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Ferrari: Alonso signing would be damaging
Ferrari: Alonso signing would be damaging
Eurosport - Tue, 22 Apr 12:21:00 2008
Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo has said he does not want to sign double world champion Fernando Alonso to the Formula One team, believing such a move would be "damaging".
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Alonso has denied that he has an escape clause in his contract with struggling Renault that would allow him to leave at the end of the season, although he also voiced his admiration for the Scuderia.
However Di Montezemolo does not want to partner him with current world champion Kimi Raikkonen in a 'dream team' line-up.
"To line up a Raikkonen-Alonso double act would mean wanting to damage yourself," he told La Gazzetta dello Sport.
"I want two equal drivers that work together."
The Spaniard moved from Renault, where he won both his titles, to McLaren for one season in 2007 and spent much of the year at loggerheads with promising rookie Lewis Hamilton as they fought with Finn Raikkonen for the world drivers' crown.
He has not been happy with the R28's performance this season and was widely applauded for winning a total of six points from the opening three races.
Raikkonen leads again from BMW-Sauber's Nick Heidfeld, with Briton Hamilton third.
Di Montezemolo added that he intends to spend more time with Ferrari after leaving his role at the head of Italy's industry body.
The European leg of the F1 season begins this weekend with the Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona.
Stay with eurosport.yahoo.com all week for news and features ahead of the weekend, plus LIVE text coverage and timing of qualifying and the race at Montmelo on Saturday and Sunday!!
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Good, finally he got off the fence........
On 2nd thought maybe a good negotiation ploy when Kimi comes up for signing and he thinks about what he will ask for but it will depend partly on his success.
One thing for sure Alonso won't be so cocky around the Renault team now.
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Last edited by Jakarta Expat : 04-23-2008 at 05:41 AM.
On 2nd thought maybe a good negotiation ploy when Kimi comes up for signing and he thinks about what he will ask for but it will depend partly on his success.
One thing for sure Alonso won't be so cocky around the Renault team now.
obviously Alonso is the best F1 driver.........he knows how to place thing in the correct places.........improved Renault and beat Schummy two years, improved Mclaren, improved Renault this year.......he will be champ at Ferrari from now up to the year 3 thousand.
obviously Alonso is the best F1 driver.........he knows how to place thing in the correct places.........improved Renault and beat Schummy two years, improved Mclaren, improved Renault this year.......he will be champ at Ferrari from now up to the year 3 thousand.
Sorry, I have to disagree. While he is a skilful and quick driver, his mental strength is very much up for question. Hamilton seriously worried him (to the tune of two major driving errors in 2007) and also beat him last year. Would have beat him easily on points but for reliability in Brazil. Not bad for a rookie up against the world champion!
Fernando's biggest plus is his ability to get a car around a corner quickly, but his biggest minus is his ego - he can't handle it when others are near to him or beat him. He can drive a car, but can he drive a team? McLaren would say differently... In a game where ego does count, he needs to learn to adapt.
I guess this can also be a strength in F1 - i.e. you hate to lose. But I still feel he is prone to overdriving.
I hope P2 in Spain quali wasn't a flash in the pan, as I believe Renault have the tech team to help Fernando, but after the first stops he disappeared. He's still young, and very gifted, but it's not his year, and there are better drivers - Raikkonen, Hamilton, Bourdais and Kubica (despite his errant ways!) do it for me!
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