Fernando Alonso refuses to blame strategy error

**steelstallions** · 14th November 2010, 18:40

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/moto...ne/9188316.stm

Fernando Alonso refused to blame his Ferrari team for the strategic decision that may have handed the drivers' world championship to Sebastian Vettel.

Ferrari chose to shadow an early pitstop by Vettel's Red Bull team-mate Mark Webber, a move which left him stuck behind Renault's Vitaly Petrov.

"It's very easy to see the best strategy after the race," said Alonso.

"But this is sport, this is motor racing. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose."

I agree, hindsight is great, with hindsight we could have told MS not to bother showing up today as he would crash. Without the crash, no middle runners getting early pit stops and Alonso would have cruised to the finish Fourth and WDC.

**Julie B** · 14th November 2010, 18:47

Everyone's a Strategist during the race eh

Hindsight is a fabulous thing if you have a crystal ball

**Ferrarichamp** · 14th November 2010, 18:52

It would be silly to blame a lost championship on a single race. This season has highlighted just how hard it is to win when you don't have the best car.

**Tifosi** · 14th November 2010, 18:57

Originally Posted by Ferrarichamp

It would be silly to blame a lost championship on a single race. This season has highlighted just how hard it is to win when you don't have the best car.

Red Bull very nearly proved how easy is is to throw it away, even if you have the best car!

**Hermann** · 14th November 2010, 18:58

Ferrari admitting strategy error, Andrea Stella said that Fernando deserved a better support from the team, that they did not respond like they should have.

http://www.marca.com/2010/11/14/moto...3&t=1289760750

Berlusconi calling for Montezemolo to resign:

http://www.elmundo.es/elmundodeporte...289754842.html

**Greig** · 14th November 2010, 19:02

Luca to resign LOL

**Suzie** · 14th November 2010, 19:02

Berlusconi is the last person anyone should be paying attention to.

**Ferrarichamp** · 14th November 2010, 19:02

Originally Posted by Hermann

Ferrari admitting strategy error, Andrea Stella said that Fernando deserved a better support from the team, that they did not respond like they should have.

http://www.marca.com/2010/11/14/moto...3&t=1289760750

Berlusconi calling for Montezemolo to resign:

http://www.elmundo.es/elmundodeporte...289754842.html

**Red Rocket** · 14th November 2010, 19:04

Originally Posted by Hermann

Berlusconi calling for Montezemolo to resign:

http://www.elmundo.es/elmundodeporte...289754842.html

Ha ha I like to ask for Berlusconi to resign a true corrupt clown of a politician.

**Ferrarichamp** · 14th November 2010, 19:05

Apparently it's a minister, not Berlusconi himself ?

**Mrs.Domenicali** · 14th November 2010, 20:17

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/88292

Ferrari: Alonso strategy a team decision

By Jonathan Noble Sunday, November 14th 2010, 19:59 GMT

Ferrari team principal Stefano Domenicali has said his team will not single out individuals to blame for the strategy mistake that cost Fernando Alonso the world championship in Abu Dhabi.

Alonso only needed to finish in fourth place at the Yas Marina circuit on Sunday to secure the crown - but a strategy error in making an early switch to prime tyres to cover title rival Mark Webber left him stuck behind Renault's Vitaly Petrov for the rest of the race.

That left Alonso down in seventh at the chequered flag and meant he missed out on the title to race winner Sebastian Vettel by four points.

Afterwards Domenicali owned up to the error that Ferrari had made, but said there was little point highlighting the decision-making process of who had made the wrong call.

"It was a mistake," explained Domenicali. "Afterwards it is pretty clear it was a mistake, but at this moment I want to keep a clear vision - it is not good to say who took the decision or why it was taken. It was a team decision, and in the good and the bad moments the team has to stay together.

"The reason why we felt that [they needed to stop], was that there was tyre degradation that we had on the Friday and then we were basically thinking that to overtake the backmarkers, the ones in the middle, would have been much easier. That is the fact and the mistake of the strategy of today."

Despite the deep disappointment of missing out on the title, Domenicali said it was important that his team kept its spirit because it had still been able to take the world title fight to the final round of the season against the faster Red Bull Racing team.

"At that moment it is important to keep your heads up because we need to remember where we were in the season, and no-one would have bet any money for us to be here to fight for something," he said.

"At the end of the day I said to the guys, sport is very painful at certain moments, we know. I was with Sebastian Vettel in Korea when he was leading because we don't have to forget all these things."

Domenicali also said criticism that his outfit had lost the title in Abu Dhabi was unjustified because the season was decided over 19 races, not just one.

"It is easy in this moment to focus that we lost the championship here, but it is not true," he said. "It is simply not true. If you put all the elements, one by one, together – you see at the end of the day that we achieved to fight for something here - but we did not lose the championship here, because they [Red Bull Racing] were stronger.

"That is a fact, and something we need to keep in mind, and that is what I wanted to say to the people. And it would be wrong to remember this race in the year of Ferrari 2010, because I think at the end of the day we need to think that without the best car, which is a fact, that we were able to arrive here [still in contention] so we need to be proud of it. And that is my view."

**Ferrari Man** · 14th November 2010, 21:47

This Berlusconi obviously dosen't appreciate or know anything about motorsport.. he seems as bad as the politicians here..

**Red is Best** · 14th November 2010, 21:52

Originally Posted by Hermann

Ferrari admitting strategy error, Andrea Stella said that Fernando deserved a better support from the team, that they did not respond like they should have.

http://www.marca.com/2010/11/14/moto...3&t=1289760750

Berlusconi calling for Montezemolo to resign:

http://www.elmundo.es/elmundodeporte...289754842.html

It is not Berlusconi but Calderoli, a member of La Lega Nord, a far-right and xenophobic party. Berlusconi may be despicable, but he would never say such things.

**xpman** · 14th November 2010, 22:00

My question to Alonso and the team is why they Not keep to the plan which was for him to finish in top 3 regardless and he be champ thats all he had to do , mean why worry about what webber or anyone else doing . Today was lost coz of YESTERDAY and I dont mean Saturday qualis. and in great scheme of things C'EST LA VIE . Next year when hopefully we sorted out kers and designe a better car than this year.

KEEP the Faith

**Hornet** · 15th November 2010, 00:55

Originally Posted by Mrs.Domenicali

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/88292

"The reason why we felt that [they needed to stop], was that there was tyre degradation that we had on the Friday and then we were basically thinking that to overtake the backmarkers, the ones in the middle, would have been much easier. That is the fact and the mistake of the strategy of today."

I guess this is the whole story behind our decision. It explains everything.
Lets just learn from this mistake and move forward to 2011

And next year, we should really categorize this track in the same group as Monaco and Singapore in terms of overtaking difficulty

Or just put it under Tilk's track category, its the same

**Nova** · 15th November 2010, 01:09

Dom is right, we had mabey the 3rd best car this season..some races the 2nd, but the 1st 1/2 of the season, the 3rd best...I didnt like the result today, really..a lot..but Ferrari did fight back, knowing that they
did not produce a killer car as RB did..Actually, the RB is so dominant, they shouldve put the wdc & wcc away 3 or 4 races ago...

For Ferrari to get it together in such a fashion did me a lot of good, remembering those nasty years when Ferrari's if lucky, finished in the top 6...
Hopefully, we will be able to build a good car next year, hopefully the Pirelli's will suit Massa better so I can see him up there fighting w/FA.

I must also mention that, never being an Alonso fan, the lad drove his buttocks off, got more out of the car than many other drivers could..if he did win the wdc, Id have to say
he wouldve deserved it. Like him or not, he is among the top 3 drivers in the world at this time.

I really hope Ferrari builds a good car for 2011..

**Brian** · 15th November 2010, 01:23

I was extremely frustrated after the race but now I feel better.
We had the third fastest car and we fought until the last race.
It is a waste not to lose when having such a slow car haha

**LAROSA SpA** · 15th November 2010, 01:23

Originally Posted by Red is Best

It is not Berlusconi but Calderoli, a member of La Lega Nord, a far-right and xenophobic party. Berlusconi may be despicable, but he would never say such things.

Lega Nord, those idiots have zero credibility.

They probably want him gone because his to Southern for there liking (Bologna)