Felipe rocks Interlagos

A fine drive from Felipe on a cracker of a day at Interlagos gives him pole. He must be hoping he can drive to his second successive win here, though that may depend on what happens to the championship contenders. Lewis produced another excellent performance in qualifying on a track that is new to him to be second on the grid with Kimi third and Fernando fourth.

Fernando was disappointed, as well he might be, and blamed his performance on the handicap of starting behind Lewis in Q3.

If the top-three finish in grid order tomorrow Lewis will be champion, with Fernando second, just two points ahead of Kimi.

Comments

[Weasel]

Alonso blamed ,.... doesn't he always?

[Txus G.R.]

Lewis's tricks,...doesn't he always?

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/63483

[Gary]

In an interview after the qualifying Fernando Alonso made an astonishing claim....

"I could only finish 4th, it is the best i could do, i had the same car as my team mate but i am just not as a fast. He is a quicker driver and i guess that is it, as soon as we got out the cars i rushed to congratulate him on a fine performance."

I am not sure what happened next because i woke up, its 5am and the rugby has just started and i need to pack for a flight in 3 hours.

I may not get to see the race tomorrow morning, i am not sure about internet connection where we are going so would like to say to everyone good luck no matter who your man may be. But i really really hope that Lewis Hamilton does the job!,

[Sam]

As usual the error will never come from Alonso, just as all other drivers recognised they made errors and could have done better.
McLaren was not faulted this time because of the third party invited to watch the process. The real drama under the watch of FIA and spanish automobile presidency is on the way. You can mislead all the world for sometime but you can never mislead them forever.

[javiervivaespania]

ANOTHER SCANDAL!!!
Kimi has sent a claim to FIA because Hamilton, who else?, has blocked him during the qualification.
If there is any justice, they should send daddy's boy ten positions to the back of the grid, like they did with our Champion last year for blocking Massa, even if he had not done it. Now, that Hamilton has indeed blocked Kimi, they must do the same. I propose that if Hamilton does not get sent to the back of the grid tomorrow we should quit using Vodafone and tell our friends to do the same.

[DANIEL]

If Lewis wins tomorrow the title i will be happy for him and for all of you, LH fans, cause i think he deserves that.......but until that exactly moment be carefull cause you could have a bad sunday...do you remember shangai?
I will wait for you in the first corner.......
Anyway, it is going to be the time that england wins anything,besides the world champion of snooker, isnt it??

Goog night

[Txus G.R.]

Dear all

I've read other Fernando A.'s interviews/comments after the race in Spanish and he doesn't blame on nothing except on himself and his performance.I haven't seen the RAI's interview but maybe it's a translation error or something,I don't know.

This other one is more in the line of everything I've read in Spanish:

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/63505

Regards.

[Rude Al]

Javier, maybe you should quit banking with Santander too! Just as well there aren't many luxury cars being bought in Spain or maybe Mercedes would be getting worried.

[Gazpaxo]

Tomorrow Kimi will be champion...

[D]

Their amity at the press conference after qualifying made me think that if Felipe stands atop the podium tomorrow with Lewis on the second rung, they'll be two very happy bunnies indeed.

And so will an awful lot of Brazilians.

Might even remind you of Paris last week, Ed!

[Si]

javiervivaespania

Maybe you should ALL quit Vodafone.
Maybe we should stop paying a surplus to the EU to fund your roads, infrastructure and industry, helping to build your economy, to give you a higher standard of living...so that you can make your own decision to quit Vodafone.

[Txus G.R.]

After the "quali",I meaned in my last post.

To RUDE AL:

I see lots of luxury cars everyday in Spain(I wonder where the people get the money...).Anyhow,Mercedes also have the cheaper A class and the vans,that is where they can lose the sales and it seems like they are worried.But what is true is that Vodafone has started a new campaign couse they are losing clients:"Los milagros existen. Gran Premio de Brasil. A por todas Fernando. Es tu momento"(The miracles exist.Grand Prix of Brazil.Go for it Fernando.It's your time.)prays the slogan.In Britain they use this other slogan:"Good luck,Lewis".

Regards.

[Pablo]

Hello housewives,

Did you enjoy the race or only Alonso's after-race show?

I think it will a very exciting race tomorrow. Raikkonen, who has nothing to lose, will race at his best. Depending how fast Massa starts tomorrow we could see an interesting bottleneck in the first curve.

If Raikkonen takes over Hamilton I suppose Massa will slow down a bit and Hamilton will find himself sandwich between Massa and Alonso. In any case, Alonso has no chances to win unless Hamilton parks the car again.

[NOTHING HAPPENED...]

Hey! no problem with Hamilton disturbing Kimi during Q3. He just apologized for that...

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/63483

[javiervivaespania]

SI

Dou you know the "UK rebate"?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UK_rebate

RUDE AL

Banco de Santander loves Alonso, it is Spaniard too. They will follow our Champion to next constructor where he will win his 4th consecutive championship.
Vodafone has betrayed Magic Alonso because they are British and want that Hamilton wins.

[pangloss]

"I see lots of luxury cars everyday in Spain(I wonder where the people get the money...)."

Quite impossible to try to be more offensive with less intelligence...

[jordi]

Ed,
How come you didn't report anything about Hamilton blocking Kimi?

Yes, you are english, but you are also a journalist.

Too tired, too exited to report a new twist?

"And although Ferrari said that incident cost their driver crucial time, the Italians did not protest Hamilton's driving to the race stewards, who in turn said they would not be investigating the issue." (autosport).

what's the point to protest against Hamilton!? (I need help here).

"I did the best job I could do," added Hamilton. And I did apologise to him."

Such a good boy! isn't he?

He will kick your nuts with a smile, and afterwards he will apologise and offer you a cup of tea.
Polite he is, I give him that.
Much well educated than those people in spanish villages (Niki lauda dixit).

How many times had to apologize Hamilton this year?

How many times has been Hamilton penalized?

How many times has Hamilton started the Q3 in front of Alonso?

Ps: England 6 - S. Africa 15
This time the referee wasn't Spanish.

2 down - 1 to go

[Juan]

Always the same thing. Im so happy that South Africa won. As Prost,Fitipaldi and Massa said in a normal situation, with no helps from fia and McLaren to Hamilton Alonso would be Champion Already. We will see what happen next year when Aloso will race for a diferent Team.
By the way about comments about Spain, dont forget there ist millions Britons Living and visiting spain, maybe there is a good reason apart from Luxury cars.

[jordi]

Ed,
Any gravel at interlagos?
is our only hope!

[Kormak]

LOL

"I apologise if I got in his way, but I didn't think he was that close to me. I stayed where I was and braked. I didn't feel I hindered his lap, and I did get out of the way.

"I did the best job I could do," added Hamilton. "And I did apologise to him."

LOLOLOL

If you are called Fernando Alonso you can't drive less than 300 meters form a Ferrari car or you will be punished.

If you are called Calimero you only need to apologise.

LOL, god save Calimero!!

[ALLMAN]

Lex Hamilton, Daddy Hamilton and Dennis are becoming really aggresive to those journalists that are still able to think by themshelves (obviously I'm not referring to Ed and all the fanatic Bristish media):

http://www.autosport.com/news/grapevine.php/id/63509

[Aitor Zabala]

Hmmm...

I've seen the interviews of FA, both to Tele5, Rai, Rac1 and Cadena Ser and never heard anything about blaming his teammate being first.

It's probably just a translation error.

:-)

[pepe]

To "SI":

"Maybe you should ALL quit Vodafone.
Maybe we should stop paying a surplus to the EU to fund your roads, infrastructure and industry, helping to build your economy, to give you a higher standard of living...so that you can make your own decision to quit Vodafone."

Maybe you don´t know that England doesn´t pay a surplus to the EU, because England receives back the controversial "English Check", as a product of Margaret Thatcher isolidarity about the EU construction, with her famous "I want my money back".

But I like read this blog because is a good one talking about F1... even F1 gossips and sagas, but for politics, there are much better another ones.

[john]

First Season, first time at Interlagos, 2nd on grid, more lame excuses from Alonso - even if Alonso wins the F1 Championship - everyone really knows who is quickest! including Alonso!!

[Michael Bowen]

You morons of course realize that Hamilton goes onto the track when the team tells him to?....and that the pit lane exits in the middle part of the straight just before the corner Kimi was approaching? Just what is Hamilton supposed to do when that's where he exits anyways? Look at the photo

http://f1grandprixtours.com/images/brazil-autodromo-g-01bo.jpg

and THINK about it for yourself. Just what options did he have?

Of course, maybe McLaren SHOULD have held him back another couple of seconds so that Kimi was in the clear. Or maybe Hamilton should have sat there and waited.

Can you IMAGINE the screaming that THEN would have happened with Alonso HELD UP?

As it WAS FA was b*tching about the mere 3 seconds he had left to cross the line to do his final hot lap and blames his poor performance on THAT because he caused his tires to grain (geez, weren't the Spanish Contingent ripping apart Hamilton for not being able to conserve HIS tires?) getting to the line in time. Imagine if FA had LESS time to get there how you would react, how HE would react.

There is NO pleasing you idiots. Go away. Back to Spain. Try and LEARN SOMETHING ABOUT F1 BEFORE YOU COME BACK!!! You sound like TOTAL IDIOTS griping like you do all the time without KNOWING anything. You're starting to sound like Ferrari even (a team characteristically full of bad sports....with the current drivers and Rubino being exceptions....).

Do some RESEARCH before you form an opinion.

Do what **I** did (and it took only 15 minutes)....go and search for pictures of the track so you could figure out HOW something happened BEFORE you open your mouths. Doing what you do, mouthing off without knowing anything, might make people conclude you are idiots.

[Joseote]

Ed, have you REALLY SEEN Alonso complaining about Hamilton today?

I have watch an interview to Alonso in the Spanish T.V. (Tele5) and (today) he hasn't said ANYTHING against Hamilton nor the team. He have just talked about not a fine weekend, about the result not being precisely optimal for his chances and that Interlagos is a circuit that penalizes any minimal error, but nothing about Hamilton. Are you ABSOLUTELY SURE he did blame Hamilton? If you are not sure, you should have avoided the sweet temptation of undermining Alonso's reputation as a sportsman yet a little more.

On the other hand, why not mention anything about the little row Mr. Hamilton senior and Mr. Ron Dennis had with a french journalist of L'Equipe when she asked about the Hamilton-Raikonen little incident in Q3? Although you are tremendously honest maintaining this Blog and leting us all to talk here, I must say your ears and eyes seem to be a bit selective (at least for me).

[Marc]

Ed,

Calimero is distinguished by being the only black chick in a family of yellow ones. Bit of a 'Jade Goody' call letting that one through.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calimero

Marc

p.s What say you re the antics outside the McLaren Hotel this evening?

[Joseote]

I say it again, to those who like to defamate Alonso (Weasel, John, Gary, Sam), today in the spanish interview I haven't seen him making any excuse, lame or unlame. I have read also all the main spanish papers and there is nothing there about Alonso blaming Hamilton nor making any excuse.

Dear Ed, I beg you to see the interviews and check your information, if you haven't done it yet.

[f1aroo]

I find it quite sad how the second championship a driver wins totally changes their outlook on how other drivers and the racing authorities should treat them. The first championship is greatly appreciated and enjoyed. The driver is thankful for his bosses and the hard work of his crew. Life is good. Then he wins another championship and he changes. He's the man!! It's him that did everything that allowed him to excel. He brought .6 seconds. He concocted the race strategy. Hell, he blew up the tires with his own mouth. Then when things don't go well---heck it can't be me---a rookie can't be faster than me---I'm a DOUBLE world champion---the team must be plotting against me---the stewards are against me---the FIA is against me---the weather gods are against me............

Geez, I sure am glad that I'm not the FIA-supplied official food taster for FA

BY THE WAY---this change after the second championship is not unique to F-1. Look at how NASCAR's Tony Stewart has turned into such a self-serving jerk. Lartigue and Kankkunen in rallye, Fogarty in superbike, Bourdais in Chump Car, Biela in LeMans. It's always somebody else's fault if they don't win.

If LH wins tomorrow, I'll be real curious to see how it starts to effect him----remember he said it was his "destiny".

Ohhhh IF ONLY WE COULD HAVE a humble champion again.........PLEASE

I think Kimi would do well as a champion----party harty

[Jordi]

A few people in this blog doubted about Ed's claims. Ed says that Alonso blamed his performance on the handicap of starting behind Lewis in Q3. (Ed give us a link to autoesport to prove his point, autoesport claims that Alonso said so to RAI).

I've been searching RAI site and couldn't find any reference to such allegations here:

http://www.raisport.rai.it/sportsezione/0,,38,00.html

I couldn't find them here neither:

http://en.f1-live.com/f1/en/headlines/news/detail/071020230827.shtml

nor here

http://www.formula1.com/news/headlines/2007/10/7009.html

Does anyone seen or hear Alonso saying what Ed /autoesport claims?

Dear Pangloss

I know that I'm not a very smart one but I didn't try to be offensive this time.

I'm a Spaniard working class one and I'm really amazed to watch lots of luxury cars like BMW,Audi,Mercedes,Lexus,Porche,Jaguar,etc...every f**kin' day and I wonder where this people,my neighbours for example,get the money for buying such expensive rides.

What do you find offensive in that point? I really will like if you can explain this to me with your superior intelligence.

By the way,where are you from?

Regards.

Ps.This are the chain of post that toke me to that "offensive" point:

From Javiervivaespania

ANOTHER SCANDAL!!!
Kimi has sent a claim to FIA because Hamilton, who else?, has blocked him during the qualification.
If there is any justice, they should send daddy's boy ten positions to the back of the grid, like they did with our Champion last year for blocking Massa, even if he had not done it. Now, that Hamilton has indeed blocked Kimi, they must do the same. I propose that if Hamilton does not get sent to the back of the grid tomorrow we should quit using Vodafone and tell our friends to do the same

From Rude Al

Javier, maybe you should quit banking with Santander too! Just as well there aren't many luxury cars being bought in Spain or maybe Mercedes would be getting worried.

From me

To RUDE AL:

I see lots of luxury cars everyday in Spain(I wonder where the people get the money...).Anyhow,Mercedes also have the cheaper A class and the vans,that is where they can lose the sales and it seems like they are worried.But what is true is that Vodafone has started a new campaign cause they are losing clients:"Los milagros existen. Gran Premio de Brasil. A por todas Fernando. Es tu momento"(The miracles exist.Grand Prix of Brazil.Go for it Fernando.It's your time.)prays the slogan.In Britain they use this other slogan:"Good luck,Lewis".

From you Pangloss

"I see lots of luxury cars everyday in Spain(I wonder where the people get the money...)."

Quite impossible to try to be more offensive with less intelligence...

[Txus G.R.]

To Pangloss

Like most characters in Voltaire's Candide, Pangloss is a "flat character": he has only a few personality traits that do not evolve much throughout the story.

According to Voltaire, Pangloss was a teacher of "metaphysico-theologico-cosmolonigology".

Pangloss constantly argues that "there is no effect without a cause"—in other words, everything in existence, from the human nose to natural disasters, is meant to suit a specific purpose.

Regards.

[Ignacio]

Just one question. Wasn't Alonso penalized a year or two ago when he hindered Massa's last lap even when there was 300 meters distance between the two?

And now, Hamilton gets in the way of Raikonnen.. he admits it, Raikonnen admits it.. And since Hamilton apologizes, Hamilton goes with no penalty???

Can some fair pro-Hamilton Briton please explain that to me? Will Hamilton be ever sanctioned? I find it really amazing, but I would like to hear the explanation or justification from some knowledgeable Hamilton's fan. Thank you.

[Drunken springbok]

I don't care who will be the world champion tonight (Senna, Prost and Yuji Ide are gone anyway) but...

If it's Hamilton, fine for a rookie, whatever questions may remain on FIA's complacency (cf. Hungary, Japan or during Brasil's qualif at the exit of the pits) but what an overall deceitful feeling is left from him and his fellow team management...

If it's Alonso, the image of the 2-time world champion resisting with charisma to the 7-time's one quite faded. As a contrast with his team mate, poor image management and damaging arrogance ! Lack of overall class, ombre.

If it's Kimi, would it mean that black cats are finally gone ? Even if his character is not to raise any passion from me outside the track, I remain impressed by his commitment once the red lights are gone.

Back in March this year, I was looking so much forward to an exciting season. And even if we had crazy Nurburgring, Japan and Shanghai GP's, to me, the global taste of F1 2007 is quite bitter as I feel like we've been tricked from a clean competition.

Looking forward to 2008... ?

[Tlacuache]

i'm very happy for felipe massa, he has no chance at the wdc now so this pole and possibly a win in his home gp is a pretty nice way to end the season.

i think again, the comments from fa have been misrepresented, he admitted he made a setup change at the last minute and didn't work as he planned. it makes me wonder a bit, for all the complains about the "fanatical" spanish press, the british one shows very little class, consider this: a british driver is doing a great job and most likely will win the wdc tomorrow, why is there the need to kick fa when he's down? there are bad winners too.

and to all the people that commented about lh's apology to kimi, please read the context, it only came as a defense from uncomfortable questions from a very rude and pushy reporter from l'equipe.

[Kormak]

Incredible... is this an sport? are they gentelmen?

http://www.as.com/motor/articulo/automovilismo-ron-dennis-amenazo-periodista/dasmot/20071021dasdaimot_9/Tes

"After the press conference, an angry Ron Dennis approached her and told: "How can you ask such things? Everyone knows that you are crazy and that you are not a journalist objectively and say lies, if you would be a man I have already beaten you" Anne, almost in tears, replied: "You are a liar." What Ron settled shouting with a tremendous sentence: "You will have problems, you will have problems."

[IDR]

TO JOHN, (and to WEASEL AND SAM TOO)

"... more lame excuses from Alonso..."

What excuses?

I've heard his declarations after qualifying, I he says clearly that he has been as fast as he could.

Even more, when Pedro Lobato has tryed to talk about the car, Fernando has reacted to him saying that there was NOT nothing strange with the car.

"Are you trying to create another "china saturday"? He asked to Pedro Lobato.

"The car was OK. Some times you are not able to do a perfect lap, without errors. That's all."

[Luis de Expaña]

I saw Lewis letting way to Kimi correctly.

The problem is MacLaren did not allow to Alonso to do another estrategy.

[Carlos Sánchez-Ocaña]

Let's be objective. Ralf Scumacher got a 0,5 second penalty just for using two sets of wet tyres.FA also got a penalty for disturbing Felipe. What the hell Lewis is supposed to do in order to be penlizad? Facts are facts.

By the way LH is a fantastic driver.

[Augusto Baena]

Well, it seems that the female journalist of L'Equipe, Anne Guntini, was reprimanded severely by Ron Dennis and Anthony Hamilton after the press conference (in which she asked Lewis if he considered his blocking of Kimi as sportmanlike and he denied to answer), until she left in tears.

Yet another revealing chapter.

Regards

[Lucas, London]

Dear Ed,

Yesterday I had the unfortunate idea of trying to see the qualifying in a Pub. My suprise? Around Liverpool Street there was not a single, a single, pub showing the qualyfing. They were all showing stupid local futebol matches with no one bothering to see the games. Lewis Mania? Where? You know what? I hope Alonso get the title tomorrow just because your country does not deserve a world champion. How can it be? Having a driver with hands in the championship after 100 years and no interest at all... I bet two tyres exploding today!

[Sela]

“Every year there is a winner. Not every year there is a Champion” - Ayrton Senna, 1993

ALONSO IS THE CHAMPION

[joan]

To PEPEVIVAESPAÑA,etc

As a general rule you should learn to read first, get to know your stuff and then start to shape your opinion, instead of shaping reality according to your prejudices. In addition to that, it is also good to check the data you want to give before you proceed to do it, instead of copycatting the "facts" that the media at your reach transfer to your senses.

You are talking about the "English check", something that in proper English translates as UK rebate, as even javiervivaespania seems to know. It is not what you think it is -or the Spanish media, which keep repeating exactly what you said. It has to do with th fact that the UK has a small farming sector and readjusts that difference by returning some money to them. After getting the rebate, the UK has been the second largest net contributor to the UE for many years and still is. Without the rebate, the UK would be the largest net contributor. This is not F1 but I thought I had to refute that deceit, so widespread in Spain (like many others I suppose).

About F1, I think Massa's performance was to be expected somehow. He is keen to win at Jose Carlos Pace today and it might not be convenient for Hamilton to get too much involved in the fight. Kimi should try to stop Fernando instead of trying to overcome Hamilton. Ferrari is a team and that is why I expect Kimi to behave like that. That is also why Fernando Alonso does not and will not belong there. Kimi will wait to see if one of the McLarens leave the race before doing any strategic movement. Fernando Alonso will struggle to keep pace with the other three, he has a less powerful engine so only rain or accidents will give him a chance. He is starting fourth and that proves that his engine is not as fit as the others.
I will salute the champion today no matter who he is, but I hope that Hamilton will write anothet fine page of History.

[Santiago from Spain. España in fact.]

TO SI

Maybe Vodafone would not be happy to loose 20mil customers, unless you are the owner and are happy enough to conquer customers in Africa.

Maybe you should vote to get out of the EU, your Iron Woman wanted to, and find how difficult will run a country where the NHS is asking desperately to doctors and nurses in the EU to come to your country and look after you. Maybe you will change your point of view after winning LH the world championship about those coloured doctors you have, brought from the former colonies for a short period of time nowadays. Maybe EU would be better without that moaning UK´s population.

Anything could be Maybe...

For sure by now is nothing but death.

[Santiago from Spain. España in fact.]

ED why did you pick that RAIs interview alone? Did you see any other? There are quite a few more. Dont you forget it´s second time his engine runs, and is just about ten PH below than LH one.

Do you have any comments of the behaviour of Mr(?) Dennis and Hamilton Sr, when they approached your college Mrs Giuntini, who was "being berated by a rather angry McLaren boss Ron Dennis as well as Hamilton's father Anthony".

Was it in favour of freedom of the press? I´m quite sure not, according to their cheating and wrong feeding the press all season long.

[Nadie]

So you find what Alonso said (who remarked that he did his best and the car was ok)more interesting than what Lewis said to a L'Equipe journalist(now french are suspicious too?).

This guy express what I think with better english:
http://doctorvee.co.uk/2007/10/21/i-didnt-think-that-hamilton-blocked-raikkonen-but-now-i-do/

So, you say that Fernando is arrogant and Lewis is a humble guy. Ahem.

Fanboysim aside, Fernando also said something that i find interesting. He wanted to choose another strategy but the team didn't allow him.

P.S: To "SI". We are too pleased you brought out of the caves we used to live in. Now our children can eat daily, and we're replacing the donkeys we used to travel with cars! All thanks to you, white man. And we're so ungrateful we think we have the right to boycott your companys for whatever reason. As if we were the fair owners of our money! What we'll be the next! Pretending to be equal to you, civilised men?

[carla]

I only want to say that yesterday Lewis Hamilton blocked Kimi Raikkonen in the Q3 in his last lap - Ferrari went to the FIA to complain - and guess what happened, sorry it is too late to make a complain - they knew (Ferrari and Kimi) that nothing was going to happened to Lewis - ONCE AGAIN., for a similiar action between Alonso vs Masa he was sanctioned last year., but Lewis in intouchable.

During the press conference Anne Giuntini F1 french reporter from
L´Equipe (20 years exp-)asked Lewis Hamilton about his driving; whether it was correct or not? do you think this is the best way to be a sportsman or to act like that to win the tittle? Lewis lost his temper and said " I have made a mistake and I apologize to Kimi "-
/he has been apologising all year round for his mistakes but nothing has happened to him.

Of course Ron Denis and Daddy Hamilton went to talk to the french
reporter and were shouting at her - Ron said "you are lucky to be a woman if you were a man I will hit you , how could you ask such questions to Lewis you are a crazy reporter and you will have problems in the future" no comments

This F1 2007 is over - Lewis will
get the tittle thanks to FIA

I only wish that 2008 will be a better F1 and not like a circus and that all the racers will have the same OPTIONS

[Vicente]

In Spain we prefer Lexus than Mercedes and Telefónica than Vodafone and perhaps tomorrow a lot of people close his accounts in Santander Bank......The same in Italy, and France and all Latinamérica, etc, etc...... England it´s only a sad and pathetic part of an Island.... I undertand way the scotish, and the Irish and the wales people don´t want nothin with english people like Ron or hamilton or Berni.... Today Kimi will win the Champioship

[D]

Ed,

Where have they positioned the cow this morning?

[ramplano]

Lewis delivered brilliantly again! Alonso didn't. He's got to choices now.

1/ Park his car in the garage whenever he sees there is no chance to win, get a plane home, remain silent and start thinking about what's coming regarding his contract and future

2/ Behave like a sportman and a mature person, finish the race, congratulate the winner and trying to regain a bit of respect not answering twisted question from a certain type of media (As, Telecinco, Marca..)

It may happen that LH crashes, Felipe making driving mistakes and Alonso coming second. However, that would not make him a better driver or sportman. It would only be a beyond any belief luck!

4 hours to go. Let's hope for a clean battle today

[Timo]

Following her spat with Hamilton, Ron Dennis apparently made personal threats against Anne Giuntini, journalist of French magazine L'Equipe "You will have problems! You will have problems", after first claiming that all the world knew she was a lying lunatic, and then adding that he would have punched her if she had been a man. What about equality of treatment? He should have punched her anyway!

see http://www.as.com/motor/articulo/automovilismo-ron-dennis-amenazo-periodista/dasmotfm1/20071021dasdaimot_9/Tes#info_rel1

[Joseote]

"[Quote] As it WAS FA was b*tching about the mere 3 seconds he had left to cross the line to do his final hot lap and blames his poor performance on THAT [...Quote]"

I repeat I haven't heard Alonso talking about that in all the interviews I have seen in spanish media, so Mr. Michael Bowen, "Do some RESEARCH before you form an opinion", please.

[Bojan]

I wonder if anyone found any comments of this season's show down from Mesrrs. Prost, Mansell, Piquet Sr.. They were the last involved in such a triple battle for the WDC. They also had somewhat similar "public discussions" about alleged preferential treatment of one or another driver in the team.
It might make interesting reading at this particular moment. :-)

[Anja Stein]

to: Michael Bowen

Thank you, thank you, thank you!!! With VERY few exceptions, this blog's posts sound like transcripts of a never-ending F1 episode of "The Jerry Springer Show" -- sometimes hilarious (for all the wrong reasons) but mostly tiresome and ultimately dumb.

[Seppo Koponen]

Michael Bowen, please calm down. Now, about the picture you are yelling about. It may prove that Kimi is on the racing line, so Hamilton did not "block" him. But remember, he was very close to Kimi in the braking zone, probably taking away some aerodynamic "weight" at the hard braking for the corner. We all saw the result: Kimi ran a bit wide. All Hamilton needed was to lift a little earlier so that they would not come to the braking zone at the same time. Unfortunetely he "did not see anything in his mirrors", yeah right.

[Elizabeth Burgess]

Gosh, a driver claims he could have got his qualifying time down a bit more if he hadn't got held up fractionally behind another car. Shock horror!!!!

Can somebody tell me please how many times this season that excuse has been used by someone or other after qualifying? Seems to me that it happens almost every race. Of course, for the Spanish contingent here it obviously demonstrates bias in favour of Hamilton and we get the usual ill-informed howls that Hamilton should be penalised.

Heavens above, if something that trivial were to be penalised they'd still be sorting out the grid positions on Monday evening! What penalty would suffice for Michael Schumacher when he parked across the track at Monaco last year impeding, from memory, Alonso (in the Renault). Presumably he should just have been quietly taken behind Alonso's pit and shot to stop him doing it again ....

I note neither Raikonnen nor Ferrari thought it even worth protesting about to the stewards, but hey, why let a little thing like that get in the way of a chance to criticise Hamilton?

You don't suppose even Ferrari have now joined the anti-Alonso camp? After all, look at their recent actions, first they say there is "zero" chance of Alonso driving for Ferrari next year, then they extend Massa's contract thereby shutting Alonso out of any possibility of driving a Ferrari next year, and after that then they fail to protest Hamilton. Well, obvious isn't it! They're doing everything they can to unsettle "Magic" Alonso and spoil his chances of winning the WDC. Better watch out in case Raikonnen clashes with Alonso at the first corner to protect Hamilton .....

[ALLMAN]

Hey, Ed, are you going to post something about the French journalist threatened by R. Dennis and Daddy Hamilton? I've read that Dennis told her that he would have hit her if she were a man an that she will have problems. Why don't you write about this? Don't you have any respect for other journalists?

About M. Bowen, he seems to be extremely angry after the humiliation received yesterday by the Bokkes. XDDD

[willy]

Here we go...Alonso WORLD CHAMPION!!!

[art mo0ney]

I am really sorry.

I truly am :

1. for the brits : they could not try winning the championship without some voodoo & black arts (pun intended).
2. for the brit mediae for trying its best to alter the normal course of things. Geez, this is a sport : may the best win, may it be because of his own merits !
3. for the two faces of Dennis & Vodafone. What comes around goes around.
4. last but not least : for the FIA to make of this year's championship a shameful circus. There is no honor, no sportmanship in this charade.

Now let's hope H. parks the car as good as ever, on a tinier place than last time (he's good at it)!

I wonder what he'll do next year : no ferrari car, no world F1 champion as teammate, no clue on car tuning, ... I only hope he'll got the extra help dropped as well. Now there we would have some good laughs... and tantrums.

Anyway, it's going to be a wonderful race (if not further spoiled). I'm looking forward to it !!

cheese,
-art-

[Jordi]

Michael Bowen

this research took me about 10 sec.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=74il02wkvMI

is not about WHERE it happen or WHY it happen or WHEN it happen.

Is about rules. Those apply wherever it happens, whenever it happens no mater why it happens.

The difference seems to be WHO break those rules.

Michael, I haven't read any post as disgusting as yours, not even from the uneducated spanish little people.

[Joseote]

According to the Spanish Press, Ron Dennis insulted and threatened the L'Equipe writer and Journalist Anne Giuntini for insisting on the Raikkonen-Hamilton incident. Accoding to several papers Mr. Dennis said she was mad and a liar, and that if she were a man he would have already fight her. When she retorted "your are the liar" he then replyed "you will regret what you have done".
Of course, you can't find the slightest trace of the incident in British media. Curiously enough, you can find the infamous "Alonso cries again" and suposed quotations from him in several British Media (including The Times and this Blog), when nobody else has heard him complaining this weekend in his interviews.

[la verdad]

So Alonso moans that because he was behind Hamilton he only had 3 seconds to cross the line and start his flying lap.

In Hungary, Hamilton overtook Alonso and he would have been in front of Hamilton for his flying lap, giving him more time. He didn't just moan but prevented Hamilton making his flying lap.

Moan, moan, moan...

[Jordi]

Ed said that autosport said that RAI repported Alonso blaming the team.

I have been looking for those comments in the RAI site without finding them:

http://www.raisport.rai.it/sportsezione/0,,38,00.html

neither in any other site, tv, newspaper that I have been watching, reading and researching.

So, can anyone comfirm watching those comments from Alonso?

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/63481

or is jus a case of defame, defame and someone will believe you.

[Luisa]

I tried to write my opinion more than 7 times....and I was banned (even my english in not good enough to say **idiot** properly)
And you let a typical english polite animal (Michael Bowen) talking about "morons" "idiots" "Go away. Back to Spain"...
Thanks God my english friends are not like you, gilipollas. Talking about sport like you it sounds rubish

[pepe]

To MICHAEL BOWEN

"There is NO pleasing you idiots. Go away. Back to Spain. Try and LEARN SOMETHING ABOUT F1 BEFORE YOU COME BACK!!! You sound like TOTAL IDIOTS griping like you do all the time without KNOWING anything. You're starting to sound like Ferrari even (a team characteristically full of bad sports....with the current drivers and Rubino being exceptions...."

You sound like that kind of English people who every summer invade Spain and we call them "hooligans"

[PRAVI]

A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S (DREAM) “TEAM” – continued

(I forgot to mention the title in my previous post as well as the Disclaimer:

This story is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to any persons living or dead or any events is purely coincidental)

Scene 3: Sao Paolo, 20th of October, 11:45 PM

It’s the final race of the season. Jean Todt, head of Super Aguri, is on the verge of exploding with excitement and the unbearable tension as one of his Super Aguris leading into the final lap, just a couple of metres away from their first and coveted drivers and constructors world championship, takes the final left curve before hitting the long straight, just metres away from glory.

And then it happens! The Aguri engine explodes in a bellow of smoke, loses speed rapidly and comes to a stop just half a metre from the finish line… Looking to the left, a Mercedes McLaren with the young Lauda Jr. (son of Niki Lauda, former WC and close associate of Norbert Haug, team principal of Mercedes McLaren, who replaced Ron Dennis after Mercedes bought him off) crosses the finish line and clinches the WC….

However, there is no Cheering; the only sound that can be heard is the familiar soundtrack of “GODFATHER IX”… JT wakes up in a stream of sweat, looks at his Ferrari branded pyjamas and realises with relief that it was just a bad dream.

He picks up his red mobile phone (“GODFATHER IX” is the official ring-tone for all Ferrari employees) and …

JT: Oui, Ello? (h is silent)

Caller: Am I talking to JT?

(The caller’s accent seems to have a Sicilian “touch” and the coarseness of his voice suggests that he’s just finished smoking a whole pack of cigarettes, but if you listen carefully you can still notice faint traces of the caller’s working-class English roots, in fact, it reminds one of Hugh Grant’s impersonation of “Mikey” in a Hollywood flick)

JT: Yes

Caller: Donta put ina any complaint a to the FIA abouta Lewis obstructing Kimi in Q3!

JT: Err what?

Caller: You heard me. Forgeta abouta Q3. If Lewis gets a penalised a you will be in deaap trable!

JT: Mon Dieu! We just talked to CW and …

Caller: Mamma mia! Take ita a backa or elsea ….

JT: Are you treatening (h is silent) me?
Caller: I ema making an offer that a you canta refuse. Just a do it or else a …

JT: Or else wat (h is silent)?

Caller: You willa wake up with the head a of a black horse packed in a YELOW bag!

JT: o.k. o.k. don’t do anything to the orse (h is silent). I’ll call CW and we will retract the complaint! But please, leave the orse (h is silent) alone

(Caller hangs up)

Scene 4: 5 minutes later, CW’s vodafone mobile rings (the ring-tone – I know what you did THIS summer)

CW: Hello? (mental note – damn, got to change that bloody ring-tone…yeah! Maybe I’ll use that, now what’s it called - la marcha española? ..hmm! That’s going to sound safe)

Caller: I hava soma informationa that yora wifea is a chiting you!

CW: What? Who’s this?

Caller: It’s me, mate! Relax, gotcha, didn’t I?

CW: Ron, you can be such an ass! I wonder where you picked up that accent?

RD: It’s a long story.. I called Hugh Grant and he helped me. Anyway, JT is going to retract the complaint so that’s settled then.

CW: well o.k. I guess that’s the most we can do for Lewis.

RD: Yeah! If he doesn’t do it now, he never will and I am going to kick his rear if he screws up again. I have put my life’s savings in his bloody career! He’s my retirement pension… Norbert’s being an ass lately too. This morning, he said – “Ron, we need to talk about ze future of ze team”. Don’t know what they are up to lately?

CW: Relax Ron. You’ve done your best.

RD: Thanks mate, always a pleasure to talk to you. Do you think that the Queen is..

CW: RON! Stop with that BS

RD: Why? If Frank (Williams) can get knighted why can’t I? It’ss not fair, I have done a lot more for the sport ….

CW: o.k. o.k. Lord Dennis you deserve it but I have some bad news for ye. It seems that they already have a candidate for the next knighthood

RD: Wait, don’t tell me it’s Max, that dim-wit!

CW: No, it’s not. The word out there is that it’s going to be Dodi al Fyed. It seems that he has reached some kind of agreement with Buckinghamilton and is going to publicly deny that there was a conspiracy in the deaths of, you know who?

RD: That’s not fair …not fair at all … I deserve to be knighted …I do, I really do…

CW (serious tone): Sorry about that mate but maybe you could still get the “Principe de Asturias” for helping Fernando so much

RD: You don’t believe that do you?

CW: What? You getting the “Principe” thing or you helping Fernando … ha ha ha ha ha ha ha

(Roaring laughter ensues like the night before mingled again with the choicest of Cockney expletives)

Scene 4: ?

[adam forrester]

I thought Hamiltons answer to Giuntini statement was admirable.A journalist is supposed to ask questions not state their opinion.She clear wants the no 1 plate going to here husbands team Renault.
BTW Britain is the second biggest budget contributor to the EU after Germany even after deducting the rebate.In the last 20 years the contributing countries have given billions of euros to spain.

[Rafael]

And now, this is the end of nationalistics discusions about brits or spas. It's only entertainment and the new king is finnish. Ferrari was the best car today and the rest is history. Nice show until the last race.

[OscarP]

ADAM, if I learnt something after having lived in England and Scandinavia where the spirit of raw capitalism rules, is that you never give something for free.

If you give 5 units, it is because, at least your return on the investment(no charity, mate) is expected to be 50 or 100 units.

Most of the spaniards living in England are employees, most of the english men in Spain, whatever they do, start a limited company so they never have to pay taxes to those spaniards.

The money you loot to the spanish state every year is a huge amount, by renting houses (taxfree), and so on.
And every business, what a coincidence, you have goes on a deficit, so you never pay taxes. Or your company is in Gibraltar that hosts thousands of companies operating in the whole coast of spain.
Please, I know our government is too naive, but we know you very well.
The day we have that pirate instint, we will be something but we care about other things about money.
Sorry but you will never get it!

[Pablo]

To Adam Forrester:

Your knowledge about the contributions to Spain is typical:

1. The contributions goes to companies from Germany, France and others. Or do you think politics are so simple-minded? Do you think the AVE in Spain was made by Talgo?

2. Spain has given much more to UK and the rest of you: They have given an open market to your companies. Spain has no chances to create an industry of its own because it cannot compete with the more develop industries in northen Europe. The Eruopean market is a scam. Do you really think politicians are stupid, don't you?

Anyway, politics besides. The title goes to Italy. Take heed.

[Si]

Pepe , Javier Viva Espana et al,
You demonstrate that your lack of knowledge of economics and european social policy, almost matches your ignorance of F1. UK is one of the biggest net contributors to the EU (despite 'le cheque'). Euro transfers from EU to Espana run into the billions. I'm not complaining...I'm well aware that it makes good economic sense and creates winners on both sides...building Spains economy and creating new markets for EU companies. So thats all copasetic.

A boycott of UK/German goods however would do Espana more harm than good. If you think companies from those countries need you market...then how much more do Santander etc need the UK/German markets. This illadvised call to boycott foreign goods/services on some perceived sleight of your driver confirms exactly the stereotype of irrational, temperamental Spaniards...that you so often complain about. A Stereotype that FA has re-inforced with his bevaiour this year also.

By all means, trade in your Merc for a Renault and get your mobile contract from telefonica. Be assured, I will continue to purchas my goods and services from the most competitive sources...irrespective of where their head office resides. Economic Nationalism is anathema.

[Pablo]

To SI:

The boycott is quite a silly thing, but your argument is also flawed. Spain has a structural deficit with the rest of the world. The very few big companies in Spain have foreign investors as their larger shareholder (including Santander). Moreover, most of these big companies has their main foreign markets in South America, not Europe. Our main exports to Europe is foodstuff... big deal. 70% of employment comes from medium and small companies that do not trade in international markets.

Economic nationalism no, but economic protectionism for countries still developing is fair. After all, if you know anything about econimic history, this is what England, US, Germany, Japan and any other industrialised nation did. The European Market is the very well known strategy of kicking away the ladder. Please, read Ha-Joon Chang and stop assuming that people with less economic means are by default more stupid.

[Pablo]

It is boring to listen always the british assuming we are just "ignorants". In general, I was not really impressed by the knowledge of English people while I was living there. I am not going to say whether it was better or worse, but if there were any differences I didn't notice.

Spain lacks a larger pool of intellectuals and scientists, which UK, Germany and other developed countries already enjoy. But when it comes to common people, as I said, I cannot perceived any difference at all. Maybe between districts within cities. In fact, I remember the atonishing problem they have with youngsters. It is almost scary to think they are the next british generation.

[Michael Bowen]

Hey Pepe, you of the "You sound like that kind of English people who every summer invade Spain and we call them "hooligans"....I wouldn't know. I'm not British. I'm not even European. And my interests in visiting Spain have vanished based on the apparently, and astoundingly, high epsilon-minus-semi-moron factor in Spain....as evidenced by the rampant generalizations without evidence (both about ME being British and about the FIA & F1 in general) and on the amazing level of personal attacks and enmity mouthed by les petites papillon spaniards against various F1 members (not to mention Ed). I'm amazed that Spain was ever allowed to enter the EU because such an act would involve negotiation and discussion, which I'm not sure, based on evidence here, is actually possible. Here's hoping FA moves to another team of McLaren's calibre next year...like Force India, THEN we'll see how happy you all are. I'll bet that he never wins another WC.