Ehem... Ehem... where to begin? First off no matter how hard I wish to defend my pro-Alonso brethren
on the previuos thread (Chinese GP) I could not since I was not able to watch that race (no thanks to
Milenyo) and giving an opinion based on facts I read of the event would be unjustified.

However pro-Ferrari fans seems to have come out of the woodwork on that thread with opinions ranging
from objective criticism of Alonso and Renault to downright speculation based not on facts but pure wishful thinking.
This particular gem from the previous thread I wish to quote here:

Alonso only wasted his engine in the final laps, that's the only thing he accomplished. But I can understand why he did that --
he wanted to be as close to Schumacher as possible in the hope that he can induce Schumi to panic and make a driving error.

But he was simply too far to make any difference. And in fact, evenif Alonso caught up with Schumi, I am sure Michael can block him
for 3 more laps and still win the GP (remember, they are driving on the dry racing line to avoid a spin, so Alonso doesn't have much room to overtake anyway).

So tactically speaking, ALonso's "driving-like-hell" effort was foolish.
So I guess in retrospect, Alonso did a better job of managing his engine than Schumacher did eh???? The problem
with mouthing things like this before the fat lady sings is that you kind of look funny if things go the other way.

So basically with no opinion on offer I just let the Ferrari fans talk and spin they're yarn. Soon enough I thought they'll
make enough rope... to hang themselves. And none to soon.

The Japanese Grand Prix is the proverbial Alonso race as it where. His skill and finesse under pressure showed through
in this race with flying colors. He showed who was the boss in this race and even though he was under immense
media flak he not only nailed the final lid on Schumacher's coffin, he put a 10 ton pile of bricks on top
of it to ensure the "legend" does not rise again from the grave.

His drive was both masterful and intense , the same drive he did to Raikkonen in 2005 that made the Finn DNF
on the penultimate lap, but this time he did it to Schumacher, proving once and for all that his 2005 win was not a one off.

Also notable was the absence of the pit crew who put on Alonso's right rear tire on this race. And guess what? No
more wheel nut problems !!! Renault may be naive, but they are not stupid. You foul up once in Hungary fastening the
wheel nut, maybe but doing it again in China that cost them 10 seconds in the pits was I think rightly suspicious so
I am more in favor of kicking this sucker out of the pits. Makes you wonder who really was giving this guy's payroll....

Anyway, Schumacher was due for a DNF anyway, it was just a matter of time, soon your luck just runs out...
Which emphasized what I have been saying in the past again and again. Schumacher blundered mightily in Hungary.
He threw away the only oppurtunity he had to regain the 2006 title. He paid for it then and he is still paying for it
now. If he played it safe in Hungary and did not play tag with Heidfeld back then, he wouldnt be looking at the
10 points gap he has now.

So Alonso is in cruise mode now. They will all have (Ferrari and Renault) new engines in Interlagos, and all he has
to do is to be among the top 5 when the chequered flag is raised and he will have this season in the bag. I think
even Schumacher can do the math here as seen in his face when he came out of his smoking car.

Ferrari and the FIA can do all they want for they're "hero" to give him a sendoff they think he deserves. Heck they've
been fudging with the numbers ever since Monza to even the score but I think its pretty hard to pull a rabbit out of
the hat this time. Schumacher's DNF made sure of that. Oh how the mighty have fallen. Har har ...

BTW. I saw Alonso hug and congratulate his team and pit crew before he
went to the podium. I am all for Schumacher's graciousness here but
c'mon folks nobody seem to have seen that. Where was the pit crew/FA
tension and schism evrybody here was talking about? I never saw that.


Whose whining now??? I think Ferrari/MS fans are just sour-graping. tsk tsk tsk