McLaren 1-2 at the Brazilian GP 2006

[BoyFerrari]

i suppose we should say that the real NBA eastern conference champion should be the Miami Heat because both Shaq and Wade were injured when they lost to the Pistons...?

That's what makes the championship win hollow - for the Pistons, and yes in a way, for Alonso.

That's what they said also when Argentina defeated the Dream Team USA in the last Olympics - because the REAL dream team NBA players did not participate. So in a sense, their championship win has missing ingredients.

[niky]

Actually, it's impossible to give both drivers equal importance, but I guess McLaren comes as close as anybody. I remember a few times in previous seasons wherein Rubens beat Michael (including the infamous "team orders" race), but, and I think everyone will agree, Ferrari was clearly spending more time and attention (technical) on Michael. The only difference between teams is how MUCH emphasis is given to the star driver.

In Ferrari's case this season, it was a lot. They were losing this season badly, and they needed to give Michael every chance to achieve a podium.

I'd like to note also, that you won't notice how much of an advantage a team is giving its star driver if the team has a clearly dominant package. Ref.: Ferrari over the past 5 seasons., McLaren Honda in the 90's. McLaren during the David-Mika days and McLaren at the end of this season.

If you're both in much faster cars than the others, the differences are less obvious than when you're both struggling in the midfield.

That said. Giancarlo should learn to play ball and play Robin to Alonso's Batman. And over the off-season, humble him in testing to get that 1st driver spot.

[niky]

I wouldn't regard the championship win for Alonso "hollow".

Michael's first championship with Ferrari came at the expense of McLaren, and partially because their cars weren't 100%.

Alonso has spent just about enough time at the tail-end of the grid in a Minardi to know what it feels like to lose because the car wasn't there, even though he was. A lot of people were pointing out how well he drove that crappy car, even then. So I don't doubt that he's savoring being on the other end, for a change... with a good car and a good team. Alonso has outlasted three team-mates... know why? Because he was faster than them AND he knows how to follow. He's a great driver. Kimi may be better, but Alonso does deserve this championship... for being great in the beginning, and hanging on with a less competitive car (compared to the McLarens) near the end of the season.

[squala]

Having such a differentiation between teammates accounts to criticisms like what we're giving now. Alonso receives such comments simply because Fisi is too far behind in terms of points. I personally have no doubt in Fernando's talent, but that's the sh!tty thing about the WDC.

[cardo]

The only year I can think off where a team did'nt give preference over a driver was in 88 with the Mclaren HondaTurbo. Both cars were reliable and just as fast. It was up to both Senna and Prost to race, imagine they were only separated in the championship by 3 pts? Mclaren won 15 out of 16 races that year and senna the champ. If that was a ferrari, we'd all know who would be finishing 1st eh? hehehe. But then again schumi was'nt driving at that time

And the battle for kimi rages on between ferrari and mclaren. 22M offer by ferrari in 2007? Are they leaving out Alonso? Hey! Aint he the latest champ?

[niky]

Everyone's focused on Kimi because he's the most dynamic driver. He can push his machine to the limits, sort of like a young Michael Schumacher.

Alonso is a different kind of driver. He is very fast and consistent, but he's a smoothie. Unlike Kimi or Michael, his speed doesn't come from driving to the edge of the envelope, but by driving smoothly and with subtle inputs. Alonso's speed only comes from being matched to a package that suits him, i.e.: the current Renault car. I think Kimi could be fast in anything.

[hagiber]

Kimi is like Senna (minus emotion) while Alonso is like Prost (the professor)

[squala]

Kimi also has his temper on-track. I'm kinda wondering why no one made an issue on two instances where he pushed race marshals after having to climb out of a defective car. On the contrary, people are almost always hard on Montoya, making some of his petty incidents seem as bad as a suicide bombing. Like what would have happened if he did to Pizzonia what Schumacher did to Sato in Belgium?

[niky]

Oo nga no? Maybe JPM just has the reputation of a hothead, kaya tinitignan mabuti... while Kimi's charismatic enough to just get away with it.

[squala]

Sama noh?