2012 Hungarian GP: Qualifying Thread

[Oracle]

Excuse me, but you sound like a pure Alonsofan and not a Ferrari fan.
Reality is that the team has not failed him for one moment, he himself is part of that team and they are working as hard as they can.

Ferrari's tyre chief Hirohide Hamashima has praised the role that Fernando Alonso has played so far this season - in both his driving and the way he has motivated the team.

Alonso currently holds a 34 point lead over Mark Webber in the title standings in a campaign where he has not enjoyed having the fastest car.

And although improvements that Ferrari made to its F2012 after a difficult start have played a role in it grabbing control of the title battle, Hamashima believes that Alonso's efforts should not be downplayed.

"I think the main reason why Fernando is leading the championship, is Fernando himself," explained Hamashima, who was drafted in at Ferrari earlier this season from his previous role at Bridgestone

"I believe his mentality helps all of our Ferrari staff, so he believes in it [the championship] very well. Of course there will be difficult competition during the year, but if we keep motivated for the remainder of the season then the results will come."

[M.K]

There was a serious rain with thunder storm with very strong wind for roughly two hours last night. It is getting hot and sunny and extremely humid at the moment some 15 km far southwest from the track where I live. Thunderstorms predicted for the early and late afternoon by the local weather services. So anything can happen.

To be honest I never liked this hoping for rain, you have to be careful what you wish for, it's not like we have boats driven by robots down there. With rain it's bigger chance of mistake and even Alonso makes mistakes.

[Greig]

When did we have a car that was equal best over a weekend? I cant even remember? When did we last have the fastest car? Germany 2010? Thats terrible. All our rivals this season have been fastest at least once, but Ferrari never is. Its always struggling for speed. If ALonso wins the title this year it will be despite the team, as they have failed him for the last 3 years.

Germany, one race ago we were equal, but keep moaning

Alonso will win despite the team? what a ridiculous comment to make. Probably best you stick to Autosport or something.

[Suzie]

I think it's doing the team a dis-service to say it's ALL Fernando, considering the way the F2012 was at the beginning of the season.

[brembo man]

Our F2012 is better every race, just ask Vettel! Alonso please get ahead of and away from Lewis ASAP ! He's not fully recovered from his last race.

[Stormsearcher]

Lewis being livid over his last race reults was destined for pole this time around. IMO he will be a terror on the track to anyone who dares to come near him. The confusion up front should allow Alonso to slip right into 1st place. Again Vettel anywhere near Lewis should be fun to watch.

If this was last season, i would agree with you. Hamilton would have taken out both should vettel have tried an attack. But this season, he seems to have matured (considering Felipe has never been mooted out of a single race by LH) and he keeps his cool. The joker in this pack will be grosjean. He is the one we can look up to for taking out vettel or hamilton. ..

[Stormsearcher]

Not a great qualifying, a bit surprised actually. But then nando is saying its better than they expected, so maybe they have been secretly worried about this race but have not shown it.
In anycase, i still feel we can jump 2 spots by the end of the race... and with a large slice of luck, get P3. That should be damage limitation enough for this weekend.

[Jas]

Alonso names main rivals for 2012 title
By Editor on Friday, August 17, 2012


Photo credit: Ferrari S.p.A.

Fernando Alonso has singled out Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel as probably his toughest challengers for the 2012 title.

With half of this year’s grands prix now in the past, Spaniard Alonso has won more than any other rival and has a 40-point lead in the drivers’ chase over Mark Webber.

But close behind Australian Webber is his Red Bull teammate and reigning back to back world champion Sebastian Vettel, followed by another 2012 race winner and former title winner, Lewis Hamilton.

Alonso is quoted by Brazil’s Totalrace: “Hamilton and Vettel are the drivers we have focused on since the beginning.

“They are the biggest challengers, but all of the teams are close.

“Hopefully, they will fight among themselves and not one of them will dominate,” he added.

With nine races still to run in 2012, Alonso is taking nothing for granted.

“I think the distance between the top five, top six is not impossible to recover,” he said. “You just need one good race or two good races and you are up there.”

Pundits have lauded Alonso’s extreme consistency so far in 2012, the Ferrari driver finishing all eleven races inside the points.

“Sometimes we know we can be on the podium, other times maybe it’s only seventh, but we cannot afford to make any mistakes or do anything that we will regret,” said the 31-year-old.
Alonso names main rivals for 2012 title

F1 veteran Rubens Barrichello said: “Alonso is in the form of his life.

“He does not have the fastest car but he is the one getting the best out of what he has,” the Brazilian told Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport.

“And his rivals are taking points off one another. In the end I see this (championship) as a duel between Alonso and Vettel.”

[Alessandra]

Interesting. Rubens could be right.
Hamilton depends very much on what McLaren can do with the car.
No mention of Webber!