Alonso/Hamilton

[Turkey]

Did anyone see qualifying?

Hamilton was fastest throughout.

When they went into the pits to get new tyres for there last run Alonso didn't leave the pits holding up Hamilton who was waiting behind him.

Alonso went out 10 seconds later, grabbed pole. The delay meant Hamilton didnt have time to put in another lap.

Dirty tactics.

 

[bhaexpress]

Time MacLaren got that sorted out, mind you Alonso strikes me as a bit of a wanker who knows that Hamilton is a better driver.

 

[clippedgull]

Saw the Spanish wankers dirty tricks

Lewis was fuming in the press conf. His body language was very telling.

Should be an electric race tomorrow.

Come on Lewis

 

[Icy Gull]

It's great for the sport though. Alonso is obviously very worried by Hamilton and is feeling the pressure. Should be a great race. I'll be amazed if they are both in the same team next season though.

 

[Gritt23]

I would have thought the simplist solution is for Dennis to instruct Alonso to give way on the first bend tomorrow. If we see no repeat of such a petulent display then it gets pout in the past. If Alonso refuses, then Dennis should suspend him for the next two races, he MUST get him to tow the line.

Further up the road this could be the end of Alonso at McLaren. Dennis runs a unified team, and won't want this seasons divisions repeated next season. If one driver has to give way, then antics like today makes it a no-brainer, McLaren let Alonso go.

Lewis did his reputation a lot of good with the way he handled it. Can you imagine the avalanche of toys pouring out of Alonso's pram if the roles had been reversed today.

 

[Icy Gull]

I would have thought the simplist solution is for Dennis to instruct Alonso to give way on the first bend tomorrow. If we see no repeat of such a petulent display then it gets pout in the past. If Alonso refuses, then Dennis should suspend him for the next two races, he MUST get him to tow the line.

Further up the road this could be the end of Alonso at McLaren. Dennis runs a unified team, and won't want this seasons divisions repeated next season. If one driver has to give way, then antics like today makes it a no-brainer, McLaren let Alonso go.

Lewis did his reputation a lot of good with the way he handled it. Can you imagine the avalanche of toys pouring out of Alonso's pram if the roles had been reversed today.

Hamilton is Dennis' blue eyed boy, there is no way Alonso is going to come out of this season with the upper hand imo.

Alonso's biggest mistake this season whether through arrogance or bad advice was not to insist on being No 1 at McClaren when he signed up. He's a double world champion and no way would Dennis have turned him down on that when he signed last season. Schumacher always had that written into his contract, hence the boredom for the public with the other Ferrari or Benneton drivers never being able to race him.

 

[Gritt23]

I'm not convinced Dennis would have signed him under that clause, as McLaren have always seemed to be a team focussed on the constructors title as much - if not more - than having the World Champion. I can't think of many cases at McLaren where there has been a clear no.1 to the severe detriment of the other driver, compared to what has happened elsewhere, particularly Ferrari with Schuey.

Alonso has not looked the same driver under pressure this season, and today was his absolute low. The guy on the stop / go board had him on "Go" for at least 5 secs before he moved off. It was an absolute disgrace, and Dennis looked like he was ready for a serious row as he made his way down the paddock.

I just can't see Alonso at McLaren next season, and I think he could be in for a bumpy ride for the rest of this one unless he starts to tow the line.

 

[Icy Gull]

I just can't see Alonso at McLaren next season, and I think he could be in for a bumpy ride for the rest of this one unless he starts to tow the line.

He certainly needs to stand back and think carefully because his options for a competitive drive are going to be very limited. Can't see him going to Ferrari so it leaves BMW or back to Renault which is a big step backwards from McClaren

 

[Wozza]

Stewards' enquiry on now...

 

[Gritt23]

Stewards' enquiry on now...

An official one?

I didn't think Alonso did anything to brake the rules, however, thinking about it, didn't Schuey get penalised last season for compromising the qualifying lap of others? I guess that IS what Alonso did, and he clearly did it deliberately.

 

[Rangdo]

It is a measure of Hamiltons undoubted ability that Alonso would feel that the only way he could come out on top would be to comprimise his closest rival's drive rather than letting his driving do the talking.

Alonso is clearly scared of his rival and this behaviour should boost Hamilton's confidence that he is getting under Alonso's skin.

 

[scooter1]

Lewis did his reputation a lot of good with the way he handled it. Can you imagine the avalanche of toys pouring out of Alonso's pram if the roles had been reversed today.

Spot on Gritt!!!

Hamilton looked furious in the press conference and Alonso looked embarrased, if thats what he has to do to get pole then he should be a snatch ashamed. But then saying that it makes for a great, rest of the season clash. Ron Dennis was seething, the way he had hold of Alonso's trainer as they were walking down the pit lane, after he'd chucked his headphones down.....oooh, come on the race!!

 

[Gritt23]

Hamilton looked furious in the press conference

I really like the way he handled the conference. Whenever the drivers aren't being asked questions they just sit there staring into space, or pouring themselves a water. But this time, as soon as Alonso was asked about the delays in leaving the pits, Lewis turned and faced Fernando, basically saying "Yeah, I want to know about that."

Then when Lewis was asked, "We could all see what happened" was the perfect answer.

He has twice the class of Alonso, which is shocking, because for two years Alonso has come across very well. Just shows what can happen when the focus is turned, with pressure and expectation being heaped on. Even as reigning World Champion last season the attention was still more on Schuey than Alonso.

 

[Gritt23]

Stewards' enquiry on now...

There could be trouble ahead ....... and you deserve it Alonso! The instruction fromn the team was clearly to go. I've watched the incident again now, and the stop / go board went up 10 seconds before Alonso pulled away. Lewis failed to start his final lap by a margin of 4 seconds. The team didn't hold you back Fernando, YOU held yourself back, knowing EXACTLY what the consequences are.

Come on FIA, do the right thing.


Stewards investigating McLaren incident
Saturday, 04, August, 2007, 17:35


The Hungarian Grand Prix stewards are investigating the pit lane incident involving the McLaren drivers during Saturday’s qualifying.

Fernando Alonso seized pole position from team-mate Lewis Hamilton in controversial fashion after holding up the British driver in the McLaren pit stall for around 10 seconds.

The delay cost Hamilton – who had dominated qualifying up to that point – the chance to respond when Alonso beat his time on his final run, since by the time he reached the start/finish line the chequered flag had fallen on the session.

After qualifying McLaren boss Ron Dennis was summoned by the stewards, who are reviewing the incident and radio transmissions between the team and both drivers.

In the post-qualifying press conference Hamilton did not directly accuse Alonso of gamesmanship but said he would be seeking “a good explanation” from the team.

“I really don’t understand why I was held back,” he said.

“So I guess you should ask the team and I definitely will do when I go back and have a debrief.

“It definitely needs a good explanation.”

Hamilton said he had heeded the team’s instructions to slow down on his in-lap so as to avoid having to queue behind Alonso – but to no avail.

“I was obviously told on the way in that Fernando was doing his stop and that I should back off so I didn't have to queue,” he said.

“That’s what I did, so I saved some time coming round the last corner and into the pits.

“But for some reason he was just held there.”


Asked by what margin he missed getting his final lap in, he replied: “I would think about the same amount of time that I was held up in the pit stop.”


Alonso maintains that he was simply following instructions from the team.


"They do the calculations, they find the gaps and I just drive the car," he said.


Hamilton claimed he was confused by what happened rather than outraged.

“I’m not angry,” he said. “I’m curious as to what’s gone on and I find it quite interesting and amusing.”

 

[Gritt23]

.... and it could be a rather severe penalty, if you take the Scumacher incident (Monaco - May 2006) as the precedent. Schuey was deemed to have deliberately hinder the qualifying of his rivals, with, rather ironically, Fernando Alonso being awarded the pole while Schuey went to the back of the grid.

Squeaky-bum time Fernando.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/5023004.stm

 

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Alonso is clearly the lesser of the two drivers in terms of ability. Despite his Champione years. He can't LIVE with Hamilton.

Hilarious that he's suffering mega-pressure from a kid in his rookie year.

As for Jensen Button and David Coulthard - consigned to the dustbin of history along with Tim Henman.

Plenty of jostling on the grid for a permanent place on Question Of Qport from here on in, methinks

 

[Icy Gull]

.... and it could be a rather severe penalty, if you take the Scumacher incident (Monaco - May 2006) as the precedent. Schuey was deemed to have deliberately hinder the qualifying of his rivals, with, rather ironically, Fernando Alonso being awarded the pole while Schuey went to the back of the grid.

Squeaky-bum time Fernando.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/5023004.stm

One of the McClaren team would have to back up any suggestion of gamesmanship by the stewards and it's unlikely they'd do that. It's very different to the Schumacher incident as other teams were compromised.

I expect it to end in a warning and no more, sadly

 

[ben andrews' girlfriend]

Saw the Spanish wankers dirty tricks

Lewis was fuming in the press conf. His body language was very telling.

Should be an electric race tomorrow.

Come on Lewis

Did you see him scratching his head with the middle finger a la Peter Kay?!

 

[ben andrews' girlfriend]

Alonso has not looked the same driver under pressure this season, and today was his absolute low. The guy on the stop / go board had him on "Go" for at least 5 secs before he moved off. It was an absolute disgrace, and Dennis looked like he was ready for a serious row as he made his way down the paddock.

It was 10 seconds - they timed it on channel 4 news today

 

[Gritt23]

It was 10 seconds - they timed it on channel 4 news today

Yep, it was definitely 10 seconds, I had qualifying on Sky+ and have watched it again. The lollipop went up with 1:48 of the session remaining, and he finally moved away with 1:38 left. Hamilton had no chance from there.