Hot Rod or Hot Dog? Top Dog!
- Published on Sep 16th, 2010 by Benson Jammichello
Cheer up, Fernando - you're the top dog! © 2010 LAT Photographic
Alonso.
Now, let it be known right now that we at Badger (alright, this correspondent in particular) have no great love for Fernando Alonso. We just don’t “get” him.
That said, we recognise he’s a brilliant, brilliant racing driver. Fast, committed and ruthless, he has all the attributes to suggest he’ll add to his tally of world championships with Ferrari, be it this season or in the future.
This weekend, he demonstrated all the things that make him such a valuable commodity. He was fast, obviously, but also very consistent. He knew he had the beating of Button and, when the pit stops rolled around, he put himself in exactly the right place to get past him. Down into the first corner, he moved his car into the ideal place, braked perfectly and shut Button out. Job done.
Perhaps what’s been missing so far this season has been his composure, but he calmly sat behind Button, pushing him but not doing anything stupid. He wasn’t flustered after he lost his lead at the start and kept Massa behind him (not that anything else was going to happen though, obviously).
Ferrari driver. Ferrari fans. Italian Grand Prix. Pole position and race win. It doesn’t get much better than that. Well done, Fernando.
Just don’t ask us to go to the pub with him.
oh and i’d love to see a mark webber movie he is the most...
Comments and Discussion
I was wondering whether you'd go through with it after swearing "Alonso will never be top dog" earlier in the season.
Fastest lap too! I agree, the Italian Grand Prix was a vintage Alonso performance!
You know what? I would have said the same, until I saw him twice at the Belgian Grand Prix.
(1) On the Saturday, while standing near the bridge where the drivers drove their cars into the paddock, Alonso was asked to stop (which he was not happy about). A crazy fan jumped the fence and ran over to his car asking him to sign something. So he rolled down the window and signed it... http://www.flickr.com/photos/rubbergoat/4955039388/in/set-72157624747540919/
(2) Saturday evening we headed to Spa (the town) and ended up in the Radisson Hotel. Turns out that Ferrari, Renault and Mercedes personnel were staying there and we spotted Alonso and Kubica. So we sat next to Alonso and had a drink. When he retired for the evening, we wished him luck for the race the next day. He was very nice and thanked us for doing so. He even had a picture taken with a kid who had been bugging him all night.
I know how he comes across and I don't get him either, but I thought these were nice gestures considering how he could have reacted. I guess perception and reality are not always the same...
Oh, and this is Alonso at the Radisson: http://twitpic.com/2j47ly
Cheers for the great story Gavin - I was also at Spa this year, but certainly not hobnobbing with the drivers. Perhaps you're right, although I certainly can't see myself becoming a convert any time soon.
Jimmy, I thought this might come back to bite me.
Believe me when I say I tried really hard to think of someone else - I even considered Nick Heidfeld. Sadly, it had to be Alonso. My integrity got the better of me. Shameful.
Benson's going soft!
Principle over sentiment ... nothing wrong with that, I'd say.