Alonso joins Ferrari for £20m a year?

[Roo]

No offense to Massa but his a bit like Barrichello. Without Ferrari he wouldnt be much at all. People winged about how Barrichello was #2 to MS and how he deserved better.. the way i see it he only won what he did because ferrari hired him, if he didnt go then he would be where he is now. Take away Ferrari and Barrichello is well, coming last. Same would happen to massa. His a great driver for sure, being in F1 he has to be, but he doesnt stand out amongst the crowd, his just one luckily enough to be in a Ferrari. you could put half - 2/3 the field in a Ferrari and they would do what barrichello/Massa did/does, but how many could do what MS done? As for the actual topic, i dont think thats true.

The car makes the driver. Schumacher wouldn't have won 7 titles if he wasn't in one of the top two cars on the grid. No-one wins titles with a car that isn't one of the top two cars on the grid. (Apart from Keke Rosberg, possibly, but then '82 was so close he only needed one win to take the title.)

 

[Cap'n Jack]

The car makes the driver. Schumacher wouldn't have won 7 titles if he wasn't in one of the top two cars on the grid. No-one wins titles with a car that isn't one of the top two cars on the grid. (Apart from Keke Rosberg, possibly, but then '82 was so close he only needed one win to take the title.)

Wouldn't it be more appropriate to say the car aides the driver, rather than making the driver? Schumacher obviously had a lot of skill and combined with the aid a fast car (well, cars) he won multiple championships.

 

[Diego440]

The car makes the driver. Schumacher wouldn't have won 7 titles if he wasn't in one of the top two cars on the grid. No-one wins titles with a car that isn't one of the top two cars on the grid. (Apart from Keke Rosberg, possibly, but then '82 was so close he only needed one win to take the title.)

does that mean Scott Speed in a Ferrari would already be world champiopn, at least twice?

 

[zoxxy]

does that mean Scott Speed in a Ferrari would already be world champiopn, at least twice?

No, but atleast he wouldn't have finished double-digits every race.

 

[Roo]

Wouldn't it be more appropriate to say the car aides the driver, rather than making the driver? Schumacher obviously had a lot of skill and combined with the aid a fast car (well, cars) he won multiple championships.

That's the one. I stay out of the Opinions forum for a reason

does that mean Scott Speed in a Ferrari would already be world champiopn, at least twice?

No. But he would've won a fair few races.

 

[mipuumal]

Here's another source on the Alonso/Ferrari thing, although who knows if they are just piggybacking on the other one.

Massa exit may open Ferrari door for Alonso

What a lame headline.

And suddenly, an unexpected opportunity could be about to arise at Ferrari after Felipe Massa opened preliminary negotiations with Toyota last weekend.

Massa is acutely aware that if Jean Todt, as expected, loses an impending internal power struggle within Ferrari, he will be instantly vulnerable as he is managed by the Frenchman's son, Nicholas.

Also, Flavio Briatore has told the german newspaper "Sport-Auto" that Renault has a contract with Kovalainen for next year, but nowadays it seems that it doesn't matter if you have a contract or not...

 

[Slick Rick]

when boat starts to sink, the rats are the first ones to leave.

Hahahaha!
Thats great:tup:

Shame about Massa. I hope he gets into a good teat next year. He showed a lot of promise last year and at the start of this year. I know he's a good driver, he just needs to find a good team that will support him next time...

 

[<_Spike_>]

Ha, Alonso would go to Ferrari like a shot because of their tendency to favor one driver. If he can out do Kimi, he'll be that man...if he can't...he'll sulk, cause trouble and find somewhere else later lol.

I'll be glad to see the back of him, bring on Hamilton and Rosberg in McLaren. After all..it's already been reported Nico and McLaren are in talks

 

[prisonermonkeys]

Ferrari might favour one driver, but don't they wait until they can see who is the better of the two before making a decision as to which one they should support? It wouldn't make sense to keep pouring resources into Alonso if Raikkonen was doing much better than him ...

 

[Sting]

I read in a motorsports mag (possibly Autosport) about the possibility of Alonso going to Ferrari, but with assumtion of that happening, and more possibility of Massa leaving, I dont think Alonso would want to be No2 to Kimi and Kimi wouldnt wanna be No2 to Alonso, so its the same destructive scenario.

The magazine also speculated about Button getting out of his Honda contract to join McLaren in Alonso's place, making an all British team.

However, this is all speculation. God knows if it will actually happen

 

[TheCracker]

I think if McLaren do 'lose' Alonso, they'll have to, due to their current financial status, replace him with a cheap, young up-and-coming driver rather than a experienced driver with a high salary requirement. I doubt we'll see Button at McLaren.

 

[Small_Fryz]

replace him with a cheap, young up-and-coming driver rather than a experienced driver with a high salary requirement. I doubt we'll see Button at McLaren.

So why wouldnt Button be at McLaren then?

 

[Sting]

I reckon Button would take whatever pay McLaren would offer if they give him a competitive car like this years McLaren. lol

 

[TheCracker]

So why wouldnt Button be at McLaren then?

Why? - because in F1 terms, at 27, he is no longer 'young'. He's been in F1 for 8 seasons now and has probably already had his best years. Jenson's probably on £3.5m to £4m a year at Honda. A fresh driver would cost the team a lot less.

 

[<_Spike_>]

Nick Heidfeld has been touted as the next possible replacement for Alonso...so far that's what...4 drivers linked? (Rosberg, Heidfeld, Kovalienen & Button)

 

[prisonermonkeys]

Why? - because in F1 terms, at 27, he is no longer 'young'. He's been in F1 for 8 seasons now and has probably already had his best years. Jenson's probably on £3.5m to £4m a year at Honda. A fresh driver would cost the team a lot less.

Also bear in mind that Honda bought Button out of his contract with Williams, and he's repaying them by taking a pay cut until the balance is repaid in full. Honda won't be letting him go any time soon, but this year alone has proved that JB has what Alonso doesn't: the patience of a saint. If I were Ron Dennis, that's definately a quality I'd want in my replacement for Alonso ...

 

[Lee]

Nick Heidfeld has been touted as the next possible replacement for Alonso...so far that's what...4 drivers linked? (Rosberg, Heidfeld, Kovalienen & Button)

Heidfeld is already contracted to BMW for '08, they'd have to pay one hefty sum I reckon..

 

[livemusic]

I hope this isn't true, but I wouldn't be surprised if it happens.

 

[<_Spike_>]

Heidfeld is already contracted to BMW for '08, they'd have to pay one hefty sum I reckon..

Same for Nico, might not have to pay as much though, but he's been the most concrete rumour so far...who knows...gotta love transfer markets

 

[Cap'n Jack]

McLaren driver and double world champion Fernando Alonso has said he sees no reason to leave the McLaren Formula 1 team at the end of this season, even though his relationship with team boss Ron Dennis might not be the best he had with a Formula 1 team boss.
Click here

Ron Dennis and Fernando Alonso have not spoken since the Hungarian Grand Prix the team boss revealed at a FIA hearing, but Alonso sees no reason to leave McLaren as some reports suggested. "I have a contract with this team for next year and I don't see any problem," Alonso said in Japan. "I have won four races so far and I am still fighting for the championship title so I believe everything is going quite well."

Well, that settles that then.

 

[Appie]

I knew it. He knows he has a good car under his belt. So much for Renault, Toyota and RBR having Alonso.

 

[<_Spike_>]

I still wouldn't rule it out to be perfectly honest.

 

[Alex.]

Alonso vows to stay with McLaren
Fernando Alonso fields questions from the media in Japan
Alonso has two years remaining on his McLaren contract
World champion Fernando Alonso says he sees no reason to leave McLaren at the end of this season despite his frosty relationship with team boss Ron Dennis.

The pair have not spoken since a row at the Hungarian Grand Prix in August.

But the Spaniard, who is in the first year of a three-year contract, said: "For next year I have a contract with this team and I don't see any problem.

"I have won four races and I'm fighting for the championship so everything is going quite well and I'm happy."

Dennis described Alonso as a "remarkable recluse for a driver" at a hearing into the spy saga and claimed that he had not been on speaking terms with the Spaniard since the beginning of August.

BBC

 

[Digital-Nitrate]

I'm just not buying this story about Alonso going to Ferrari. He's been so much trouble for McLaren, why would Ferrari risk having such a volatile person & driver when they already have a championship caliber driver who is a great deal more pleasant and predictable on the roster already.

Clearly Alonso will only be happy as a #1 driver, and if he thinks Hamilton was a threat to that, how do you think he'll react to having Kimi as a teammate?

Other than Alonso wanting to be in a top performing car, the story just doesn't add up.

I still think he is most likely going to go back to Renault. At least there he knows he will be the #1 driver, and that his teammate will be there to support his efforts, and he'll have a boss that still respects him. Renault is also certainly capable of developing a championship caliber car.

 

[Tornado]

The problem I see with this theory is that Ferrari very-much-so does preferred drivers. I can't see either Kimi or Alonso being very happy if they were at the wrong end of that preference. If he leaves (and it is still if, at this point, barring any more Alonso/Hamilton flare ups), he will either go to Renault (and I know the type. He won't go back to Renault) or he will go to a second tier team like Toyota (which is perhaps even less likely). So he won't leave McLaren unless something serious happens. As great as I think Massa would be at McLaren, I don't see that happening either.

 

[<_Spike_>]

And Alonso's part in this entire scandal wasn't "serious"?

 

[Blake]

And Alonso's part in this entire scandal wasn't "serious"?

Thank you for saying it.

 

[mipuumal]

There is another unbelievable rumor going around that Jean Todt would be going to Toyota with Massa. Personally I don't believe it for one second, If Todt leaves Ferrari, he will retire.

 

[Metar]

Massa already stated he's not moving to "that big F1 driver's graveyard".

 

[Diego440]

Massa already stated he's not moving to "that big F1 driver's graveyard".

Honda?