Fernando Alonso should consider himself fortunate. The battle worn pit bull and arch defender of the Ferrari Faith, Luca Colajini – head of communications for the Scuderia for years – was shipped off to pastures new over the winter.
New kid on the block, Renato Bisignani has been finding his feet this year. The tone and style of a number of the ‘official’ communications from the Scuderia have been stilted, clunky and not so well crafted. This has been evident against the backdrop of the Alonso/Il Padrino war that has been fought both in the mountains and on the sea.
Ferrari.com, yesterday presented a piece for their fans entitled, “A special day for Alonso in Tokyo”. The Scuderia driver was the main attraction at the Japanese launch of the 458 Speciale, the new Ferrari sports car, unveiled back in September at the Frankfurt Motor Show, at the Tokyo Dome City Hall.
The dispatch states, “Along with Kamui Kobayashi, who flies the flag for the Prancing Horse in the FIA World Endurance Champioship, Fernando literally burst into the room where the event was taking place, where he was met by Giuseppe Cattaneo, the head of the Far East Ferrari hub and by Herbert Appleroth, the President of Ferrari Japan KK”.
Dutifully and beautifully on script a beaming Alonso declares, “It’s a fantastic car. Better performance, faster and lighter than the 458 Italia: it would be difficult to do better than what our engineers have managed!’
Some say… Fernando did then suggests… he would personally offer his own housekeeping money to subsidise the first 3 customers who signed up there and then. Amusing as the idea is of Fred in Peckham, London selling Ferrari’s on a market stall shouting, “Cam on. I’ve got a wife and kids to feed” – I feel we are digressing.
The dispatch continues, “It’s hardly surprising that the owners were interested in the next round of the Formula 1 season, which takes place at Suzuka this weekend” and it reports Alonso duly obliges with a summary for the guests of what needs to be done.
“’We need to have a good race. There is still a lot up for grabs: second place in the Constructors’ championship and it’s not yet over in the Drivers’, commented the Spaniard, under the watchful eye of Team Principal Stefano Domenicali. ‘This is a key moment in the championship: Suzuka is a track I like a lot and the best possible place to have a good race on Sunday. We come from a place where the crowd was not so big, while in Japan the fans are fantastic and they really love Formula 1. We hope we can give them the result they want as they pack the Suzuka grandstands, as they do every year.’” (Ferrari.com)
You are having me on. UNDER THE WATCHFUL EYE OF TEAM PRINCIPAL STEFANO DOMINICALI???
I’m still chuckling now and I read this last night.
Ok Renato, you want us to understand Alonso’s card is still being marked – and we get it. Yet Fernando is fortunate because were Luca Colajini still in situ, this communication would have been infinitely more subtle; it would be crafted to crush Alonso yet again and would probably be done with humour with which we laugh together with Ferrari – not at them.
God I love this team. This is the antithesis of the Red Bull culture. This is old style F1 team management, and the old style way of doing family life with an errant child. #ForzaFerrari .
We’ve heard many times, no one person is bigger than Ferrari. It appears we’re actually reached a point where it can be said that Ferrari itself is not bigger than Scuderia Ferrari – the concept (work that one out).
TJ13 has continued to receive reports stating Alonso’s name is mud in Maranello. He is called the ‘shit layer’ behind his back, and not just by shop floor sweepers.
The humiliation just keeps on coming. Fernando had an ear tweak before the world on the day of his birthday and now this?
When will Ferrari stop kicking him? Presumably when he leaves.
I personally think this story of Fernando and Ferrari is being blown out of proportion. He is arguably the best driver on the grid and has been delivering very consistent results in a car that hasn't been as competitive as Red Bull. If he continues to deliver those results, he wil be perfectly fine. This sport is after all a business. Driven heavily by performance and money! And if Fernando keeps up his end of the bargain, Ferrari need to raise their game to be on par with Alonso's efforts.
I'm not sure if This non sense is Ferrari trying to deflect the criticism away as a result of not delivering the most competitive car since Alonso's arrival.
Zitat von Sonny I'm not sure if This non sense is Ferrari trying to deflect the criticism away as a result of not delivering the most competitive car since Alonso's arrival.
Interesting point.
Btw who is this judge13? Some random blogger? " title="hmm" />
That brings us on to Ferrari, whose races are consistently hampered by poor qualifying results.
I really don't know what's going on at that team.
On Saturday morning in Japan, Fernando Alonso sat in his garage for the first 25 minutes of final practice - nearly half the session - while all his rivals were out on track pounding around doing their homework.
The wind direction had changed 180 degrees overnight, and all the drivers said it had completely changed their cars. Lewis Hamilton said it was "like a different race track".
There was lots of stuff Ferrari could have learnt then. OK, they could argue they will have good tyres when they do go out. But that's artificial. Then they are comparing themselves against people on older tyres and who have set times earlier in the session.
In F1, it's vital to compare yourself with people doing things at the same time as you.
If I ran Ferrari and was paying Alonso however many millions of euros a year he is getting, the last thing he would be doing would be sitting in the garage for half of the last session before qualifying when you know you are lacking pace.
Ferrari do that every single race weekend and I would have to question whether they have any structural management.
That is Alonso's biggest problem. When he doesn't see any structural management, he starts to be the manager, and having a driver do that is the worst place a team can be.
I talk to a lot of people and some of the stuff I have heard about Ferrari and how that team functions is absurd for an outfit of that standing. Something has to change there pretty soon if they are to be the team we all think they should be.
Ferrari insists it will not interrupt development of its 2014 car as it attempts to hold on to second place in the constructors' championship this year.
Ferrari is 10 points clear of Mercedes in the constructors' and 33 points clear of the on-form Lotus team in fourth. With four races left both Mercedes and Lotus are within striking distance of Ferrari, but team principal Stefano Domenicali said once the remaining updates come over the next few races there will be no further developments on the F138.
"We have already switched 100% the activity at home [to 2014]," he said. "We have still got something to bring to the track that we will try, but the technical office is completely dedicated to next year's project. That is very challenging for everyone."
However, Domenicali stressed that his team is not underestimating the threat from both Mercedes and Lotus.
"I have to say both [are a threat to Ferrari]," he added. "Lotus seems to have found a good qualifying pace, very close to ours and maybe a little bit better. They are also very good at managing the tyres, so if they qualify in front of us then it is difficult because either we do a good start and they are really difficult to handle.
"On the other hand Mercedes seems to have for sure a better qualifying pace, and if they are in front in the race with another competitor like Lotus in between it will be difficult. For this reason I believe they are both very strong competitors and we need to be second up until the end of the season."
ZitatA special day: Two Fans talk to Domenicali about Ferrari, Alonso & Kimi!
Guest 1- “I don’t like it when after a Grand Prix, there are incorrect jibes aimed at Red Bull that then fall apart. And then there’s Alonso complaining about his car after every race. I’d like to see him get his ears pulled (more often)" Domenicali:- Externally, I will always defend the team. When Alonso crossed the line, president Montezemolo intervened and in private, so did I.”
Guest 2:- “Why have you kept Massa up until now? After the accident in 2009, for me he was no longer the same and I’m happy Raikkonen is coming back.” Domenicali:- “”There are two reasons. From a medical point of view, there is no proof that the accident left any permanent damage, such as problems with his sight or reflexes. And then there’s the gentility which would demand that we give a driver who hasn’t had much luck, the chance to show he deserves to stay with us. If Felipe was unable to deliver the performance we hoped for, it was mainly down to a hyper-sensitivity to a car that was too nervous at the rear, but in 2008, he almost took the title and I consider him as a world champion. We took Raikkonen because we wanted more. When we replaced him with Alonso, he (Kimi) was not happy and so he returns with a great desire to do well.” http://formula1.ferrari.com/news/specia ... BHfBk.dpuf
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