Good points.
BTW: Did anyone watch last night's
Windtunnel with Dave Despain? He had a very interesting phone interview with F1 correspondent,
Peter Windsor, where he shares his "thoughts" on Alonso's claims of unfairness; on the rumors that Alonso has signed some kind of deal with Renault for 2008 and Ferrari starting in 2009; and finally his thoughts on what happend with the ProDrive F1 team.
Here is the transcript of the interview with Peter Windsor, on Windtunnel with Dave Despain on Oct. 14 @ 9pm (EST):
Dave Despain: Peter, the angle on this story that's getting a lot of attention this week, the fact that the FIA, at the request of the Spanish Motorsport Federation, read that Alonso if you chose, will be sending a special scrutineer if you will to insure that team McLaren gives the two teammates, Hamilton and Alonso an equal opportunity to win the title. Give me an opinion on that rather unprecedented decision.
Peter Windsor: I think it is absolutely ridiculous Dave. In fact, I am embarrassed to be talking with someone who is even remotely involved with Formula One when I hear this is going to happen, I think it is insane. It is completely ludicrous.
I mean, Fernando Alonso has had, if any thing, he has been favored by McLaren all year. He has had the spare car set-up for him every race since the British Grand Prix. Normally McLaren alternate between the two. McLaren has given him a different type of brake all year because he didn't like the brakes that were on the car that Lewis Hamilton has been using.
And his complaint in the last race that in the last final seconds of qualifying when they put on a new set of tires, that the pressures were too high. I mean, even if that was the case, and it was deliberate, which it wasn't, even if it was the case, how would a scrutineer at that point be able to tell him anything any way. What is he going to do, go around with a tire valve and start measuring the air pressures? The whole thing is completely ridiculous.
All it means is that every time Lewis is quicker than Fernando, Fernando just puts up his hands and says "Ah, they must be favoring Lewis! It's impossible that the great Alonso can be slower than Lewis Hamilton." And of course the reality is that Lewis has done a better job, he is better organized, and he is a faster driver.
Dave Despain: Making any prediction about the outcome given all of the above, that would sound like Hamilton should win.
Peter Windsor: I think Kimi Raikkonen and the Ferraris will breeze through it. I mean McLaren are going to be so distracted by this ridiculous Spanish Peter Ustinov type of figure standing in the middle of the McLaren garage saying, "No Lewis, wait until I've examined your car!". It's just insane. I'm just so sad for the McLaren team actually that they have to put up with that.
And remember this is the team that was able to run two equal cars for Prost and Senna, and gave us one of the greatest world championships ever. If any team is capable of running two equal cars it's McLaren, so I don’t even know what they are on about.
Dave Despain: So once the outcome is decided, and I guess we will just have to watch the race, what happens to Alonso. The German press reporting this week that he has already signed a letter of intent with Renault. I don't know if they know that, but they think they know that. What do you think?
Peter Windsor: Well I don't think there is any way McLaren will run him next year, because in the way he has constantly implied the team has led him down. I think because the team hasn't led him down he has an untenable situation there. From his point of view no doubt he thinks he has been the poor cousin all year, and therefore he has to get out that team.
I can't imagine anybody with a brain wanting to employ Alonso for one year. Everybody believes he has already signed for Ferrari for 2009. Who would want to have a driver for one year. You can't really use him until January the first, and after September the first you are using next year's car and you wouldn't want to involve him in anything. You have about a six month shelf life for the guy.
Yeah, I suppose Renault are pretty desperate to have somebody quick and will probably put him in a car, but it's a shame that Fernando has got himself in this position, it's shame that Renault have to do a one year deal, it's a shame he is leaving McLaren, the whole thing is a shame I think.
Dave Despain: The other team McLaren story this week, the relationship with new ProDrive team that was supposed to make its debut next year using McLaren cars under this proposed new rule allowing this arrangement, now the rule is in question, the Concord agreement, basis for all teams participation in this sport, is unsigned. What then becomes of ProDrive? I know it's complicated, but is there a simple answer to that?
Peter Windsor: The simple answer is that they never found the money necessary to do a team. David Richards never wanted to put his hand into his own pocket and design and build a car like any normal person would. He certainly had the finance and the facilities to do that and he tried to take the easy course of action and buy these McLarens, and I think to the benefit of the sport that isn't happening. It would have been great if they had done their own car from day one. I think ProDrive will go back to doing what they do very well, run the rally championship and run rally teams.
