Ferrari got a sponsor to pay off (allegedly) a driver 1 year before his contract ended because they no longer wanted him. When your longer wanted and removed you are sacked. I know its not a nice word but its exactly what happened. Who paid what and how much is totally irrelevant. Kimi was not wanted and removed from the team. Sacked!

Really... what would the changes be of him winning a world championship with Ferrari next year if he stayed. Would Ferrari really give him the car that he needs or would they give it to Massa. Would they really let Kimi win the Championship and take the Number 1 to their biggest competitor?

I am glad he left i serouisly doubt they would have given him the opportunity to win the Title and leave.

Just my two cents

He was dismissed and his contract was bought out which is basically terminated with a fee.


As far as we can tell , being spanish had nothing to do with it at all, thats just something made up by disgrunted Kimi fans so they can sleep better at night. Ferrari are in F1 to win, so they hire drivers on ability not nationality, which is why they were so eager to get Alonso in their team. They tried to it for 2009 but couldnt now they did it.

agree. But I wonder... hadn't Felipe Massa got that accident, would they buy is contract instead?

You had better tell Renault, Mclaren and now Ferrari to stop perpetuating the myth because they have all said Alonso' development skills are exceptional. Its strange to read everyone in the paddock saying one thing then going into a forum and see someone totally denying it. Very strange way to behave.

Seems to me that you have described quite nicely what has happened to KR, if not he would be driving for Ferrari next year.

why would they.? he was performing better than Kimi and making a lot less money.. Over this fact what would be the reason to keep Raikkonen over Massa?

the dream team Raikkonen /Alonso.

to please the fans you mean..

Problem:
Many F1 insiders, people from Renault, McLaren and Ferrari said that Alonsos skills concerning development are above the norm.
So suggesting that only one certain forumer is saying that is just dishonesty; as dishonest as calling this fact a myth.

Insiders like Bob Bell?

No idea what you are trying to tell us.

There was a time when Ferrari thought handling and aero didn't matter only engines mattered and as Ferrari always had the best engines so if they were not winning it was the drivers fault so old Enzo would give the driver a very public verbal Italian tune up ;-)

Irony was when they were not wining Ferrari often had some of the best drivers on the grid, Surtees, Amon, Mario Mario Andretti, Jody Scheckter Giles Villenuve ............

So giacomo isn't a "sound fan"? Check. Have to update my list.

Many things has been said over the years about Alonsos ability to lead, develop a car in the right direction and lifting a team. Some of them has even been said Alonso himself. I have no way of KNOWING if it's true, but this year seem to suggest those qualities has been a bit exaggerated over the years.

That's true. It was he that claimed to have brought the 6/10s to Mac.

"They know that the day that Fernando has a good race car, he will respond because he always know how to get out the maximun performance of the car. Look what he did in Singapore [2008] !" - Bob bell.

You once tried to use this quote as some sort of 'proof' that Alonso is a superior car developer. So, if you still don't get it, please take caution when referring to these so called 'insiders', as it seems Alonso's cousin from Shell has more credibility

I once tried to use this quote as some sort of 'proof' that Alonso is a superior car developer?!?

The 'drunk' smilie fits your postings pretty well.

I don't give a damn if you consider me being a 'sound fan' or not.


So you have new, negative insider statements about Alonsos ability to lead, develop a car in the right direction and lifting a team?
Please share.

http://forums.autosport.com/index.php?show...p;#entry3727326

the moment I read his post, I knew it was going to lead to misinterpretation. I understand giacomo's point very well, others want to suggest that what he said is that Alonso develops the car.. when that is not what he said.. - he leads developers with very good technical feedback - it then becomes the task of those working behind the car to make the car fast.

"Fernando has helped us a lot. It doesn’t mean that a driver, whatever, has a direct influence on the technical development of the car, or he tells us how it should be the shape of the spoiler. Fernando is much more than the exceptional driver everybody knows. He is a very, very good test driver. He is intelligent, wise, precise, consistent in each lap. He can tell exactly what's wrong with your car in every moment, to point the finger at the problem so that arises. Working with him is equvalent to a form of security: do not have to ask yourself if you are right or not. The answer is yes, "says Bob Bell.
"In addition, continued on the impact of Alonso in the Renault-progress, it is the overboost which has given the team. ( It is also important..) when you ask people to make an extra effort when they are giving the maximun. They know that the day that Fernando has a good race car, he will respond because he always know how to get out the maximun performance of the car. Look what he did in Singapore!"


This is the full Bob Bell quote from that thread. What you made out of it say everything about you. Go for more vodka

Every day with F1 these days there is a new soap opera quote.

I think if I followed every quote like I used to my head would be exploding right about now.

also remember when he joined Mclaren, Ron said that Alonso's technical skills immediately brought him back to his memories of Senna. That since then he's never had a driver seat on his cars with such a talent on this aspect.

I picked out the most significant part of it. If Mr. Bell actually believes Singapore 08 was a true reflection of Alonso's qualities as a driver...so be it. Wonder how many people would actually take him seriously after that though. Although you certainly did, and that seems to be the word of God around here...

Misinterpreting quotes - no matter if quotes of F1 insiders or of fellow forumers - is the bread and butter of those fanboy trolls. Compare how RodrigoL treated the Bob Bell quote.

Here is the quote. The Kimi fans will love it.

“It’s very obvious that all the guys who drive cars are competent drivers, but until you work with them as individuals, you don’t know how much knowledge they have of the car, what makes a car go fast, and how to communicate to the engineers and designers in such a way that you’re moving the development of the car in the right direction."
“He’s clearly in a class of his own. It took me immediately back to the experiences I had working with Ayrton Senna and Niki Lauda and Alain Prost. He really knows what he wants, and he’s able to explain it to the engineers in such a way that we can give him what he needs.”

Indeed. There you go Rob. No sooner you say no reasonable fan has claimed it, we have a couple of posts saying ecactly what I said they would. So please feel free to call their BS so I don't have to.

Nobody here was talking about Alonsos qualities as a driver... Must be the vodka

Mr High Horse again.

What about the Ron Dennis statement concerning Alonsos skills? Myth in your book?

In my post Giacomo, I clearly did NOT question his feedback abilities and perhaps motivational abilities. I di however question that whether he is "head and shoulders" above most other top pilots. Once again, alonso has probably great feedback abilities. Agreed.

Can we use every quote Mr Dennis has said about Kimi as proof about his superiority to both Alonso and MS? Or do we just pick and choose the once we see fit our beliefs? Because I got to tell you, Ron would be a stupid man not to be high on his new multi-million dollar driver.

One of the most experienced members of the paddock who has worked with a number of past greats, strongly disagree's with you. I think its fair to assume hes in a better position to judge Alonso's feedback than a bunch of internet kiddies. You dont have to admitt you are wrong but it doesnt mean the rest of the world doesnt already know you are.

Bring on your quotes.

yep, that's the one..
there is also this..
"We'd love to have him," concurred team principal Brawn, "because he is the best.
Of all the drivers right now, he is the only one that I see as totally complete, as Michael [Schumacher] was." - Brawn.

"He’s clearly in a class of his own." Ron Dennis.

I´m sorry for the off topic but that Belgium site seems to be the only place where that Kimi quote is.


Now please continue.

you can question that all you want but that becomes a simple opinion which weights a lot less than what is common knowledge in the paddock..

Indeed. No other driver comes with a $100m sponsor package and guaranteed WMSC hearings..

If only my favourite driver could be like that

"Look what he did in Singapore"

you should stop posting this type of nonsense unless you want people to not take you seriously..

http://www.motorsport-total.com/f1/news/20...n_09101619.html

barrichello exspecting fireworks in the ferrari garage, he says massa better then kimi, but alonso better then massa

You don't have to worry anybody would take you seriously. So troll on.

Ron on his multi-million dollar driver at the time:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8LIcleMr8sM

No Ron Dennis quotes from Menace so far. Quel surprise.

What about this one for a starter:
"Fernando and the Renault team did a great job in 2005. They brought a good package which was reliable for the first race and did the job while our drivers psychologically overreacted to problems at the first round of the world championships and definitely didn't respond to the pressure."

bell... : alonso very very good as test driver...bla bla bla...in order to lead the team in the righ direction..bla bla bla...

then, 1 year without in-season testing....voila...renault quit about mid season the development of the car (i know there are more reasons for this)---final result:the only year alonso team dont finish in good form...

draw your conclusions

edit razer this post was not directed to you,just quoting to comment this year lack of development

So nothing new, Domenicali (what about Fridays / Saturdays...? ) is rather stupid, and when he sees a micro easily becomes lobotomized, Costa was a mediocre designer at Minardi and still is ( the first one to go if they want to win somewhere else than at SPA... with Al...sorry Santand...sorry somebody at the wheel...Who was the guy?) and I can't believe KR said this... real link/vid?

Bear in mind, Dennis said that before Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel even had an instant of a Formula One race under their belts.

Also bear in mind that Dennis said that after a very ugly split with Raikkonen.

I'm not doubting that Alonso gives great feedback. But I doubt he's in a "class of his own," and quite frankly, I don't think he is the best.

Cause only rookies need sponsers like Santander to get a drive for a team.