Motorsports Mondial

Muy Macho Hombre de Maranello

Photo: Sutton images

Alonso at Maranello. A dream come true for the “Tifosis” and his people back in Spain, especially Oviedo. The 2005 & ’06 World Champion, the man who dethroned then Ferrari star – today’s mid-fielder – Michael Schumacher, has now renewed his contract with Ferrari till the end of the 2016 season. It will most probably mean he will retire from the sport when the new contract expires.

It was in the opening round of the 2001 Formula 1 season that Fernando Alonso made his Grand Prix debut in Australia at the wheel of a Minardi. Also making their debuts were Kimi Raikkonen, after only 23 races under his belt, for Sauber and Juan Pablo Montoya for Williams, after dominating the Indy car landscape plus victory in the May classic, for Williams.

How different their careers have gone. Montoya’s modus operandi made him a persona non-grata at Grove, and he wore out his welcome in Woking after a shoulder injury while playing tennis – allegedly on a motor bike!

Raikkonen, perhaps one of the most naturally gifted Grand Prix drivers of all time, could have, should have become world champion at McLaren. But did not and moved to Ferrari, where he won his first race with the team and incredibly came back from a 17-point deficit with two races remaining, and this is when a race win awarded 10-points, to take the title in the 2007  season file at Sao Paulo.

Raikkonen had replaced Schumacher at Ferrari, and many thought the Ice Man would similarly reign for many years. The talent that went straight from Formula Renault to Formula 1 was now, in 2008, having difficulty in warming the tires. While teammate Massa even became world champion for 15-seconds, it was clear the thrill was gone and melted away for the Ice Man.

Ferrari paid him to leave early and for 2010 brought in Alonso, who, like his predecessor, won on his debut, and staged a remarkable late season surge last year till Vitaly Petrov got in the way of his third world championship.

Details of the new contract are not known but one hopes Nando had good legal advice before signing it. It is a long-term contract at a very crucial stage of his career. With so many young talented drivers knocking on F1 door – a few are already world champions – Nando needs a Schumi-clause in his Ferrari contract. Basically, name his own teammate.

It was not too long ago he negotiated a deal without the knowledge of his manager, the flamboyant Flavio Briatore.

And we all know how disconnected that call was with the Vodafone-sponsored team……

 

— Nasir Hameed

Greetings and Montmelo regards.