meeja that puts me off him,

I have always loved the Ferrari spirit. Written off for most of the season, given no chance at all. Amazing win against the odds.

Wonderful kick in the teeth to the Brits - AGAIN.

J70 · October 21, 2007, 07:28:27 PM

Let's all celebrate some rookie kid's unfortunate failure just because he is English (never seems to extend to Liverpool or Man U though).

And you'd swear that the Irish never celebrate or hype sporting success. I can only imagine the commentary here if a few British players had been waving the union jack around a la McGinley and Harrington with the tricolours when celebrating a European Ryder Cup victory.

J70 · October 21, 2007, 08:09:38 PM

But the media everywhere does the hype thing because that is what sells. How much coverage does the Irish media's obsession with the Dubs get on this website? One of the biggest Irish media stories over the past week or two has been Steve Staunton and John Delaney. Think back to Saipan for christ's sake! And I don't believe for one minute that the satisfaction with Hamilton's failure would have been any less if the cheating scandal hadn't happened.

Anyway, who does more flag-waving or "look what nationality we are" than Irish people? I was at Bruce Springsteen at Madison Square Garden the other night, and some eejit is standing halfway down the floor wearing an Irish rugby jersey and for half the concert furiously waving a tricolour that he brought along for some reason! I looked around the arena, and no other flag was in sight anywhere, not even a US one! Are we that insecure that we have to remind people that we exist or that we should feel bad when England do well? The obsession with celebrating English failures is quite pathetic, IMO.