Ferrari's weak points are clear

[vcs316]

Ferrari technical director James Allison says the weaknesses of the team's car are clear this year, but admits it will not be the work of a moment to fix them.

Allison joined the team last year but arrived too late to have any significant impact on the design of this year's F14 T. Ferrari has struggled since the start of the year with its under-powered and overweight power unit but is also lacking downforce to the top teams.

"The weak spots are fairly clear," Allison said. "We don't have as much downforce as the people that are quicker than us, we don't have as much power as the people that are quicker than us and our car is too tricky to drive. It's got too loose a rear end and even with two drivers who are extremely sensitive drivers and gentle on tyres it tends to chew its tyres a bit quickly. It's very easy to point out where those weaknesses are, it's somewhat harder to set out a programme to address it, but that's what we are up to."

Allison is leading the project to improve the team's competitiveness next season and said he had shown the plans to Fernando Alonso and Kimi Raikkonen in recent weeks.

"Both our drivers have had our programme set out in front of them, and both of them had the opportunity to give us feedback, as they do on a continual basis about the weaknesses of our current cars. It is a great thing when the driver buys into what you are doing and we make an effort to try to make sure that they can see the plans that we have in place.

"Kimi is quite new to our team, and Fernando, I guess, has had some years of being with Ferrari and has not yet attained the goal that he wanted when he joined us. I guess he has sat through a few of these meetings already, I hope the presentations that I put his way, as well as a few of my colleagues, have been convincing but I guess you need to speak to him to get his view on that."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.

[killer]

"The weak spots are fairly clear," Allison said. "We don't have as much downforce as the people that are quicker than us, we don't have as much power as the people that are quicker than us and our car is too tricky to drive.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.

Ah so we have minor problems. :-D

I'm a bit confused at the timing of the article relative to Fernando's "I have seen many plans" statement. I tend to understand James as saying both drivers have bought into the plans but then he says he can't speak for Fernando.

[zike]

I hope the presentations that I put his way, as well as a few of my colleagues, have been convincing but I guess you need to speak to him to get his view on that."

I dont like this part

[Kiwi Nick]

I hope the presentations that I put his way, as well as a few of my colleagues, have been convincing but I guess you need to speak to him to get his view on that."

I dont like this part

Sounds like Nando was just a bit more than non-committal!

[FerrariF60]

Sounds like Nando was just a bit more than non-committal!

and who can blame him; he has give his ALL, more then 120% every year for the past 5 seasons including this one, and in return what has he got??? pretty much a MULE every single year, with maybe an exception in 2010 when the car was somewhat better/easier to drive

so it would be only normal for him to be cautious of whatever they're presenting to him and the plans for next year...hopefully FERRARI gets all their marbles right and give their drivers a car at least that they can fight WITH for the CHAMPIONSHIP next year.

it doesn't have to be a ROCKETSHIP (although it would be nice), just couple of TENTHS of the best in PURE RAW qualifying trim....then i'm sure both NANDO and KIMI will do the rest

[AfterLife]

Hopefully with stable basis from 2015, we could develop the car and upgrade it, so we could see evolution not revolution.

[wappad]

and who can blame him; he has give his ALL, more then 120% every year for the past 5 seasons including this one, and in return what has he got??? pretty much a MULE every single year, with maybe an exception in 2010 when the car was somewhat better/easier to drive

so it would be only normal for him to be cautious of whatever they're presenting to him and the plans for next year...hopefully FERRARI gets all their marbles right and give their drivers a car at least that they can fight WITH for the CHAMPIONSHIP next year.

it doesn't have to be a ROCKETSHIP (although it would be nice), just couple of TENTHS of the best in PURE RAW qualifying trim....then i'm sure both NANDO and KIMI will do the rest

And despite these 'mules' we scored more points than any other team apart from Red Bull during the 'drinks company' - domination until now..!! Wonder how we should call the vehicles of our
other competitors.. ;-)

[zike]

And despite these 'mules' we scored more points than any other team apart from Red Bull during the 'drinks company' - domination until now..!! Wonder how we should call the vehicles of our
other competitors.. ;-)

Second best does not count

[Kiwi Nick]

and who can blame him; he has give his ALL, more then 120% every year for the past 5 seasons including this one, and in return what has he got??? pretty much a MULE every single year, with maybe an exception in 2010 when the car was somewhat better/easier to drive

so it would be only normal for him to be cautious of whatever they're presenting to him and the plans for next year...hopefully FERRARI gets all their marbles right and give their drivers a car at least that they can fight WITH for the CHAMPIONSHIP next year.

it doesn't have to be a ROCKETSHIP (although it would be nice), just couple of TENTHS of the best in PURE RAW qualifying trim....then i'm sure both NANDO and KIMI will do the rest

The last Ferrari champion to have a rocketship was Schumi. Even number 2 drivers in that era were able to win races when Schumi retired. Barrichello, Irvine, Massa all won in those days. Even Salo had a win in his pocket, were it not for team orders. So, a rocketship is what Alonso is looking for. Ferrari need to convince him that they can deliver. And they are not the only ones involved in courting Nando.

[ManFromMilan]

Ferrari need to convince him that they can deliver. And they are not the only ones involved in courting Nando.



I still don't see Fernando leaving. Yes he wants a car that can enable him to fight for the WDC and win it, but he wants a Ferrari to take him to his next WDC.

When Ferrari gets the car winning again i believe that they could get him to extend his stay at Maranello, but failure to build a championship winning car will probably see Fernando retire from F1.

[Alonsomaniac]

I still don't see Fernando leaving. Yes he wants a car that can enable him to fight for the WDC and win it, but he wants a Ferrari to take him to his next WDC.

When Ferrari gets the car winning again i believe that they could get him to extend his stay at Maranello, but failure to build a championship winning car will probably see Fernando retire from F1.

That's about it I think. Fernando won't leave because wherever he goes it will be an uncertain future. Besides that, he came to Ferrari to become a champion in red. Leaving will feel like failure to him, so I think he will continue to pursue his goal until he either has that championship in red or till it's time to retire.

[Kiwi Nick]

ManFromMilan and Alonsomaniac, do you guys really think that if Alonso thought that McLaren/Honda or Merc presented him with the best chance to win his next WDC he would say "No thanks, I'm going to stay with Ferrari and see what happens." Do you think that the WDCs he won with Renault don't count? That thinking is just beyond...

[wappad]

Second best does not count

If that is true, most of the teams better stop racing this year. And I feel little bit betrayed then, because I just have celebrated a second place last weekend..

If we remain the second team overall since we clinched our last WCC till we manage to get to the top again, I will be a very proud and happy Tifoso :-)!!

[ARUN M KARUNAN]

i not hoping a car for red that dominates like merc this year and rbr last years.just hoping that comes around similar to merc or rbr.rest alo will do

[ManFromMilan]

ManFromMilan and Alonsomaniac, do you guys really think that if Alonso thought that McLaren/Honda or Merc presented him with the best chance to win his next WDC he would say "No thanks, I'm going to stay with Ferrari and see what happens." Do you think that the WDCs he won with Renault don't count? That thinking is just beyond...



How are anybody going guarantee him a winning car? What are they going to show him?(just ask Allison how easily Fernando is bowled over)

Do you feel the Mclaren/Honda is going to be a winning combination right away? Do you think Merc is going to open a seat for him? Is RBR going to drop one of their drivers and ignore their own young driver program drivers?

Fernando is one of the greats of his generation. He does not need the media to make a constant hype around him to validate his existence in F1 or to justify his 4 WDC's. He has cemented his legacy when he was the one breaking the MS dominance. He drove and won races in Renault and Ferrari's not fast enough to be on the podium. He has stayed a threat to his competitors and a competitive driver through out his career.

He has been the only driver in the last few years that all team principals, without question, would back as the best in the business and the one driver they would love to have in their team. They are the people that make those calls on data seen on track(i'm sure you know the big teams gather data on their competitors cars in races as well and studies that too) and not like so many people that just listens to the ramblings of the F1 media with their backward agendas and tendencies to make up stories and rumors. It was DC who first gave his opinion that Fernando was talking to RBR and then all of a sudden that fairy story was reported as fact by all the quacks in the business. Now with DC's history with RBR and Horner's sly use and manipulation of the nun-story that only fueled the fire, i am pretty sure that might have been a RBR tactic to sow discord in the Ferrari team.

So continue to let the media think for you and fill your head with crap, because that thinking is beyond....

Fernando is at Ferrari because he has always stated that his ultimate goal will always be driving for Ferrari. Anywhere he goes now will just nullify his time at Ferrari. If he should win another championship with any other brand in F1 it will never be as sweet as one with Ferrari. As i have already discussed, he is not out to prove his greatness as that would stand regardless if he stays a two time champion or even end his career as a four or even five times WDC. He wants to end his career with who he seas as the greatest, the pinnacle team in the history of Formula One, Scuderia Ferrari.

The only question, and probably for him the only worry, is that going to be none, one or multiple titles at Ferrari before he retire?

[zike]

If that is true, most of the teams better stop racing this year. And I feel little bit betrayed then, because I just have celebrated a second place last weekend..

If we remain the second team overall since we clinched our last WCC till we manage to get to the top again, I will be a very proud and happy Tifoso :-)!!

I never celebrate second places, and as you could see neither does Alonso :-)

[Kiwi Nick]

ManFromMilan, if what you say is what Nando thinks then there is no need for Allison or anybody else to show him their plan for 2015. Alonso would rather drive for Ferrari than win another WDC. If that is the case, his time at the Scuderia could go down in history as the time when Alonso was almost great and his time at Renault will be remembered as the time when he was the all conquering champion.

I would not want to have to make the decision he is facing. But, it will likely determine whether or not he wins another WDC. He must believe in which ever team he selects, and that team must produce. If he chooses to remain with Ferrari, that will tell us that Allison and company may have a bright future. I would not be surprised to see Nando renegotiate his contract to a one year deal with a series of options based on performance which would essentially allow him to leave after each year. That would force Ferrari to perform and would leave him free to jump to any open seat he wanted. We'll see what happens in the next 6-8 weeks.

[Rosso Corsa]

I trust Fernando summed up his aspirations back in 2009.



“My father always told me this would happen," Alonso told the Guardian. "He said, ’If you race for Ferrari then you can retire. Your life is complete.’ So after I won my two championships for Renault I said, ’I’m happy now – my career is complete.’ And he said, ’No, no, if you drive for Ferrari people will forget the championships. They will remember you as a Ferrari driver.’ I said, ’Okay, Papa, we’ll see.’ Now I think he was right. Ferrari gives you a special feeling."

Source (http://motorsport.nextgen-auto.com/A-fresh-start-for-Alonso-with-Ferrari,1592.html)

The statistics books will just detail x, y and z, but he's transcended stats for so many already anyway. Fernando is in a hall of fame that a sports series can't provide a trophy for. He's a Ferrari legend with or without future titles with us. A trophy with us would still be a nice image to go with the status though.

For my money, he's staying with Ferrari until at least the end of 2016. If he leaves us, I think he'll be leaving F1.

[hogo]

I trust Fernando summed up his aspirations back in 2009.




Source (http://motorsport.nextgen-auto.com/A-fresh-start-for-Alonso-with-Ferrari,1592.html)

The statistics books will just detail x, y and z, but he's transcended stats for so many already anyway. Fernando is in a hall of fame that a sports series can't provide a trophy for. He's a Ferrari legend with or without future titles with us. A trophy with us would still be a nice image to go with the status though.

For my money, he's staying with Ferrari until at least the end of 2016. If he leaves us, I think he'll be leaving F1.

Sadly most Alonso fanatics and most journos don't know this or want to ignore what he said. Hence why they come up with stories about Alonso leaving Ferrari for another team.
Btw, I also think that that Alonso will end his career with us.

[wappad]

I never celebrate second places, and as you could see neither does Alonso :-)

You're sure? I remember Alonso celebrating his 9th. place at the finishline in Bahrain a few months ago..:wave

[TonyRizza]

pretty sure he fist pumped at the end of the race when he got second, unless my mind is lying to me :lol

[zike]

You're sure? I remember Alonso celebrating his 9th. place at the finishline in Bahrain a few months ago..:wave

Use your brain.....that fist pumping had other meaning

[wappad]

Use your brain.....that fist pumping had other meaning

:rotfl