Fernando Alonso rebuked by Ferrari chief Di Montezemelo

[ntukza]

This is very disappointing from LDM and Ferrari.

[BigGar32]

This is very disappointing from LDM and Ferrari.

And not at all disappointing from Alonso? Nobody is looking whiter than white on this.

[Ste]

I don't really see what Alonso has done wrong, frankly.

As mentioned before, it's Luca and the posting of the article that have made it worse. All it needed was a Horse Whisperer article saying people shouldn't read too much into things. Now there are rumours on-top of rumours on-top of misinterpreted words.

[Ken]

For the very first time I am disappointed with Luca, he has ignored or forgotten one of the prime rules for motivating any member of a team.

That rule is "PRAISE in PUBLIC and REPRIMAND in PRIVATE. "

To reprimand any team member in public for a comment which was ambiguous in its meaning is unforgiveable.

[Laferrari]

And not at all disappointing from Alonso? Nobody is looking whiter than white on this.

C'mone Fernando is the best that we can have since M.Schumacher.He is right to say that the car is slow or something like that.4 years that Dominicali said ...we need to stay calm to improve...we must not react to this bad start...the situation is Ferrari cannot improve the car ...somethimes it s a part of the DD...or the wind tunnel correlation or the tire ....the problem is simple the aero department...underperforming...When i see our car i see a car from 2010 or 2012...not as involve from mercedes or lotus and even more than th redbull.We cannot ask fernando to stay calm about some promising from the chief...and finally i can t understand why some people are still on the team ...like stefano...he kill us after silverstone 2011 with the return of rule...same with this year tire swap from 2013-to 2012...who everybody knows that they will hurt us.Pat fry told us we will change the structure blabla bla...and finally the same result than before...we fired costa-dyer-brawn and look the result for mercedes...they jump the field for 1 year...this is not acceptable for the standing of Ferrari...we are now like 2012 the four of sometimes the 5 team of the row...i feel bad ...very bad.

[Ken]

I should also have added in Alonso's defense.

We should appreciate on Alonso's part the constant battle to do great things with third rate equipment eventually leads to frustration and that can be demotivational in its self.

Luca should be more concerned with the designers and engineers instead of Alonso.

It is the current design team who seem unable to raise their game, they are too conservative and will not explore innovative solutions. Having read Garry Anderson's article on the BBC, http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/formula1/23492408 I believe as he does we are not creative any more. It just seems our men keep fiddling with stuff for no success.

I just hope Alison is the man who can shake the design team into positive action.

[Hornet]

I don't really see what Alonso has done wrong, frankly.

As mentioned before, it's Luca and the posting of the article that have made it worse. All it needed was a Horse Whisperer article saying people shouldn't read too much into things. Now there are rumours on-top of rumours on-top of misinterpreted words.

Yep. That official article from Ferrari seems to be a PR disaster for the team. My worry is that all the rumors people make from now on, and questions the team will face in Spa will refer back to that article which we cannot refute as those are Ferrari's own words.

Everyone in the team is working extra hard to prepare for next year while fighting for this year. IMO, we should be trying to get away from controversies instead of adding more fuel to the fire.

[Nova]

It doesnt sound as if Luca is really saying anything bad to FA..
And what difference? If the current tires are the only option for us the rest of the season,
we may not be in the title hunt whatsoever this year.

It does appear that, since 05, many things have been happening to
thwart the Scuderia. Moving target...

[Suzie]

A tweet from someone else:



When will they stop!!

We need a Samurai quote from Alonso right about now...

Oh please God no, enough with the samurai stuff already!

I don't know why anyone sane would pay attention to Andrew Benson's articles. My dog could write more accurate F1 stories by walking over the keyboard.

[sagi58]

When I first read the headlines, on a number of different sites, I thought "Are you kidding me??"!!
But, if you read di Montezemolo's comments, they are more cautionary/reminders that saying too
much in the media, in times of trouble, are not "acceptable"!

All I can find regarding Alonso's comments is a flippant remark when he was asked what he'd like
for his birthday!! His answer, apparently, was "A fast car!" Personally, I don't see anything wrong
with that!! It's not like he said anything derogatory, rather he expressed what was nearest and
dearest to his heart! He wants to win races, he wants a 3rd WDC and he wants to win with Ferrari!!

If Ferrari / di Montezemolo / Domenicalli are offended by that, then they need to rethink what their
priorities are! How things look... Or the truth!!

[Hornet]

It doesnt sound as if Luca is really saying anything bad to FA..
And what difference? If the current tires are the only option for us the rest of the season,
we may not be in the title hunt whatsoever this year.

It does appear that, since 05, many things have been happening to
thwart the Scuderia. Moving target...

Doesn't matter what the chances are, there's no reason for us to stir up controversies in the media, a controversy against our self no less. The article by Ferrari explicitly state that the team is not happy with something Alonso said. That's not the kind of thing the PR should be telling the public, even if Luca is indeed unhappy about something.

[sagi58]

Doesn't matter what the chances are, there's no reason for us to stir up controversies in the media, a controversy against our self no less. The article by Ferrari explicitly state that the team is not happy with something Alonso said. That's not the kind of thing the PR should be telling the public, even if Luca is indeed unhappy about something.

Absolutely right!! By even referring to it, Ferrari has given this the chance of gathering steam in the rumour mill!!

[Tony]

And not at all disappointing from Alonso? Nobody is looking whiter than white on this.

+1

Alonso isn't helping this matter and Ferrari is going along with it... Ferrari have a history for not liking this kind of stuff though and LDM is a throwback to the old days, you don't admonish the team in public as a driver, that's LDM's job and he's said publicly several times over the last couple of years that he's not happy with the team's performance...

[Tony]

C'mone Fernando is the best that we can have since M.Schumacher.He is right to say that the car is slow or something like that.4 years that Dominicali said ...we need to stay calm to improve...we must not react to this bad start...the situation is Ferrari cannot improve the car ...somethimes it s a part of the DD...or the wind tunnel correlation or the tire ....the problem is simple the aero department...underperforming...When i see our car i see a car from 2010 or 2012...not as involve from mercedes or lotus and even more than th redbull.We cannot ask fernando to stay calm about some promising from the chief...and finally i can t understand why some people are still on the team ...like stefano...he kill us after silverstone 2011 with the return of rule...same with this year tire swap from 2013-to 2012...who everybody knows that they will hurt us.Pat fry told us we will change the structure blabla bla...and finally the same result than before...we fired costa-dyer-brawn and look the result for mercedes...they jump the field for 1 year...this is not acceptable for the standing of Ferrari...we are now like 2012 the four of sometimes the 5 team of the row...i feel bad ...very bad.

And Ferrari has reacted by bringing Allison back.... there's no magic bullet that will solve the car this year, all that can be done is to hire the best staff, something Ferrari has been committed to doing over the last couple of years.... They are bringing on the talent as it becomes available, it's a slow process....

[ManFromMilan]

If Ferrari / di Montezemolo / Domenicalli are offended by that, then they need to rethink what their
priorities are! How things look... Or the truth!!

Ferrari should always be in the hunt for the title/s. That is for me what Ferrari is all about, winning in F1. Or at least working their backsides of to win. That is the heritage of Ferrari.

Who ever stands in the way of that should leave the team. Whether it be a driver or dare i say someone higher up.

[Fer138]

Let's not forget the context: driver just finishing fifth after another long struggle, championship deficit increased, no longer in second place, Hamilton wins first race with Mercedes after only a few races, etc. etc.

Agree completely. Add to that (reportedly) non functioning drink bottle in a car with track temp close to 50 deg, wrong setting of DRS in race leading to investigation by the stewards......Still in the first place I can't see what was so wrong with his comment abt wanting a faster car. And this dressing down coming so publicly on the official website on his birthday. Just seem rather too harsh to me. I recall that Button was saying something along the lines of how embarrassed he felt abt his car and can't wait to get out of the car after a race. If anything this seems more like a public admonishment of the team than an at most flippant off the cuff kind of remark.

Well, just hoping its a little storm in a teacup and will blow over in no time. At least Fernando still seem upbeat in his tweets!

[Laferrari]

And Ferrari has reacted by bringing Allison back.... there's no magic bullet that will solve the car this year, all that can be done is to hire the best staff, something Ferrari has been committed to doing over the last couple of years.... They are bringing on the talent as it becomes available, it's a slow process....

We are in this process since 2009(regulation change)...and what???same problem lack of innovation...correlation problem...bad decision on aero departement...to concervative .We are not anymore the strongest team in the paddock for politic due to the gentleman dominicali who has been owned by horner-brawn-witmarsh...it s like a boy in the men game...When it was the time to say stop for the illegal RB map ...what does he?...ok back again ...and redfools was dominant again....I have absolute no faith in him has a Chief...Allison is a good pick but unfortunately it s too late for this season and for next year because the project is already done so he cannot do to much change in that...Montezemolo need to be carrefully because without alonso we are nowhere near a top5 team...look at the result of massa...no win...a couple of podium that s it. ...Alonso give us money and something more ..Wins .I am not Alonso but if i was in the same situation i will be extreamly frustrate with this situation it s like the same situation than before and so what ...stay calm?no i will ask a meeting with lucas and say we need to change something for this of for that....remember when Michael was here before the glorius era 2000 .He was nearly joined the mclaren mercedes team due to the lack of change in the front office of ferrari...after that they have made the dream team....and the result have come.Costa was not the problem...same from dyer...the problem is dominicali -tombazi..their are the chief and the chief aero designer...the 2 big problem actually.

[GamD]

Very silly from Ferrari to post that on their own website, baffling what they expected to achieve.

I agree with you on that, but it also makes me wonder what going on behind close doors. It might all look nice and friendly from the outside but with all the pressure I wonder what going on in the inside.

[Nero Horse]

For the very first time I am disappointed with Luca, he has ignored or forgotten one of the prime rules for motivating any member of a team.

That rule is "PRAISE in PUBLIC and REPRIMAND in PRIVATE. "

To reprimand any team member in public for a comment which was ambiguous in its meaning is unforgiveable.

Luca is simply stamping his authority and letting Alonso and everyone else know that political manipulations like that won't work at Ferrari. And I'm glad and proud that Luca came out and said that. Alonso needed that reprimand, to bring him down from his perch. NO driver is bigger than the team!
I really thought that Alonso had matured since he joined Ferrari, but now it seems that he's still the same political manipulator that he was at Renault and McLaren. If Alonso wants to play these political games then so be it, I just hope that Luca won't tolerate that for too long. Alonso got kicked out from Renault, got kicked out from McLaren and if he keeps playing his little "shadow games" with RB then soon he'll be kicked out from Ferrari as well, no doubt about it. The ironic thing is that the only one Alonso is hurting with his games, is himself.
Now, don't get me wrong, I respect Alonso as a racing driver and when he's a team player then I couldn't imagine a better suited driver for Ferrari from the current choice of drivers on the grid, but I just absolutely hate his political games.
I sincerely hope that this whole thing will blow over and that "Alonso having talks with RB" is nothing more than media's figment of the imagination and there will be a happy ending after all. But if Alonso is truly having secret talks with RB behind Ferrari's back then I hope that Luca shows him the door soon enough. Political games and manipulations won't be tolerated at Ferrari, that's for sure, and if Alonso thinks that he's "too good" for Ferrari then perhaps he would indeed fit in perfectly with the likes of Horner, Marko and finger boy.
But like I said, I sincerely hope that this whole story is just being blown out of proportions by the media and everything will be fine, cause I really don't want to feel resentment towards one of Ferrari's drivers.

[Ste]

Now it begins to make more sense:

This isn't the best of translations, but we can get the idea. These will be the comments that annoyed Luca, not the other. It also makes sense why we've hired James Allison - Alonso has been complaining about our design department...

Source: Livio Oricchio

In response to the State, Fernando Alonso said on Thursday, in Hungary, the question about the reasons of the new parts do not become the car of Ferrari fastest, as competitors, should be made to the team's direction. And Sunday, after the race, it was the fifth-place 31 seconds behind the winner, Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes, the Spaniard added the critical discourse: "Not that I'm drawing the parts in Maranello (Ferrari headquarters)."

Ferrari yesterday announced that from September the Englishman James Allison, former Lotus will be your technical director of the section of the chassis. His specialty: aerodynamics. Also Sunday, the Hungaroring circuit, Stefano Domenicali, Ferrari's director, said about the unrealistic transfer Alonso to Red Bull. "He has a contract with us (until the end of 2016). What we have to do is invest more and more in aerodynamic research to make our car competitive."

Domenicali has the diagnosis for the F138 model of Alonso and Felipe Massa have fallen behind in the last three races: its aerodynamics department keeps failing. Alonso's criticism is explicitly men who work in aerodynamics F138. Are two engineers responsible: Greek Nikolas Tombazis, project coordinator also, and Italian Simone Resta.

In Hungary, Resta said that the new components have not yielded the expected results because the Ferrari is still struggling with the wind tunnel. Alonso must have laughed, probably. Until last year the problem was the wind tunnel of the Ferrari in Maranello, outdated and, worse, able to pass the technical data wrong. But since last season the Italians use the wind tunnel of the former F1 team Toyota in Cologne, Germany, where the model F138 was designed.

"The track personnel, engineers, mechanics, pilots perform an acceptable job. Already those who design the pieces ... "said Alonso.

Allison had long-term contract with Lotus. The Ferrari had to pay the termination and the agreement provided that the English engineer remained a season that left the McLaren without working for another team. And the new agreement between Domenicali and Eric Boullier, director of Lotus to release Allison to take your role at Ferrari already in September, passed new financial compensation.

This gives a good idea of ​​the necessity of the organization of Maranello in the most needy in Formula 1: high technical capacity in the field of aerodynamics. Allison has a great responsibility in this resumption of Lotus since last season. Kimi Raikkonen, his pilot, competed for the title. And Ferrari already know Allison for working in Maranello from 2000 to 2004, when the five titles followed by Michael Schumacher, although as an engineer in the second step.

Now back as technical director with a mission to improve the model F138 and mainly coordinate the work of the project in 2014, where there will be a conceptual revolution in Formula 1, with the back of the turbo engine, two energy recovery systems (kers ) and restrictions to explore aerodynamics.

[sagi58]

Well, from the comments I've read online these past couple of days, it would seem that all Alonso's comments have been successful in doing is to give the Tifosi something else to comment on. Something else to worry about. Something else to criticize. Something else to divide us. Something else to distract us from the real problem at hand. Nothing good will come from this. Everyone at Ferrari need to do something! What is that something? I fear it's not just "one" something!!

Forza Ferrari!! We can do this!!!

[ManFromMilan]

I've been reading the comments in an Italian newspapers comments section about this story. Now the people that read and comment are Italians.

At least 5 to 1 find Luca's criticism uncalled for and Alonso's comments not disrespectful or derogatory. So what ever English versions we do get to read if Italians do not find fault in his statement then probably his comments was not out of line.

They do seem to think Luca can or should point a fingers to others in the team.

Now these are just normal newspaper readers comments(public opinion on one newspaper site), but as Italians i think one can get a good feeling that the public response was uncalled for.

Now i do not think Alonso is bigger than the team and in no way the single most important member of the team. I just don't think he is at all negative for the team or towards the team.

[Meiga]

I don't know what was the intention of posting such an article in the Ferrari website; and I don't know what Alonso had said, in public or in private, that triggered LdM's comment.

All I know is that Ferrari/Alonso haters are having a field day thanks to that article. I very much doubt anyone at Ferrari would have wanted such an outcome - from the outside, it does seem that the article has been a bit of a mistake.

But who knows, maybe internally the team sees things differently. We don't have enough information to judge that.

[Tony]

We are in this process since 2009(regulation change)...and what???same problem lack of innovation...correlation problem...bad decision on aero departement...to concervative .We are not anymore the strongest team in the paddock for politic due to the gentleman dominicali who has been owned by horner-brawn-witmarsh...it s like a boy in the men game...When it was the time to say stop for the illegal RB map ...what does he?...ok back again ...and redfools was dominant again....I have absolute no faith in him has a Chief...Allison is a good pick but unfortunately it s too late for this season and for next year because the project is already done so he cannot do to much change in that...Montezemolo need to be carrefully because without alonso we are nowhere near a top5 team...look at the result of massa...no win...a couple of podium that s it. ...Alonso give us money and something more ..Wins .I am not Alonso but if i was in the same situation i will be extreamly frustrate with this situation it s like the same situation than before and so what ...stay calm?no i will ask a meeting with lucas and say we need to change something for this of for that....remember when Michael was here before the glorius era 2000 .He was nearly joined the mclaren mercedes team due to the lack of change in the front office of ferrari...after that they have made the dream team....and the result have come.Costa was not the problem...same from dyer...the problem is dominicali -tombazi..their are the chief and the chief aero designer...the 2 big problem actually.

Changing Domenicali will not have the impact on the car you're hoping for, he's not responsible for designing the car, he's responsible for finding the right people... Ferrari have brought on Fry and Allison and others (so they are addressing this issue), there will be more personnel changes if the desired results aren't forthcoming.... it's a slow process, but they are adding the right pieces, now we have to be patient... there is not much that can be done this season anyway, as you have stated and firing Domenicali wont change anything right now either...

If Alonso wants to leave then it's his career, he can do what he wishes, but I am reminded of Ayrton Senna leaving McLaren for Williams right before a major rule change that pretty much didn't work out for his benefit either... I doubt Alonso will leave next year anyway, he seems to be a rational man, he knows that even if he wants to leave, it's better to wait for the year after to see who's at the top of the pecking order.... it may no longer be Red Bull...

[Tony]

I've been reading the comments in an Italian newspapers comments section about this story. Now the people that read and comment are Italians.

At least 5 to 1 find Luca's criticism uncalled for and Alonso's comments not disrespectful or derogatory. So what ever English versions we do get to read if Italians do not find fault in his statement then probably his comments was not out of line.

They do seem to think Luca can or should point a fingers to others in the team.

Now these are just normal newspaper readers comments(public opinion on one newspaper site), but as Italians i think one can get a good feeling that the public response was uncalled for.

Now i do not think Alonso is bigger than the team and in no way the single most important member of the team. I just don't think he is at all negative for the team or towards the team.

He does this very often though and the team is making changes to remedy their problems. Ferrari has never been one to like drivers saying it is not capable of building a capable car, this is nothing new.... you have to remember that F1 is a tool they use to market their cars, it hurts their image when a driver talks out of line.

[radosav]

I don't think that Montezemolo was angry at Fernando . He was angry at whole team for their results and he mentioned Fernando too, not in ' one more time and you are fired ' way , but in ' it wasn't funny to me,we got to stick together out of this situation ' way ! I am sure that Fernando and Luca smoothed everything when Luca called him for birthday! But person who wrote this article and published it must be fired! To describe things this way is worst PR managment since Ferrari 2010 affair from German GP !

[sagi58]

...you have to remember that F1 is a tool they use to market their cars, it hurts their image when a driver talks out of line.

Completely agree with you; but, let's face it, Alonso didn't say it was impossible to ever succeed!!
He didn't speak out of line so much as he let slip just how frustrated he is. Just as everyone is, if
not more, as Alonso realizes he has a "limited" time left to win another WDC! Ferrari, on the other
hand, will rise from these "ashes" stronger, with or without him!

p.s. To be honest, I don't think anyone with any semblance of intelligence would allow this "incident"
to make or break their decision to buy a Ferrari!!

[Alessandra]

Alonso tweet : "5h bicycle - 160km. Soon simulator working on Belgium GP".

Well he seems to have his life mapped out and under control so I think I shall have a drink, calm down and try to do something else for the rest of the day instead of agonising over all this stuff.

I must turn the computer off!

[Grillo]

Aftet 3 years in a row with quite serious development and design problems and a few new engineers I doubt it'll be solved by hiring Allison or even Newey. There's a structural problem and that can only change making changes deep inside the factory. It has to be a technical guy leading it.

I agree with ManFromMilan.

People in Italy are a bit fed up with the "stay calm" statement and are asking Montezemolo to focus on the factory and not so much on a few comments of Alonso that might have been a way of telling the guys at the factory to work harder. It could have been esmasily solved in private. Alonso can make a mistake in the heat of the moment after a few races of frustration but Luca has to stay calm.

In my opinion Domenicalli is not the best man to bring Ferrari back to the top but I admit I don't know who that man is.

[M.K]

In my opinion Domenicalli is not the best man to bring Ferrari back to the top but I admit I don't know who that man is.

I have nothing against Stefano but when it comes to team principles I always liked how Boullier handles things.