Usually when driver judgments are made, their whole careers, are judged not just cherry picked high lights. Hamiltons 2007 was a highlight and to keep using that as his only benchmark is flawed. We have to judge him also on 2008, the year he raced under pressure and expectation for the first time in his F career.

No, there is no doubt that Alonso is one of the best drivers in F1. Possibly one among the all time greats. There need not be any question marks over his ability to forge a team towards a championship winning mode. A clear example of how he enabled Renault to turn things around this year. He possibly drives the team members towards a goal just as Schumi did with Ferrari.
Being a McLaren fan I was torn asunder when he left the team after all the shenanigans that took place last year. I admit that I did not like and approve some of his actions, especially at Hungaroring, but I am equally critical of how the McLaren management handled him. The team has lost a true champion.

I did not conclude anything about the preferential treatment, only that it was unsubstantiated, and so does not hold the same weight in the argument as Lewis being a rookie.

Kimi was being beaten by a driver well versed in the ways of Ferrari and someone with a lot of Bridgestone experience, Alonso was matching a rookie, if the two situations seem unrelated to you then I understand, but to me it seems just a tad coincidental. My opinion, and it is just that, is that on the Michelins Alonso would have had a significant edge on Lewis, at least through the first half of the year.

It's all and dandy to write about statistical comparisons when your joy-to-behold has just won 2 races on the trot, but where was the same analysis 4 races ago? I am not taking anything away from Fernando, but with no pressure to obtain critical results he and Renault can take risks and when they work out they look like geniuses. At the beginning of the year Alonso was to me underperforming and overdriving. Now he has a whiff of a chance he has calmed now and produced some results, so all the credit to him. But Renault have also developed the car to the point where he has a decent package, so it's not a complete surprise.

Last year it was a toss-up between the two drivers on results, but considering the inexperience Lewis had, and experience being about 80% of the game imho, I suggest that it is Lewis that has the greater scope for improvement. It will be interesting to watch this comparison develop.


Cooper

Ok, so he is leading the championship again, as he has almost his entire F1 career and is handily beating his teammate. I am not sure how that all relates to Alonso, but be my guest and use it in your analysis.


Cooper

So the scope of your \'anaylsis\' consists merely of looking at the points table? Anyone off the street could do that kind of \'analysis\'. A real analysis considers more crtieria, like mistakes, and points thrown away by them. That criteria is universal you can cross compare it with different cars and seasons, and Hamilton makes too many mistakes these days compared to Alonso\'s standard.

You're rapidly becoming the Alonso supporters most precious talisman. The more you try to denigrade his abilities and performances, the better his results are becoming. Keep it up, at this rate Fernando will have sealed next years title in Magny Cours!

airwise lost in translation...again...

it means... alonso gets third victory in a row in shangai

yeah, its gone from...

pre-singapore - "Alonso won't win a race this season"

to...

post-singapore - "He was extremely lucky to win, won't win another race this season"

to...

post-Fuji - "yeah he's consistent, but can't handle pressure, and won 2 titles with best car"

keep it coming Airwise - a comment like "Alonso won't win another championship" will do nicely thanks!

Oh and if either Lewis or Felipe win the title this year, will it be because he was brilliant, consistent and flawless?

Nando gets my vote for the best all-round driver in F1 atm. He is the best by a distance, I just wish that the McLaren episode had not happened for everyone involved. McLaren, Lewis and Nando have all had their reputations tarnished in certain areas. It has done no one, including F1 any good at all.

Nando's driving speaks for itself.

"Alonso is the next Jacques Villeneuve" will do nicely too!

There are 4 guys in the best cars right now, all they do is to run into each other.

But of course, the Renault all of a sudden is the best car with a no good 2XWDC getting lucky.

How would you compare Alonso's season compared with Schumacher's early years with Ferrari?

Alonso 2008:Schumacher 1996? Or this is crazy?

Are you suggesting Singapore wasn't? Or that Renault in Singapore and Japan didn't look pretty competitive behind Ferrari and McLaren?

You are wrong. Pre Singapore I doubted he would win another GP full stop.

Singapore was the biggest fluke of the past decade. Fuji was a surprise to me - but Renault have found a hell of a lot of pace since Flavio went public with his compaints. Hell Piquet's drive and similar race pace was testiment to that. It also helped that the four fastest guys were eliminated in again unusual circumstances.

I've never said Alonso wasn't a talented race driver - just that he's mentally too fragile to be compared with the greats. And he has cracked under pressure and will continue to do so unless Renault deliver him a comfortable car advantage and a pussy for a team mate.

I am suggesting you read airwise reply above.

Man, can I call it or what?

Crack under pressure? I think you meant Hammie?

Alosno fought tooth and nail with the mighty Schumi and won. Whole lot of cracking there, pheew.....

Really? When?

Was this before his error strewn 2007 when he was beaten by a hapless rookie?

Was this 2006 when he threw his toys around at Monza and China before MS's engine failure gifted him a WDC?

and how many car failures did Alonso have that year ?

Final standing:

1 Fernando Alonso 134
2 Michael Schumacher 121

Change Japan result to MSC 1st ALO 2nd:

1 Fernando Alonso 132
2 Michael Schumacher 131

I was as disappointed as any Ferrari supporter when the F248 had to pull into the Suzuka grass, it was terrible, but you win and lose championships over an entire season, not just one race.

One mechanical - just like MS. The fact is Alonso let a 25 point lead slip in just 5 races when the pressure was on an Bridgestone gave Ferrari the chance to compete. He threw his toys out the pram with the FIA. Accused Renault of letting him down, and looked increasingly fragile until that Ferrari blow up at Suzuka. Follow that up with his histrionics of 2007 and I'm afraid mentally the guy is nowhere near the level of the elite in my opinion.

If that happened, Schu would have passed Alonso in his race during Brazil... Alonso didn't push tremendously hard when Schu had his flat tire. No doubt if Schu didn't have that flat, he would have been the World Champion.

hahahahaha these boiling funny fanboys

equally, what if Alonso's engine hadnt failed in Monza....even if schu's hadn't either, alonso would still have won.

All things were pretty equal, but it boiled down to 2 things: Schu crashing in Oz and Monaco.

lol you're getting funnier by the minute.

I think you'll find Fernando made one comment about 'some' in Renault...which if you understood anything at all, would know was true. He didn't slip up once otherwise....and the FIA? Oh man, why do I bother....its 'airwise'...I shouldn't even dignify it.

Silly me.

This airwise guy is just a troll.

MS was LUCKY he didn't get humiliated by a bigger margin.

The scores should have been

Alonso 154
MS 120

No, actually MS should have been banned for the rest of the season after what he did in Monaco.
Alonso 160
MS 39

HAHAHA, r u cracking under pressure?

2XWDC is pretty elite to me.

I've no idea, nor have I any idea about the relevance of airwise's post. Can't you answer a question asked of you?

It won't be funny if one has to explain it.

Nah... it was after Hungary 2006 where his wheel didn't get properly mounted.

btw: airwise realy makes me laugh @ work. THANK YOU AIRWISE!

The only reason he lost the 25 point lead was the wheel nut at hungary and engine failure at monza, it had nothing to do with cracking under pressure, infact that season he was amazing under pressure to hold out against michael and the fia which corruptly changed the regulations mid season. To watch your 25 lead reduced to zero, against a much faster car and to retain your level of driving and finally win, was one of the most impressive wc winning displays of all time.

You description of 2007 and the \'hapless rookie\' is also wrong. No \'hapless rookie\' scores 109 points in a season, so Alonso did not drive bad or crack, its just that his team mate drove as well as him. Although it increasingly looks like Hamilton over performed that year which athletes sometimes do.

+1

;)

It seems the Armada doesn't like the truth about their hombre.



The guy has no class in my book and he's done nothing this year to change my opinion - whinging and courting other teams throughout the season. The sad thing is whilst he was languishing mid grid and crashing, the board was blissfully devoid of his avid fanboy posturing and ridiculous claims. A couple of lucky wins later they are back and claiming deity status again. God help us if the little Spaniard ever does something genuinely impressive.

yeah his record is so unimpressive.

:\

Hey don't worry, from the latest posts it seems you and your truth are really appreciated !

Okay, maybe not exactly the way you'd would like it, but you have to enjoy your popularity anywhichway it comes.

Keep them coming...

The next time airhead, I mean airwise post again, I wouldn't even bother reading. Is there like a blacklist function where all his posts could be filtered out?

Couldn't agree more... my work day isn't over yet, need some stand up comedian entertainment

No-no, please don't go down that route, ignore lists are the path to the dark side.

Just take it all in, lean back and learn to enjoy!

perhaps we should nominate airwise for a literature price in the fiction department?

Where are these pics from please? Japan? I never saw how Hamilton ended up behind Massa from TV pictures, is this why?

Yes, it is, Rinehart. That's turn 3 and 4 of the first lap in the last race in Japan.

(ah, now it's obvious: the bright line on the run-off tarmac fooled McLaren's autopilot )

Crumbs, I had no idea this happened. So basically his move in the 1st corner was actually a blinding piece of driving because it had him in 3rd place but the Ferraris in 7th and 8th. So it was actually his off all on his own at this corner, turn 3, that dropped him down to 7th. Interesting.

Yeah. It could be seen in Premiere TV. You could see that in http://www.f1fanatic.co.uk/, but I'm afraid you can't see it now... Hamilton went off trying to catch Alonso.

Conclusion: he can deal with Massa and Räikönnen allright, but as soon as he has to look at Alonso's gearbox, off he goes...

Massa's later piece was even more blinding, because it had him in 6th and Lewis in last place....

;)