Drat and double drat! I've missed the boat. For any half-decent conspiracy theory to gather a respectable gaggle of squawkers, said theory must be gently slipped into the public eye at an opportunistic time. Just as it is with sex, great comedy and a perfectly cooked steak, timing is everything.
A few days ago I happened to chance upon a particularly juicy bone in the Nelsinhogate hullabaloo that was overlooked by the media mongrels, currently salivating over the scraps of hearty rumours being thrown to them. I buried the damn thing, thinking I would go back to it in a day or two. Too late! Someone pipped me to it. Procrastination, it would seem, is a death knell to my literary aspirations.
I might as well share it now, since I've missed the eyeball grabbing window. While Pat Symmonds, Flavio Briatore and Piquet Jr. indulged in multiple rounds of glorious mud-slinging, no one questioned the presence of a character, who, at the time was still wiping off the gloop from another scandal - Fernando Alonso.
So that's two consecutive seasons now that has Alonso's teams mired in disgrace. That each team was guilty of the charges against them cannot be denied - no, not even by a McLaren enthusiast like myself. (Renault have just announced that they will not be contesting the allegations) So just what is it about Fernando Alonso that brings out the worst in his teams?
Could it just be coincidence? In all probability it is. And unfortunately so for the diver himself. His presence at the time of the downfall of two Formula One teams (and large ones at that) is surely not the kind of baggage one would like to carry around - particularly while knocking on Ferrari's door.
But then again, no-one would turn away a driver of such supreme class. Alonso's ability to wring out performances from cars that are real lemons is unsurpassed by anyone on the grid. It is one of his many "Schumacher-esque" qualities.
And yet, with the brilliance comes the unpalatable. Off the track (and sometimes on it as well) Alonso can be vindictively nasty (see Hungary 2007). His tantrums are legendary, and when things don't go his way he has been known to throw his toys out of the pram. (That's a phrase stolen from an F1 commentator methinks)
By Hungary 2007, Alonso was whining about not being treated as a "No. 1" driver in the McLaren team. By Singapore 2008 Alonso had been whining about how the Renault charger was an absolute dud for the better part of the season. Could it be then, that coupled with his incessant whining, the pressure to provide the Double World Champion with a suitable car seems to push teams over the edge?
Unlike Spygate, Alonso's role in Nelsinhogate seems to be restricted to that of surprised beneficiary. For now. Nelson Piquet Sr.'s claim that Fernando "must have known" about the whole shebang does make the old grey cells sit up a bit. For a driver starting 15th on the grid, a light fuel load is a seemingly silly idea. And whatever he is, Alonso is not stupid. His knowledge of strategies is masterful. Which makes the choice all the more suspect.
Renault's motivation to fix the race was, of course, more complex than merely putting an end to Alonso's whining. The win, however "lucky" it seemed at the time, came at the appropriate hour when the team was on the brink of leaving the sport. It also seemed to buoy the spirits of all involved, with Alonso finishing strongly in the next few races.
Whatever penalty Renault receives as a result of the scandal, the chances of Alonso's fate suffering is slight at best. The better for racing fans in my opinion. We should not lose a driver of his calibre - no matter how unsavoury a character he is. Still, I cannot help but wonder if fate, at its wily best, has conspired to make Alonso a harbinger of doom to any team he joins.
Having said that, I eagerly await news of Ferrari's driver line-up for 2010.
A few days ago I happened to chance upon a particularly juicy bone in the Nelsinhogate hullabaloo that was overlooked by the media mongrels, currently salivating over the scraps of hearty rumours being thrown to them. I buried the damn thing, thinking I would go back to it in a day or two. Too late! Someone pipped me to it. Procrastination, it would seem, is a death knell to my literary aspirations.
I might as well share it now, since I've missed the eyeball grabbing window. While Pat Symmonds, Flavio Briatore and Piquet Jr. indulged in multiple rounds of glorious mud-slinging, no one questioned the presence of a character, who, at the time was still wiping off the gloop from another scandal - Fernando Alonso.
So that's two consecutive seasons now that has Alonso's teams mired in disgrace. That each team was guilty of the charges against them cannot be denied - no, not even by a McLaren enthusiast like myself. (Renault have just announced that they will not be contesting the allegations) So just what is it about Fernando Alonso that brings out the worst in his teams?
Could it just be coincidence? In all probability it is. And unfortunately so for the diver himself. His presence at the time of the downfall of two Formula One teams (and large ones at that) is surely not the kind of baggage one would like to carry around - particularly while knocking on Ferrari's door.
But then again, no-one would turn away a driver of such supreme class. Alonso's ability to wring out performances from cars that are real lemons is unsurpassed by anyone on the grid. It is one of his many "Schumacher-esque" qualities.
And yet, with the brilliance comes the unpalatable. Off the track (and sometimes on it as well) Alonso can be vindictively nasty (see Hungary 2007). His tantrums are legendary, and when things don't go his way he has been known to throw his toys out of the pram. (That's a phrase stolen from an F1 commentator methinks)
By Hungary 2007, Alonso was whining about not being treated as a "No. 1" driver in the McLaren team. By Singapore 2008 Alonso had been whining about how the Renault charger was an absolute dud for the better part of the season. Could it be then, that coupled with his incessant whining, the pressure to provide the Double World Champion with a suitable car seems to push teams over the edge?
Unlike Spygate, Alonso's role in Nelsinhogate seems to be restricted to that of surprised beneficiary. For now. Nelson Piquet Sr.'s claim that Fernando "must have known" about the whole shebang does make the old grey cells sit up a bit. For a driver starting 15th on the grid, a light fuel load is a seemingly silly idea. And whatever he is, Alonso is not stupid. His knowledge of strategies is masterful. Which makes the choice all the more suspect.
Renault's motivation to fix the race was, of course, more complex than merely putting an end to Alonso's whining. The win, however "lucky" it seemed at the time, came at the appropriate hour when the team was on the brink of leaving the sport. It also seemed to buoy the spirits of all involved, with Alonso finishing strongly in the next few races.
Whatever penalty Renault receives as a result of the scandal, the chances of Alonso's fate suffering is slight at best. The better for racing fans in my opinion. We should not lose a driver of his calibre - no matter how unsavoury a character he is. Still, I cannot help but wonder if fate, at its wily best, has conspired to make Alonso a harbinger of doom to any team he joins.
Having said that, I eagerly await news of Ferrari's driver line-up for 2010.
Hey Inks. Just stumbled upon this , thanks to ur 'note' on MSN. I Will try and follow ur space. I don't follow Formula 1, not with the same enthusiasm as you anyways, but i enjoyed reading your point of view. I do hope your blog is about a lot more than just F1.
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