Other drivers cost Alonso 30 points – Montezemolo

2012 Japanese Grand Prix

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Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo urged his team to “hold its nerve” after Fernando Alonso’s lead in the drivers’ championship was cut to four points in Japan.

“I will speak to Fernando by phone soon to give him even more motivation with which to tackle these last five races, with the bit between his teeth, as indeed I expect all the team to do,” Montezemolo continued.

“Yesterday’s second place for Felipe [Massa] was very important in this final part of the season when his contribution is even more vital. I expect a huge effort from our engineers who have already shown they are capable of that and we are perfectly aware that this championship is still in our hands.”

Montezemolo added his driver would have a healthier lead but for the mistakes of others.

“We know we can count on the strongest driver around at the moment and it’s only mistakes from others at Spa and again at Suzuka, that have prevented him from having a more comfortable lead over his rivals.

“Let’s not forget that, but for those two collisions, today Fernando would have had at least 30 points more and that’s a conservative estimate. In sport, as in life, the wheel turns and we must not forget that: recently, it has not done so in a positive way for us, but it does not take much for it to change direction.”

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Keith Collantine
Lifelong motor sport fan Keith set up RaceFans in 2005 - when it was originally called F1 Fanatic. Having previously worked as a motoring...

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104 comments on “Other drivers cost Alonso 30 points – Montezemolo”

  1. Apparently Ferrari (and Sky) wanted Kimi to vanish off the road to avoid Alonso claiming the tarmac, and eventually his front wing as his own space.

    Guess they’ve forgotten how many points all their rivals have lost due to mistakes by others

    1. @disjunto The Spa crash was Grosjean’s fault so that’s a fair point.

      But I don’t think Raikkonen can be blamed for the Suzuka crash any more than Alonso was. And the stewards clearly see it that way or Raikkonen would have had a penalty.

      1. +1 . If I were Raikkonen I would appeal Alonso for front wing destruction, only to demonstrate that it was Alonso’s fault 110%.

        1. OmarR-Pepper (@)
          8th October 2012, 20:39

          Great comment @sorin

      2. Very well said Keith, one more time I see Luca is as arrogant enough as Alonso.

        1. I think it’s a sign of how Ferrari are becoming increasingly worried with fernandos wdc position. He very rarely makes driving errors but when he does, you can tell he’s under pressure. Even in singapore he came terrifyingly close to losing it all before even arriving at turn 1.

      3. Absolutely. Could Montezemolo have been suggesting that Alonso would have qualified higher, and therefore avoided any first lap incidents, were it not for Kimi’s spin in Q3? If that was his point I still wouldn’t agree. That first lap for Alonso was unfortunately his own doing. I’m not saying there was anything malicious or reckless about it – it was a first lap/corner incident and it was only by the finest of margins that Alonso’s rear tyre got caught out by Kimi’s wing.

      4. (@keithcollantine) I think that most of all it was an easily avoidable incident. Should Kimi backed off half a meter, which he usually does (p.e Valencia start) because he is fair and prudent and normally doesn´t risk accidents at nearly 250 kph or Alonso didn´t move 30 cm to his left just before corner 1, this very small concessions would prevent the accident.
        The two main conclusions from this accident in my opinion are:
        1. Alonso was counting with Kimi being prudent as usual – that was his mistake
        2. Kimi didn´t back off because if there was a crash his rival in the championship would lose points and he would get closer to the front in the WDC

        1. @Pedro: Your point number 2 fails because a crash also puts Kimi at risk of being taken out and losing points. The fact that Kimi’s car was not damaged was pure luck.

        2. excuse me raising this, but your second point here is unfair and dare I say, unseemly. Whatever your opinion of Kimi, you have to acknowledge his sense of fairness. He is no saint, but more than any driver I’ve seen these last 20 years, he is least likely to try taking out another driver for the purpose of benefiting in the title race. Alonso, Hamilton, certainly. Many others, probably. Kimi, no. And I defy you to give one example of that kind of behaviour involving Kimi.
          If you honestly think that he would, then you are not a good or impartial judge of character

        3. I have to point to Alonso’s own words earlier in the season “all the time you have to leave a space” as Kimi was being forced off the track Alonso was not following his own rule!
          Oh but I forget it’s one rule for Fernando and another for everyone else right?!

          1. Exactly! It’s just not fair that the others also want to race on Princess Fernando’s track!

      5. Ferrari wind me up more and more!

        Alonso is just lucky he hasn’t had more retirements due to contact that has been entirely his fault!

        Everyone blames Grosjean for the accident at the start of the Monaco race, but I suggest everyone go to youtube and search for ‘Grosjean onboard start monaco’.

        That accident and Grosjeans subsequent retirement from the race was 100% Alonso’s fault!

        He is a bully on track and has been TOTALLY lucky to not have more retirements, let alone penalties!

        1. I agree. there was no room to for Alonso to pass between Hamilton and Grosjean without forcing a contact. It seems Alonso really believes everyone else should let him pass. Tsk tsk.

    2. Exactly. Hamilton has lost way more than that just due to his team’s mistakes!

      1. How many points Renault’s alternator cost Vettel?

        1. Spot on, @minnis & @jcost.

          If other drivers have cost Alonso 30 points, then you could say they’ve cost Hamilton the same between Valencia and Spa, and Vettel even more from his alternator failures.

          Just typical LDM nonsense. I like it better when he waxes poetic under the guise of the Horse Whisperer.

    3. davidnotcoulthard
      8th October 2012, 12:36

      Guess they’ve forgotten how many points all their rivals have lost due to mistakes by others

      I assume you were referring to Valencia (Which cost 2 drivers), Malaysia, Spa (This time including Lewis), and perhaps the tyre marbles at China?

      1. In Valencia Alonso also jumped Hamilton at the pits after another awful service of McLaren boys…

        1. davidnotcoulthard
          8th October 2012, 16:10

          Nice, didn’t notice that. By Valencia I meant the Maldonado crash…..and the alternator.

        2. @jcost Purely speaking, 33 (25 in Valencia, at least 8, possibly even 10 in Monza), but in relation to Alonso it was 40, given that his Valencia retirement handed the win to Fernando.

          1. This should have been a reply to an earlier comment from @jcost :p

      2. The Blade Runner (@)
        9th October 2012, 16:02

        As much as I admire both Alonso and Ferrari, it is statements like this one from Montezemolo that ultimately turn me off. I would compare it to the “continental” style of playing football i.e. trying everything possible to gain an advantage or to influence the decisions made by officials. Fernando does it over the team radio during the race too.

        If it wasn’t for mechanical failure, racing incidents, the stupidity of others and seemingly unfair stewards’ decisions (Hamilton in Spain) etc. then the Championship table would look very different with Vettel probably out front and Hamilton likely second. Michael Schumacher would also be in a far more favourable position.

        **** happens Mr. Montezemolo. Ferrari and Alonso need to stop playing the “victim” card and get on with the rest of the season

    4. This video explains quite well why it was Alonso’s fault. Of course Alonso ended up punishing himself so therefore it was a racing incident:

      http://indavideo.hu/video/Rajt_2012_Japan_F1

  2. I cannot believe I’m going to say this, but Luca di Montezemolo does make a good point. No doubt some will put forward the argument that Vettel would also have more points if it wasn’t for the alternator issues, but that would be comparing apples with oranges.

    1. Which is only slightly different from Montezemolo comparing apples to championship points..

    2. davidnotcoulthard
      8th October 2012, 12:40

      No, I think he made a good point because he didn’t say that the points lead will be bigger or anything like that, but he’s probably thinking that if there weren’t any failures Fernando would have perhaps >200 points, without thinking yet whether Vettel would’ve still been only 4 points behind anyway, which I think he would have.

      1. davidnotcoulthard
        8th October 2012, 12:41

        Then again….I take my words back!

        …..having a more comfortable lead over his rivals.

    3. Remember Karthykeyan and Vettel? Same thing as Alonso and Raikkonen.

      1. Except, Karthikeyan was to blame then whereas Alonso was to blame now.

        1. So Ferrari should shut up and let the results speak

    4. Good point? I think it’s a moot point form Montezemolo. Alonso isn’t the only one who lost some points because of the other drivers.

    5. After all the freebies they got all season. This attitude and behavior is why Alonso is not going to win WDC with Ferrari. Those guys just wackos.

      1. I think LDM is just cranky because he probably realizes that this is the last time Alonso will leave a race weekend with the lead of the championship!

        Sad but true.

  3. I love my team but man sometimes LDM makes them hard to support. As did Alonso with his comments yesterday. As hard as it is to admit, the contact with Raikkonen was due to Alonso’s aggressiveness. He got away with it in Monaco – just – not so, this time. Simple as that.

    In saying that though, their determination is heartening – nice to see. Wouldn’t expect anything less.

    1. I feel sympathy with your plight @Ella

      To me the line about him going on the phone with Alonso to motivate him is pretty strange as well. As if Alonso needed motivating from LDM, rahter Alonso will tell him to get behind those car updates that keep eluding them!

      1. LDM is a Berlusconi wannabe.

      2. @bascb – Completely agree! Insinuating that he actually needs to motivate Alonso actually made me laugh. Somehow I don’t think Alonso’s ever had a motivational problem (well apart from ’08 and ’09). Especially when he’s sniffing the hint of a championship.
        A scent which is fading more and more with every race.

    2. Luca is making rather ridiculous excuses; if Hamilton or Vettel hadn’t had their various incidents, car failures and pit stop blunders they’d be way ahead of Alonso in the championship.
      Luca, learn that racing is after all racing, you can’t control everything. And just for the record, the crash was Alonso’s fault, not Räikkönen’s.

  4. Surely Not-fastest-car costs him at least 50 points.

    1. @eggry We know Alonso’s not gonna say that though, probably just make it clear they need to work hard on it.

    2. all academic anyway. Vettel will win the title !

  5. Alexander Jansson (@)
    8th October 2012, 11:51

    “at least 30 points more and that’s a conservative estimate”
    Retired from 5th and 6th, for me its quite overestimated.

    1. TheManyHamiltons
      8th October 2012, 12:53

      Retired from 5th and 6th, for me its quite overestimated

      ain’t that the fact!!!

    2. In Spa Massa started 14th (9 places behind Alonso) and finished 5th. Admittedly there were quite a few cars ahead of him that didn’t get past the first corner but he had great pace and finished ahead of Webber who qualified 7 places ahead of him.

      In Japan Massa started 10th (4 places behind Alonso) and finished 2nd driving what looked like the 2nd fastest car.

      All year Alonso has been faster than Massa in race pace so it’s not a stretch to say that Alonso could have finished 3rd in both races, scoring exactly 30 points.

      1. @dave86

        Bang on – Massa is the form driver of the prancing horse.

        LDM should sack Alonso (so he can go fight in the mountains and fight the sea – whatever that tweet was about) make Massa No.1

        Then recruit le baron rouge to help develop what is a woeful car – and with no windtunnel in the kingdom (they need to go to the fatherland and borrow one) next years car will be just as shameful.

        The Rainmeister will once again be their standard bearer and restore the kingdom and their greatness will be known far into the lands of the east once more.

        These shitake mushrooms have a most pungent taste.

        1. Lol. Yea verily, lol.

      2. Alexander Jansson (@)
        8th October 2012, 17:38

        In Japan Massa gained 6 position at the start because of the accidents, in Spa he gained 3 places… At the end of Spa he got two places when MS and MW had sudden really bad tyre wear and had to do a third pitstop.

        Don’t compare drivers results because they depend on so many things, the speed can be compared though.

        1. @alexanderfin I mentioned the first lap crash at Spa although I’ll admit I did leave out the crash at Suzuka. As for the sudden rear tyre wear, that’s racing. Could be either that the Ferrari was easier on it’s tyres, Massa was better at looking after them or both. If anything that reinforces my point that Alonso could have finished well if the Schumacher and Webber had tyre issues and the one remaining Ferrari didn’t.

          I’ll edit my post leaving out the results:

          In Spa Massa … had great pace and finished ahead of Webber who qualified 7 places ahead of him.

          In Japan Massa … finished … driving what looked like the 2nd fastest car.

          All year Alonso has been faster than Massa in race pace so it’s not a stretch to say that Alonso could have finished 3rd in both races, scoring exactly 30 points.

          I think the point I was making still stands.

    3. Alonso was up to 3rd in Spa at the time of the accident. I can’t stand some of the goons on here that talk about luck. Vettel’s alternator breakdowns aren’t the same as a racing incident. A racing incident is an unfortunate coming together. Alternator failure is reliability, sometimes a slower car is more reliable than a fast car. So don’t say Alonso’s 2 dnfs now match Vettel’s… Vettels two were all their own doing.

      1. Yet people make a such big deal about Alonso leading the points standings in an “inferior” car, when it has superior reliability compared to RB and Mclaren.

        You can’t have it both ways- either unreliability counts as bad luck, or better reliability counts is a factor in Ferrari being a genuinely good enough car for this title.

      2. Not really; it wasn’t Vettels fault, and Alonsos retirement from Spa wasn’t his fault either; they are both unforseen circumstances, which equate to bad luck; I fail to see Webbers alternator failing

      3. Alexander Jansson (@)
        8th October 2012, 22:53

        Alonso was barelyalmost fourth in Spa, and if the accident wouldn’t have happened I don’t think he even could have taken fourth.

  6. Well Luca,why don’t we just scrap the racing and just qualify ?

  7. Some blokes are agonizingly repulsive in F1, in RBR we have Helmot marko and here Mr. LDM.

    1. TheManyHamiltons
      8th October 2012, 12:59

      u forgot whitmarsh!

  8. It seems to be LDM’s belief that Ferrari are entitled to win by virtue of the fact that they bother to turn up and any success achieved by their opponents is undeserved. He really is an odd little man.

    1. +1,
      He is F1’s answer to Berlusconi.

    2. This was always Enzo’s attitude and it prevails to this day….

  9. Montezemolo is good only at saying inspirational speaches, but nothing else. Of course, Alonso lost some points due to Grosjean in Spa, but to blame Kimi for yesterday’s incident… It seems that only Ferrari are always right and only others make mistakes.

  10. Had Maldonado made the same move on Kimi, there would have been outcry and a penalty. Alonso did something stupid and it ended up hurting him. Luckily he didn’t take anyone else out at the same time, but had he done that to a lesser driver than Raikkonen, it could have been ugly. There’s only one person to blame for this and no one at Ferrari, Alonso included, are man enough to admit it.

    1. Lets face it, it wasn’t drastically dissimilar to Grosjean’s move at Spa. If they’re going by the crime rather than the results then Alonso deserves a race ban!
      (Yes I do realise part of the reason for Grosjean’s race ban was that it had happened a lot)

  11. “I will speak to Fernando by phone soon to give him even more motivation with which to tackle these last five races.”

    Must…resist…making…comment…

  12. I think Alonso’s move was pretty much the same as Grosjean’s in Spa. The fact that Ferrari and Alonso are trying to put the blame on Räikkönen is just disgusting.

  13. Raikkonen is the cleanest and fairest driver of them all. Perhaps not aggressive enough as some would say. He’s been criticised for that this year. But this is the first ‘mayor’ incident this year. He came close to losing front wing to Vettel in Silverstone, but that’s about it. As long as i can recall. Then again i might be wrong.
    If all the drivers would drive like Kimi, races would have far less incidents .

    1. Truth is Raikkonen simply has one of the best racecraft out there of the current drivers.

      Just take Valencia for example. While Maldonado was muscling all over Raikkonen, he took precautionary actions to avoid any unnecessary incidents. Raikkonen pushed hard, yet also managed to keep it clean with Maldonado too, allowing him to gain positions well to earn his strong results thus far.

    2. Absolutely correct and true about Kimi’s driving style. I might say the same goes for Button as well…………….

    3. Exactly look how he avoided Hamilton, great awareness and fair driving from Raikkonen. With Alonso there was nothing he could do, IMO.

      1. Totally agree with all of that and exactly wanted to point out the Lewis incident. Only lightning reflexes and super fairness from Kimi prevented that from becoming a crash.

        If Kimi is not the fastest driver he is without a doubt the cleanest and least “princessy” in the field!

        Yes, Fernando’s continuous squeezing was quite similar to what Grosjean was banned for and he could easily have cost a lot more drivers a DNF so stop whining Luca and face reality: Fernando’s own desperate mistakes have cost you just as much as all the other drivers put together have cost you and despite what you seem to believe – they DO have right to be on the track as well!

  14. Part of the game I’m afraid Luca! However, I can appreciate why it will hurt Ferrari more as their bad luck is coming towards the back end of the season with Spa, Monza and Suzuka.

  15. i wonder if he said something similar about Petrov in 2010

    1. Yeah probably something around the lines of “And Petrov cost of 50 points at Abu Dhabi”. Something outrageous like that.

  16. Only loser who blame on others. Enough said.

    1. Well getting rid off Ferrari Champion for money sake, and fail to deliver must hurt.

  17. Traverse Mark Senior (@)
    8th October 2012, 14:09

    This (Alonso Vs Kimi) racing incident is also comparative with Hamilton Vs Kobayashi at the Spa GP last year. Lewis could’ve given Kamui more space but instead chose to squeeze him at Les Combes, which prematurely ended his own race (much like Alonso did Yesterday). Both of these unfortunate incidents were just that, unfortunate, I don’t believe that either Lewis at Spa 2011 or Teflonso Yesterday acted in a reckless or maniacal fashion.

    On the other hand, responsibility for the Texas-Grosjean-Massacre at Spa last month can be laid solely at the feet of Grosjean, as it was both reckless and maniacal.

  18. I guess you just forgot that Alonso got all those points because of other drivers mistakes!!
    If No driver made a mistake this season,i wonder where alonso will be in the standings!! 4th,5th or already out of championship?!!

    1. I beg to disagree. It’s not others’ mistake. It’s either their team or their car. Ferrari has a very reliable car this season and good race strategy however alonso’s points advantage vanished due to others’ mistake. If only they can give him a front row car then he could possibly avoid these incidents.

    2. @icemannkimii

      I guess you just forgot that Alonso got all those points because of other drivers mistakes!!

      Well lets not forget that other top drivers have their points because of the car designers and engineers

      If you’re going to make stupid statements expect equally ridiculous statements in return

  19. Kimi is the only driver i know that doesn’t use aggressiveness to win races. his smooth style is similar to Jensen’s.

    Fernando is getting desperate now, RBR r baq. u just can’t beat Newey. Ferrari have lost their dominance 4ever

    1. Nothing is forever, in f1….

  20. Just Zip it Luca! Get your people to work on your car to give Ferdi a chance to win WDC as it is slowly slipping away!

  21. just had a look at the video again , and this DNF was 100% alonso’s fault …he was never completely past kimi and squeezed him off the track
    had kimi been out of the race alonso would have got a penalty for sure

  22. alonso was not responsible for the crash…. just a racing incident…5 gp a mini championship…as ferrari tifoso i see it very hard for alonso unless they find some solution to the qualifying problem.

  23. Looks like Montezemolo has forgotten about how Alonso has gotten into the lead in the first place… Due to the obvious trip up between his rivals, costing his rivals plenty of points that they’re supposed to have.

    Even though I’ll admit, Alonso has done very well to capitalise on rivals’ mistakes to carve out such a lead previously. I may not be his greatest fan, but he has earned my respect in this regard.

  24. Had to laugh at this..
    By my own calculations my favorite Charles Pic would be on 375 points and have won the championship already if it wasn’t for those pesky other drivers stealing HIS points!

  25. Looks like LDM is quoting the old saying….

    “If ‘if’s and ‘and’s were pots and pans, there’d be no need for tinkers!”

    http://stuffijustlearned.blogspot.co.uk/2010/03/thered-be-no-need-for-tinkers.html
    for a translation

  26. Another ridiculous statement. There’s no guarantee that Alonso would score points if there was no accident. Many other things could have happened as well avoiding him to score. Mechanical or electrical failures, flat tire… Does he have a magical crystal ball that shows only the outcome of races if there’s no crash involved?! Oh my…

  27. Interesting to see what Kimi and Alonso said about the incident. Kimi: “I had nowhere to go.”; Alonso: “Mommy, this guy who won for Ferrari in his first year there, didn’t let me stay ahead and put me out of the race. Do something!”.

    1. Exactly my interpretation indeed!

      And now mommy is out telling the school principal that it’s just now fair when the other kids hit back on her well behaved son just because he keeps bullying them….

  28. It is a shame that Alonso and his boss did not have the honesty to say that the accident was your sole responsibility.
    Thet they also blame Kimmi Raikkonen, one of the cleanest racers in formula 1 is directly repugnant.

    1. @jorgelardone

      Thet they also blame Kimmi Raikkonen, one of the cleanest racers in formula 1 is directly repugnant.

      Raikkonen’s role in the incident cannot be overlooked. Just because he is “one of the cleanest racers”, that does not automatically make him innocent. Especially considering that he wasn’t on the racing line – he was so far out to one side that he would have had to have yielded to other cars just to make the corner. Raikkonen might not have directly caused Alonso’s retirement, but he’s not completely without fault, and the “I’m Kimi Raikkonen!” defence holds no water.

      1. Wasn’t on the racing line?? He was on the GRASS because Fernando kept squeezing him off the track. The only people who will agree with you that Kimi had even 1% fault in this incident are cry babies Fernando and Luca. (and Maybe Fernando’s mommy!)

  29. Alonso has been riding his luck for along time. This often evens out over a whole season. I would say that Alonso on several occations has been really tough in battles and come out as a hero. If it would have gone bad earlier, he would have been labelled reckless, and stupid. When you are playing with fire, you sooner or later get burned.
    In this icident, Alonsos car, moves over to the left to force Kimis car

  30. in the gravel…

  31. How many points were gifted to alonso this year..!!??? Not to mention his two gifted championships.
    He has driven well this year but excessively overhyped.

  32. While Luca is right in that other drivers have cost Alonso points, there’s no use crying over spilt milk. There isn’t anything that can be done to get those points back, so if Ferrari and Alonso want the title, there is only one thing they can do about it: beat everyone else.

  33. Yes other drivers have cost Alonso points but when it comes from a guy such as Montezemolo it’s hard to agree with him. You can’t deny that Spa wasn’t his fault and maybe Raikkonen could have backed off a little bit at Suzuka but you can’t blame lost points/championships on misfortunes when your team has not provided a quick enough car.

    To turn it around you could easily say that Alonso has inherited his 3 victories this year: Malaysia where McLaren ruined Hamilton’s chances and Perez ran off the track. Europe where both Vettel and Grosjean retired and Germany where they benefitted from a soaking wet qualifying and Vettel and Button battling behind.

    The real reason Alonso isn’t further ahead is because Ferrari haven’t provided a quick enough car, if they had done so with a driver like Alonso at the wheel they would have been more than 4 points clear.

    Ferrari blamed 2010 on Petrov, they might well blame this one on Lotus.

    1. To turn it around you could easily say that Alonso has inherited his 3 victories this year: Malaysia where McLaren ruined Hamilton’s chances and Perez ran off the track. Europe where both Vettel and Grosjean retired and Germany where they benefitted from a soaking wet qualifying and Vettel and Button battling behind.

      @smifaye I dont know how you can discount Alonso’s Malaysia and Germany victories. By that logic every driver has inherited the win from ‘ifs’ and ‘maybes’.

    2. You’re going a bi far with the “luck” stuff, since Alonso did win Germany from pole, and had the best pace (and made the least errors in Malaysia.

  34. I know he deserves little but I’m cutting LdM some slack here. He just trying to pump up his team. He’s working out his locker-room speech. Yes, the way Ferrari gets pumped up apparently is by blaming others and generally whipping up a persecution complex, but that’s what works for them.

    But unless Ferrari make a major step forward, Luca is going to be needing another new television soon.

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