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Alonso an instant hit at Maranello
Topic Started: Dec 29 2009, 12:40 AM (510 Views)
Steelstallions
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Fernando Alonso has been instantly accepted by his new Ferrari colleagues, it appears – with one quipping that ‘in two days he has seen more of the Maranello factory than others in two years’, believed to be a thinly-veiled reference to his predecessor Kimi Raikkonen – but he acknowledges that he still has to ‘earn their trust’.

Alonso was speaking following his second trip to the legendary Italian marque’s Modena headquarters since agreeing terms to join the squad from 2010 onwards, during which he met with the workforce and enthusiastically drove a brace of Ferrari road cars – the 458 Italy and 599 – around the Fiorano test track.

“I have to earn the trust and gain the confidence of the team and begin a good relationship with the engineers and mechanics,” the 28-year-old is quoted as having said by Spanish sports newspaper Marca. “That is what I am trying to do in these months, in order to arrive at the first race with a good understanding with the team so that we all feel comfortable together.”

Alonso added that he has not taken with him to the Scuderia any of the engineers he worked with during his seven-year F1 stint at Renault, admitting that whilst ‘I get along very well with many of them and they are very good...I assume that the ones with Ferrari are the best in the world’.

It seems the Oviedo native certainly made a strong first impression on his new team, speaking in fluent Italian and causing one engineer to make the aforementioned quip, alluding to the fact that 2007 F1 World Champion Raikkonen scarcely bothered to visit Maranello at all during his time spent at Ferrari.

What’s more, new team-mate Felipe Massa opined that he and Alonso can combine to be a force to be reckoned with in 2010 indeed, and dismissed notions that he will be cast into a supporting role by the arrival of the double F1 World Champion – the driver who many hold to be the best in the world.

“Alonso is a great driver – everyone knows that – and I think we will have a good relationship off the track,” underlined Massa. “I think we can form the strongest partnership in the championship. I think his arrival will change nothing in my career or within Ferrari; we are two great drivers, and his recruitment is good for the team.”


I imagine it makes quite a difference when the team are happy with a driver rather than just respect them.
I don't remember any of this type of reporting since the days of Massa and MS driving for Ferrari.


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Jack
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He speaks a very fluent Italian. This could help.

And more important as compared to Kimi: he speaks. :)
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Rob
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I just hope he is an instant hit on the track.
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RJHSaints
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All I care about is that he doesn't impede Massa's march towards the title. <dance>
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Rob
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I'd like to see Massa take the title against Alonso, but I don't know if he's got the goods. Alonso is one hell of a driver and looking back, I think he would have taken Kimi in the same car.
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John
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Many drivers come close to lifting the WDC and save for a few lucky breaks they never manage it... Massa may prove to be one such, I think Massa is good enough to win the title if things go his way but I think Alonso has the ability to make thing go his way and that will prevent Massa reaching the ultimate step.... IMO
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P1
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John,Jan 4 2010
07:15 PM
Many drivers come close to lifting the WDC and save for a few lucky breaks they never manage it... Massa may prove to be one such, I think Massa is good enough to win the title if things go his way but I think Alonso has the ability to make thing go his way and that will prevent Massa reaching the ultimate step.... IMO

Exactly - It is more than just luck, as most successful WDCs persistantly build and nuture their own 'luck' to get it. Alonso is more complete in that area than Massa.
But lets see. The first couple of races will tell us how fast and well Alonso has fitted in and how much Massa may have further matured.
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RJHSaints
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In response to the above, realistically, I accept it's going to be tough for Felipe this year, not least because he'll have to re-adapt to the car after several months injured. However, that doesn't stop me from making wildly optimistic predictions! <thumbsup>
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John
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While I think Alonso is in a league above Massa, I hope he will return to full strength asap... and if he bagged a WDC then fine... I can think of many lucky to win WDC's but lucky or not they each and everyone deserved it.
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P1
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And I think we are many that would love to see Massa give Alonso a tough run for the money in terms of their compared on-track performance and results for Ferrari this season ! <thumbsup>
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John
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If commitment to your team won WDC's Massa and not Kimi would be Ferrari's most recent champion... 2009 shook up the order a lot and 2010 looks to be as unpredictable... there are any number of drivers who could surprise us.

As it stands there are currently any number of drivers I would like to see lift the crown in 2010 even with Schumacher back racing and that includes Alonso and Massa
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Jack
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Massa has bad luck. It is difficult to shine having Schumacher, Räikkönen and Alonso as teammates.
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Brave_Lee_Flea
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Jack,Jan 7 2010
01:21 AM
Massa has bad luck. It is difficult to shine having Schumacher, Räikkönen and Alonso as teammates.

True, yet he did well against Kimi and we may yet be surprised at how he fares against Alonso.
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