The Brazilian three time world champion Nelson Piquet is never short of an opinion. Notorious in the 80’s for outspoken and controversial statements, particularly about fellow drivers.
Recently during an interview on Brazilian TV, he turned his sour appraisal toward Spaniard Fernando Alonso.
“Fernando Alonso has had the chance to win up to five world championships, but the reality is that there is always a mess wherever he is,”
“He is a fantastic driver, but also one who generates a lot of problems and in the end everyone ends up leaving the team. He is very bad politically in his work on the team. When you arrive on a team, at first you must be patient and work together, and later you win,” Piquet added.
Rather ironic a statement when considering that his son Nelson Piquet Jr was Alonso’s teammate for Renault in 2008 and was involved in the notorious ‘Crashgate‘ when Piquet deliberately crashed into the barriers during the Singapore GP, enabling Alonso to take the victory.
Perhaps daddy is still rather bitter about the whole affair when he says that Alonso “always wants the best (straight away), and that is not the best way.”. Using his son as a human projectile was perhaps the only way to satisfy Fernando’s lust to taste being the best (by winning the race) in an poor performing 2008 Renault? Out of the two drivers of Piquet Jr and Alonso, the 2 time Champion was clearly the favoured man under team boss Flavio Briatore.
Truth of the deliberate crashing of Piquet Jr only came to light a year on after Piquet was ousted from the team when he confessed his involvement.
There is a nugget of truth in his comment. There was the mess with Hamilton in 2007, “Pedro can we use any of this Ferrari stuff on our car” during the stolen Ferrari design fiasco, crashgate as noted, and he caused trouble at Ferrari leading to him being replaced by Vettel. Shame for such a talented driver.
What problems has he exactly caused for Ferrari? For once and all please state all the facts – one by one if possible.
From what I’ve seen and read – he has delivered from day one at the team. He’s been dragging underdog car to the heights there usually it didn’t belong to, including fights for WDC (yes, of course Red Bull poor reliability benefited for that). For years he has been supporting team in public – praising efforts and etc (until one day he had fed up – same what will probably sooner or later happen to Vettel). He was one of the main factors to get new technical people into the team – some sources state that he was the one who convinced Allison to join. What else had he to do during his period in Ferrari to satisfy you? Paint his hair in red?
Had Ferrari become better since he’s left? Yes, but not because pilots have changed – because most of the head staff has changed. Are Ferrari better now because he has left? No – they are better because they’ve finally have somebody instead of Tombazzi to draw the car and etc.
On top of that add all opinions that Alonso with this years Ferrari would have been higher in the championship than Vettel. Which of course we will never know.
I have no doubt that Alonso’s prudence would have brought different results in both Baku and Singapore, than Vettels petulance managed.
But to suggest Nando’s brought technical experts to the team is simply erroneous.
Ferrari dismissed Aldo Costa due to Alonso’s request because “he wasn’t adventurous in design”, yet Costa has designed the most dominant cars in history.
Pat Fry proved to be an Alonso backed signing, which proved poor. Then Allison was employed.
He can’t be blamed for the 2014 car but his ‘supposed’ expertise was responsible for the 2015 and 2016 cars.. Sergio moved him on in June 16 well before designs for the 2017 challenger were established. Just as Allison has confirmed and the English media has repudiated!
I am waiting in heightened anticipation of what Mr Allison will manage now. Considering his input at Mercedes last year, how many time did Merc find that updates were not working as anticipated?
As to the Spaniard? He has proven toxic at every team he’s been employed. After the Ferrari honeymoon he was never backwards at criticising his team and engineers for their collective failings.
Christ, even in his title winning years he complained of feeling isolated.
https://polldaddy.com/js/rating/rating.jshttps://thejudge13.com/2017/11/10/how-ferrari-and-vettel-hustled-alonso/
And as for the opinions of those saying that Alonso would’ve done better than Vettel this year, well… Most of the time those opinions are by British media folk who have a thing against German drivers.
I think Alonso is a brilliant driver, but his qualification abilities are lesser than the ones that Vettel has. And all those pundits never account for that.
Yes, Fernando would’ve never done what Vettel did in Singapore. But that’s because, unlike Vettel, he wouldn’t have been on pole.
bruznic
Alonso is not much of a poll sitter, I agree. What he does have in his back pocket, though, is an uncanny ability to make up places off the start; I do not think anyone does it better. His race management is one of the best and makes up for his one-lap speed deficiency.
I can’t say Alonso would have done better in last year’s Ferrari but Vettel has yet to out-do him in the course of their careers with manufacturer. Alonso has a mouth on him and needs to learn when to shut up, the same can be said about Vettel but where Alonso is vocally unfiltered against his own team, Vettel can get down right volatile.
I Love It When 2 Jerks Have A Go At Each Others Throats.
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AGGRESSIVE CHARGERS, FOREVER !
https://polldaddy.com/js/rating/rating.jsI had an aquaintance in the ferrari garage during the end of the Alonso Period. He said that ALonso was an over rated, unhelpful diva. He had a reputation for doing the questionable on the track (that worked for Shumacher and i think managers thought it would work again) but he caused such discourse in the garage and couldnt help develope the car.
I have always wondered how he had such a good PR rep. Its probably in his contract that no one in his current camp can say anything bad about him.
I have been catching up on some reading, the tell all books and even the “Mechanic” doesnt speak all that highly of him.
What shows clear is that no team wanted him this past season. His record (two questionably gained DWC) and then crappy results in 2 and soon to be 3 forms of motorsports, where its always some one elses fault.
Alonso was great for about his first 4 years in F1. He should have been gone from the sport midway through Mclaren forever.
The “I heard from someone who was there” is a bit rich. I can invent and acquaintance to refute yours.
The “two questionably gained DWC”? WTF? Why are they questionable exactly?
“then crappy results in 2 and soon to be 3 forms of motorsports, where its always some one elses fault.” Which forms are you going on about? 2 WDC is a crappy result?
I think you might be #obsessed.