09 fevereiro, 2004
Eu concordo com o autor...Nikki poderia ser mulher...uhmmm façamos uma pesquisa...
Fernando Alonso: A champion in the making
Nikki Reynolds
In 2001, his debut year in Formula One, not many people recognized the name of Fernando Alonso. By the end of the season that name was being bandied about with a lot of interest, at least within F1. Come 2002 the young Spaniard subsided into test-driver shadow, quietly biding his time and honing his talents. Fast forward to 2003 and suddenly everyone was talking about Fernando Alonso.
Alonso became a star last season, his natural talent sharpened by a year of testing. The results initially came fast: his maiden pole position in only the second race of the season gave him his first podium finish, in third. Another third followed in Brazil, and his second place in his native Spain overshadowed Michael Schumacher's victory.
The second half of the season tapered off slightly but the crowning glory was Alonso's maiden victory in Hungary, gaining him the record of the youngest-ever driver to win a Grand Prix. Having followed Fernando's career for five years by then, my reaction was only marginally less jubilant than his. At the launch of the Renault R24 in Palermo, Alonso proved to be remarkably composed about his sudden rise to stardom.
After such a good season last year, expectations for the young man -- he's still only 22 -- will surely be even higher. "Maybe, yes," he admits with a little shrug. "Because whenever you have a good result people expect a lot of you and you have a little more pressure."
"But in my case I think it's really the same as before -- I will approach the season the same as I approached last year. In Formula One it depends on the car as well; some places the car is good, is competitive, and you can be on the podium or in the top places. But sometimes everything goes wrong and you cannot fight for anything. As long as you always do the maximum you can, the pressure doesn't really count."
In 2004 the expectations are not only on Alonso but also on Renault. Fernando is under no illusions that he will go out there this year and blast the competition off the track -- but this doesn't mean he's pessimistic either.
"It will be difficult, I know that. After four podiums and one victory, for me it will be extremely difficult. But generally we have to be optimistic, we have been working very hard over the winter and putting a lot of effort into the R24. For us drivers, we have to keep pushing, you know, and try to improve. Eighteen races, new circuits, new rules: anything can happen."
"I just keep concentrating on the job. After the results of last year we will have to keep this level and stabilized in a strong position, and just keep working on that."
Taking a first Grand Prix victory is always a special moment for a driver, but although he was obviously delighted, Alonso doesn't think his win in Hungary altered him. "Nothing," he says quietly but emphatically when asked what changed in his character after that. "It gave me more confidence with the team because after the victory the atmosphere changed a little bit. A little more enthusiastic, more confidence, but that was the only change."
Renault secured fourth in the constructors' championship without too much effort in 2003 but that doesn't make the Spaniard complacent. "No, no, it's not safe," he says of the team's position. "A lot of teams are working hard. We saw in the last couple of weeks (testing) that BAR is improving a lot, Toyota is pushing as well -- so we have to close the gap to the top teams but it's not only us. I think three or four teams will be fighting for that objective as well."
Ferrari, Williams and McLaren are the ones everyone strives to beat. This season, while beating them in races is the aim, Alonso is not thinking in terms of fighting for the championship.
"I don't think so," he says about challenging for the title. "This year will be difficult for us but we will try to close the gap between the three top teams and Renault. To be in a position to fight for the title in the last three or four races... I don't think we can conduct that fight this year."
The 2005 season is when the possibility becomes reality. "We think so; we are working towards that. The problem for us this year will be the engine probably, because we're starting from nothing. (Renault has reverted from a wide-angle engine to a more traditional V-angle.) In the last half of the season Renault will have a very competitive car if the engine develops as we expect. So, yeah, in 2005 we should be ready to fight for the title."
The R24 made its track debut at Barcelona testing just prior to the launch. Alonso set the fastest time on the final day of the week but winter test times are not necessarily an indication of performance through the year. The first test of a new car always comes with its own set of difficulties but generally it went well.
"The feeling was okay, it's a nice car to drive," Fernando nods contemplatively. "There were no big problems; the balance, the engine, everything worked quite well. Obviously the chassis doesn't feel really perfect at the moment but after one year with the R23 that's normal. With the engine I feel there is good progress, probably the same level of power but maybe more progressive. I think we can work a lot with this car and develop a lot more than with the R23."
"At the moment we have the centre of gravity a little bit higher than last year, because of the engine, but we try to improve that with aerodynamics and with weights as well... the fuel tanks." He laughs and shrugs off his scant knowledge of specifics. "I don't know what it is they study!"
"At the moment it feels very similar to last year's car. It's another step from the R23 but with a better engine. The next steps in power will come during the championship, after the fourth race, I think, but for now it feels more progressive and easier to drive."
The new rule of "one engine per race weekend" makes reliability a huge concern in 2004, so does Fernando worry about it? "Always. It's always our priority to have a good car and finish the races. Especially this year with eighteen grands prix, the key of the championship will be to finish every race. With one engine we know it will be difficult; for that we had to change the concept of our engine because last year it was impossible to do one weekend. Obviously I have confidence in it now but, you know, I worry just like anyone else."
The tyre war is another important factor. Michelin made a lot of progress in 2003 and Bridgestone is sure to be under much more pressure this year to perform. Six teams now run on Michelins, including top contenders McLaren and Williams, whereas with Bridgestone only Ferrari is capable of extensive testing. Jordan, Sauber and Minardi, the other three Bridgestone teams, do not have the resources.
"They (the Michelins) are quick; at the moment we have no problems," Alonso confirms, adding with a wry laugh, "Especially because it's not raining!"
"I reckon we can have two or three tenths from last year's tyres in our pockets and this can be our advantage. We've tried a lot of different types of tyres, especially now in the winter tests. Some are good and some are not so good but we are choosing the right tyres for the championship. I have to say that Michelin is working very hard and providing us with fantastic tyres."
Renault made some brilliant starts in 2003 but launch control is banned for this season. Fernando laughs, "That will be a problem for us! The Renault was fantastic last year and we've lost that advantage. So it's up to us (drivers) now to prove ourselves and do good manual starts. It'll be okay. We'll have the traction control on so it's not that difficult."
After a season filled with speculation about Renault technical director Mike Gascoyne leaving for Toyota, it finally happened and deputy Bob Bell has taken over Gascoyne's position. Alonso is not concerned about the effect it may have on the car but is slightly disappointed that Mike left.
"It's always not so good when you lose an important person in the team. It's always better to keep the good people with you," he concedes. "But having said that, he was the boss of 30 or 40 people working in aerodynamics and those 30 or 40 people are still working in the team. So I don't think it will affect the car performance. But I was good friends with Mike so it was not so great when he went."
Engine director Jean-Jacques His also left Renault last year but despite the changes in some positions, team morale remains strong. "At the moment it's fantastic," Alonso affirms. "The atmosphere in the team is really, really good. I think we have a very strong package this year with very professional people. With Flavio (Briatore, team principal), with Jarno (Trulli), Franck (Montagny, test driver), everything is working very well."
As for boss Briatore, he's just as demanding as any of them. "Flavio puts pressure on like all the bosses," Fernando grins. "If you do well he doesn't say anything. If you do bad he's talking to you within an hour! So it's better to always do the best you can!"
In the media spotlight, on the surface at least, Alonso appears a very composed and calm young man. He is articulate and his English is very good; he chooses his words with care and is knows full well that what he says is under scrutiny. This PR awareness tends to smother his personality and robs him of his natural enthusiasm.
Despite this unnaturally calm façade, his hands give him away. He wears a ring on his thumb that he constantly fiddles with, twisting and turning the silver band, swapping it to his index finger and back again. He puts his hands in his pockets then takes them out almost immediately, knits his fingers together, pokes at the stitching on his racesuit, then starts toying with the two leather and silver bands on his right wrist.
This unconscious display of nerves made me smile. It was reassuring to see that under the public politeness and the very talented on-track performances, Fernando is a lad who has -- so far -- not been adversely affected by the praise and attention heaped upon him. He has come out with the odd inadvisable comment in the past that reflected badly on him, but he wouldn't be human if he didn't make mistakes.
In person he has no arrogance and no bullshit bravado, and makes no attempt to talk up his own talents. If he does harbour such unappealing traits he hides them well but I don't think it's in his nature to dissemble. I hope he remains the same and doesn't pick up arrogance along with his trophies in the future. Sure, he's ambitious and self-confident, but what racing driver isn't?
Many people say Fernando is the next Michael Schumacher, but I disagree. I know what they mean, and it's a commendable accolade, but it irritates me that anyone should be labeled the "next" somebody. It implies that they cannot be individually successful but can only follow in someone else's footsteps.
I prefer to consider each driver on his own merits rather than make comparisons. So, to me, Fernando Alonso is not the next anybody: his own achievements make him unique. But in common with Schumacher et al, he has 'champion' stamped all over him.
Para todos aqueles que não acreditam que as mulheres também podem entender de automobilismo.
