What's happened to Alonso?

Raven · 30 May 2004, 20:17 (Ref:988595)

Not many people expected him to be left in Trulli's wake this year, but that seems to be what is happening. He started off the year quite nicely with a podium in Melbourne, but then came qualifying blunders and just lately, Trulli is showing him a clean pair of heels in both qualifying and racing.

Opinions anyone?

freud · 30 May 2004, 20:34 (Ref:988609)

I think he was going well behind Kimi, untill I saw him lose a corner and go offline slightly. He was passed by others including Trulli and afterwards he just kept himself in the race.

I think that he's still better racer than Trulli but he needs to get his qualifying lap together. Its certainly not helping him now that Trulli is outqualifying him so often.

darcym · 30 May 2004, 21:21 (Ref:988651)

Alonso is sill the man, he's just been unlucky and made some bad luck for himself. His actual driving has been excellent

Tweed · 30 May 2004, 21:27 (Ref:988654)

he's got a very distinctive style when the camera's onboard, if you saw a lap onboard with him, then with trulli, you'd think trulli would be the more consistant racer

Don K · 30 May 2004, 21:29 (Ref:988656)

As far as I know, Trulli and Alonso have been on par during all races so far.

Alonso had a bit more luck during the first races.
During 3 of the last 4 races, Truli and Alonso finished directly behind each other.

There's a gap in points between them only because of Alonso's accident in Monaco.

climb · 31 May 2004, 07:04 (Ref:988873)

Nonetheless, Trulli is putting together a very long series of flwless (or almost flawless) races; wasn't he unlucky at the start, he would have got the podium, I reckon.

Alonso on the contrary made an unforced error, costless than the one he did at Monaco, but a bad one anyways IMO.

Trulli is deservedly ahead of him.

Dixie Flatline · 31 May 2004, 07:34 (Ref:988893)

Alonso hasn't had a good qualifying campaign which (yes, it's a truism) compromises his Sunday. He needs to work out his strategy for keeping the car on the black stuff on Saturday and stop making those errors that cost him badly.

climb · 31 May 2004, 07:50 (Ref:988903)

Yes but this time it didn't depend on bad quals, but on a stupid racing mistake.

Logrence · 31 May 2004, 09:58 (Ref:989027)

I don't think it's the case that Alonso is particularly bad this season, it's just that previously he has been flattered by Trulli's obstinate refusal to drive very quickly.

It'll be interesting to see how Fernando gets his head together later in the season, as I've no doubt he will.

garcon · 31 May 2004, 10:04 (Ref:989032)

He's not done badly - but I agree Trulli has put him in the shade a little. Nothing to worry about though - I think Fernando's just going through that slightly dodgy spell that all good drivers have to before it all comes together. How he comes out of it could be the key to his future.

Knowlesy · 31 May 2004, 12:39 (Ref:989195)

I'm sure he'll come back to form soon. All drivers have these dodgy patches....

He's not doing much wrong (bar a few qualifying laps), which makes trullis rise all the more admirable.

BootsOntheSide · 31 May 2004, 14:16 (Ref:989285)

I think a lot of people over-hyped him last year. He was generally inferior to Trulli in qualifying, made a few rash raceday mistakes (Brazil was inexcusable and should've lead to a disqualification), and definately let his temper ge the better of him.

This season he's made far too many msitakes. I can't think of any races, other than maybe Monaco, where he's been unlucky. Yesterday, Trulli was taken off by Sato, Alonso threw it off the road hismelf, and that's what cost them podium places. He's looking like the less-experienced and less dependable driver in the team again.

f1manoz · 31 May 2004, 15:57 (Ref:989357)

Simply, Trulli is doing a better job at the moment and that is why he's getting better results and is ahead of him in the WDC. Alonso is still doing a good job, despite a couple of incidents. No need to start doom and gloom about him yet.

Jordi · 31 May 2004, 16:04 (Ref:989365)

Alonso says that his steering was getting stuck in the horizontal position and according to him that's why he went straight a few times. So maybe it wasn't his mistake...

GP Racer · 31 May 2004, 17:38 (Ref:989430)

Quote:

Originally posted by BootsOntheSide
I think a lot of people over-hyped him last year. He was generally inferior to Trulli in qualifying, made a few rash raceday mistakes (Brazil was inexcusable and should've lead to a disqualification), and definately let his temper ge the better of him.

This season he's made far too many msitakes. I can't think of any races, other than maybe Monaco, where he's been unlucky. Yesterday, Trulli was taken off by Sato, Alonso threw it off the road hismelf, and that's what cost them podium places. He's looking like the less-experienced and less dependable driver in the team again.

Right on Boots!

Couldn't have said it better myself...

Tweed · 31 May 2004, 21:17 (Ref:989638)

Quote:

Originally posted by BootsOntheSide
Yesterday, Trulli was taken off by Sato...

when was that then? If anything it was the other way round!

Skam85 · 1 Jun 2004, 07:47 (Ref:989938)

I did! I predicted Trulli would easily beat Alonso this year! I posted a thread at the beginning of the season called "MY 04 predictions" please oh please mods bring it back so I can look good to everyone else!!!

I won't mention that I also predicted that McLaren would dominate and MS would finish 6th in the championship.....

RWC · 1 Jun 2004, 08:41 (Ref:989987)

Mattracer · 1 Jun 2004, 11:05 (Ref:990144)

Could it be that both of these guys are worried about where Mark Webber might end up?

N I Tram · 1 Jun 2004, 12:36 (Ref:990262)

Trulli has really raised his game this season, and perhaps Alonso just doesn't have the experience, maturity or inherent pace to match him? Monaco was certainly the action of a petulant immature man - perhaps the hype last year came too soon and has gone to his head? A lot of it was unjustified and excessive anyway.

ralf fan · 1 Jun 2004, 13:22 (Ref:990347)

No doubt that Trulli has Truly improved this year... he was always fast over a single lap but this year he has raised his consistency over a race distace...

I agree with Boots that Alonso was over hyped last year (i was one of them singing his praises)... fact actually is that Alonso is a good driver who probably willl get better as he gains experience

Tiptop · 1 Jun 2004, 13:45 (Ref:990375)

I think all the young drivers are over hyped at the moment..just looking for someone who can replace schumacher!
Alonso - Great racer too many mistakes - he knows it
Webber - Over hyped what has he done to put him in the frame for a williams seat ?
Massa - Give me strength - erratic motorway driver
Sato - Ditto
Kimi - Great racer, probably the best of them all ACTUALLY PROVED he is good by finishing 2nd to Schumi 2003

I can't hype someone really until they have done something to shout about really!

Jordi · 1 Jun 2004, 17:59 (Ref:990603)

He must be feeling the pressure though. The Spanish press are way, way too obsessed on him and the people around him must be no better. Thanks to the R24 being a good car, he is not being thrashed �* la Button'01.

santori · 1 Jun 2004, 19:39 (Ref:990721)

I still regard him as the best of the new drivers. Trulli has just raised his performance and Alonso has had a couple of - very slightly - poorer races. His Nurburg problem may not even have been his fault.
I think the change at Renault is more a mark of just how good Trulli is - in his current form I think he'd be beating Button or Kimi, too.

Skam85 · 3 Jun 2004, 04:09 (Ref:992213)

Quote:

Originally posted by Tiptop
Webber - Over hyped what has he done to put him in the frame for a williams seat ?

Not AGAIN!!!!!

What open-wheeler series are YOU watching? Obviously one with another Mark Webber in it underperforming!!

Let me list it:

Doesn't get outqualified at all in his debut season. Finished ahead of a Jaguar and a Toyota to finish 5th in his debut race. In a MINARDI, mind you!

Drives a solid 8th in the 2002 French GP (11 finishers, again in a MINARDI)

2003 season gets outqualified twice by teammate. Scores 17pts and quailfies 3rd twice and 6th three times. In a little-improved-from-2002 Jaguar.

Drives a brilliant race to finish ahead of a Ferrari and a Renault in Hungary for 6th place. (again in a little-improved-from-2002 Jaguar)

Many a time in the 2003 season did Mark Webber drive from relatively poor grid positions to a solid points finish. In fact, he finished in the points 7 times in 16 races, nearly 50% of the time! His teammates, Williams-rated Pizzonia and everyone-else-rated Wilson could only do it once in 16 races and outqualify him just twice.

Mark Webber's 2004 season again, in a quicker but less reliable Jag gets off to a great start in Oz and Malaysia. In qualifying, anyway. 6th in Oz, but gearbox failure puts him out, and a FRONT ROW start in Malaysia (only one of 4 drivers this season to split the Ferrari's in quali-the other 3 being in REALLY fast cars). Screwed at the start in Malaysia, where AGAIN, Jag's starting system lets him down. Ralf Schumacher hits Webber and gives him a puncture. Webber later spins off. IMO only his 3rd driver-error induced retirement of his CAREER.

Enough to warrant Williams being interested in him?

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