Ferrari be damned! BAN Fernando Alonso and Ferrari for the rest of the season! Alonso’s a prick! I had many options to my headline, but I let humour (subtle, I’d say!) overtake my emotions while penning this piece!
Ferrari are at it again! 2002 and the Austrian Grand Prix was when they did it last, 2010 and they did it again at the German Grand Prix in Hockenheim. Ferrari used team-orders to instruct Felipe Massa to move over and allow Fernando Alonso to grab the race lead.
What transpired post the controversial pit message is meaningless. For those who missed Ferrari’s radio communication, here’s what I gathered.
Before the change of places Felipe Massa’s race engineer, Rob Smedley was heard to say:
‘Alonso is faster than you. Can you confirm you understood that message?’
Rob Smedley
Not long after the message was broadcast Massa slowed at the exit of the hairpin and Alonso went pass. Afterwards Smedley told Massa:
‘OK mate, good lad. Stay with him now. Sorry.’
Rob Smedley
Ferrari are known to choose a no. 1 driver and it clearly is the pig headed Spaniard Fernando Alonso for 2010. However, Massa had matched Alonso’s pace lap by lap after snatching the lead of the race in a brave move at Turn 1 on the first lap.
Alonso did have one chance to overtake Massa while they were maneuvering through backmarkers and traffic , but Massa was smart enough to hold put. The other half chance was when Massa pitted for a tyre change and struggled to get his tyres up to temperature.
Post-race it was interesting to see both the drivers in Parc Ferme. Alonso mildly celebrated what he knew was a gifted win and Massa didn’t know where to look. Poor Massa badly needed a hug and it didn’t matter who it came from. Ironically, Ferrari’s post-race radio conversation was a joke too!
They edged on Massa and said that he was quick and was ‘magnanimous’ whereas Alonso’s conversation was brattish without any sign of guilt. You DESERVED to win made it sound as though they would have made him win at any cost – even if it meant declaring the second step of the podium as the top step! Alonso’s pace was quick no doubt, but to win you also need to beat your team-mate. In Alonso’s case, he prefers the radio communication rather than doing the hard work on track. (He asked for a similar favour at the Australian GP this year)
The FIA and its Stewards have known to favour Ferrari. The current FIA Chief is former Ferrari CEO Jean Todt. I think its only time that Ferrari are penalized for their over-brattish approach in Formula1.
As for Felipe Massa, I was hoping that he would quit the race mid-way, head home to trash his Ferrari contract and re-sign with Force India F1 for next year! Forza Felipe! Screw you Alonso!
Motorsports Partner: isport.in