Bleacher Report - Articles by Alex Levy

Fernando Alonso to Honda: It's So Unlikely... but Why Not?

Alex Levy — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 10:18:35 -0400

Hello and welcome back to Alex's F1 analysis.

Love it or hate it, it's no holds barred on this article so buckle up ....

In recent weeks, rumours around the paddock had Fernando Alonso hinting at a switch to Honda.

The probability of such a move is rather slim, in light of the kind of package Honda can offer to the talents of Alonso in both absolute and relative terms.

This may be one blessing in disguise if Honda gets it right with regards to the new rules changes coming into force for the 2009 season.

So why are those rumours still circulating anyways? Alonso had previously denied a switch to Honda.

Last year whilst moving away from McLaren, the media went so far as to announce Alonso undergoing a seat testing at the Brackley-based outfit—allegations denied by the former double world champion.

More recently, Alonso was asked whether he would, whilst waiting for a seat to free up at Ferrari in 2010, consider a drive for 2009 at Honda; and again the Oviedo native dismissed these claims, stating he would stay at Renault for the time being.

Now on Aug. 8, 2008, with a much rumoured £7.6 million contract on the table, the question is not will Alonso sign with Honda, but when?

Furthermore with the like of mind genius Ross Brawn and the ever positive Nick Fry working around the clock to build a harder-better-faster-stronger Honda outfit; these rumours are fast becoming all the more credible.

This is in light of Renault's failure to deliver a truly competitive package that match the expectations of a former double world champion, a driver still considered by many to be pound for pound the best F1 driver of the 21st Century to date.

This just adds oil to the flame in the form of a strong incentive to get out of Renault whilst the opportunity is there.

The fact that Alonso can bring extra pace to a car is undeniable. Last year, he fought to defend his championship going into every Grand Prix with motivation—a stark contrast with our current champion, who has already hinted at retirement.

Considering 2010 is the year he'll be switching to Ferrari is even more so; as long as Kimi Raikkonen retires of course. But Alonso may not like the idea of sticking for an extra year of hiatus at Renault.

Looking for another challenge somewhere else is on the menu whilst, of course, keeping his eye on the ball, i.e., Scuderia Ferrari.

With regards to Raikkonen's retirement plans, Malcolm Wilson, head of Ford WRC, has offered Raikkonen a test drive, looking to get the Iceman on board for the 2010 WRC championship.

Even reigning champion Sebastien Loeb was quoted as welcoming a big name like Raikkonen into WRC as a good thing for the sport, and why not?

Regardless Alonso, can pretty much leave Renault, but if he does, that leaves some strong indication that the Enstone-based French manufacturer will not be putting the heat on in 2009.

Otherwise, Alonso would not be moving to the other end of the midfield unless he perceived a genuine opportunity to make something out of it next year, so watch this space...

Then again, we are far from a signature on a piece of paper with a cool £7.6 million attached to it.

With regards to the latest development surrounding Alonso's future past 2008, it is interesting to note how the Oviedo native is managing his hiatus at present; his performances have not matched his true potential which is not a surprise considering the mess he's in.

However with Jarno Trulli four points clear of him and Mark Webber level on points, it is interesting to note Alonso is doing well in the midfield battle. The question is how much more can he do in the face of a tougher Toyota package and an upcoming RBR one.

Time will tell. In the mean time, whether or not Alonso will go to Honda next year is in my view not the best of moves, as Button and Barrichello could only manage three and 11 points respectively so far.

A move to Brackley won't help the former double world champion back to the top, but it will definitely give him some thing new to try since he's stuck for another year in the midfield. Why not?

Alex

Hungaroring Provides Formula One Drama and Glory

Alex Levy — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 09:36:42 -0400

What a weekend this has been.

Heikki Kovalainen finally cashing in on his maiden victory, Timo Glock packing a first career podium whilst Hamilton's puncture and Massa bowing to lady "badluck" wrecked the predicted outcome of a classic race.

Nobody owns Hungaroring, with seven different winners in as many races. Who would have thought Heikki Kovalainen would have lifted the silverware:

2007 Hamilton

2006 Button

2005 Raikkonen

2004 Schumacher

2003 Alonso

2002 Barrichello

Thoughts

Whilst pole does not necessarily grant you P1 all the way, Hamilton could have done a lot better. Overtaken by Massa right at the beginning, the young McLaren talent was not able to play cat and mouse properly with the Brazilian hot shot.

It got even worse with a left tyre puncture which led to another run in the pits with 30 laps to go; the whole incident wrecked Hamilton's chances of a podium, as finishing fifth was definitely not on the agenda.

Staying at the top of the league in the driver's championship was part of it, so this weekend was not so bad in some ways. Damage limitation was key.

McLaren

The silver arrows clinched the top spot with their newly found talent, Heikki Kovalainen. Mr. Money in the Bank, as I like to refer to him ever since he signed with the Woking outfit, has finally cashed in on the money with a victory after one long run of sheer bad luck.

How ironic this came as a result of Massa's engine failure, yet for all his efforts, determination and seeing his way through a difficult start of the season; the Finn deserved this victory by a mile and over.

Have the tables turned? Can Iceman II build from here with renewed confidence and double the cash, or will he get overshadowed by McLaren's numero uno Lewis Hamilton? The answer will come in three weeks' time in Catalunya's European street fight!

Fire

The race organizers and engineers are in for a grilling literally, after not one but three cars caught fire during refueling: Bourdais, Nakajima and Barichello.

All sent the temperature soaring high in the pitlane, calling for new measures to be put in place to make sure such incidents do not happen again.

Three fires in one Grand Prix are just unacceptable; one fire for the whole season in itself is about unacceptable. (Mr. Ecclestone and Co. please get your heads around this one....)

Massa

Sometimes life is a b.... and Massa knows this better than anybody, having being outdone last year by Raikkonen for the title, then being relegated to number two status this year.

Worse, in some races, Massa will just lose his cool and disappoint. Yet he bounces back to own grand prix and somehow just outpaces everyone in his way to clinch victories.

Hungaroring was about to unfold in this fashion with three laps remaining until the Ferrari engine blew out its life and soul. This was not right at all.

Massa did everything by the book to win, outpacing Hamilton and cashing in on his opponent's misfortunes.. It was all there for the taking, the silverware, the Champagne and also the chance to regain the lead in the driver's title.

Alas, lying in third place is this devoted man who puts his heart into his driving. What a mess! What a shame! But Massa will bounce back as long as he's got the determination, balls and heart to keep going.

Raikkonen

Our champion's outing this weekend left us all puzzled as to what the Iceman is really playing at. Starting sixth on the grid, Kimi managed to hold himself in fourth position throughout, but right in the dying laps, our champion started to display his real pace setting the fastest lap.

What message has been sent here? Is Raikkonen implying he is too much of a genius of a driver he can just as well allow his opponents to get past him in the driver's championship only to go out there and regain his top spot for the pure adrenaline fun of it?

Is he just bored of Formula One, and that display of pure pace is another blip on the radar of his intention to leave the sport because he is too good for us?

Who knows?

One man, however, just cannot wait for Raikkonen make a move and leave the pranced horse squad. That fellow is none other than Fernando Alonso. His race has been superb holding his own in a lesser package; i.e., the R28 against Raikkonen's F2008.

Had it not been for the pit leapfrog tactic, the Oviedo native would have held the Iceman away from the podium this weekend. Another message has been sent to the attention of Ferrari's executives:

"I, Fernando Alonso, am so much better than Kimi and Felipe put together. Hire me, Mr. DiMontezemolo, and I will make Ferrari untouchable!!!"

Well there are hints Fernando can outdo Raikkonen in the same package. Furthermore, the Spanish ace has hinted at furthering his stay in F1 for another decade plus buying a property near Maranello.

Surely, Ferrari must be contemplating the idea of having a high-talented former double world champion in their lineup sooner rather than later, i.e. 2009 and not 2010.

I personally feel for good old Flavio Briatore, who has been there from day one until now for Alonso. Business is business, and when you are the best in this game, there is no time for personal feelings nor second division!

Shark Fin v. Viking Horns

The battle between Ferrari and McLaren is reaching a new point where the two teams are now advocating two different aero packages innovations brought by other team.

Whilst McLaren went for the aggressive-looking Viking horns inspired by BMW supercomputer and as seen on plenty of occasions on the F1.08 package, Ferrari decided to experiment with the shark fin extension first introduced by RBR then copy-pasted by engine provider Renault.

Which option is better is a tough call. However, if performance improvements are there for both teams, then it all adds up to an even more unpredictable finale!

Kimi Raikkonen: Badittude and Ignorance from a Disgrace of a Champion

Alex Levy — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 23:46:12 -0400

To all readers alike, I would like to apologize for keeping away from Bleacher Report for so long. Now on to my article.

Kimi Raikkonen as of late has been on a roll of badittude (bad attitude), ignorance, and his performance level on track has somewhat taken a dip.

Silverstone

Kimi Raikkonen was caught assaulting a photographer; whilst the incident is debatable; his actions were not. As F1 champion, there's a strong burden of responsibilities resting upon your shoulders, whether you like it or not.

Regardless of Kimi's dislike of autograph seekers, photographers,...anyone intruding on his personal space, nothing gives him the right to assault or shove someone to the ground.

Hockenheim

A new video has surged on the internet, depicting the Iceman knocking a child to the floor. In actual fact, Kimi did not assault the poor kid, Kimi was trying to dodge the autograph-mad mother as he always does, but in the process somehow knocked her folder onto the child's face (unintentionally as we are led to believe).

http://fr.youtube.com/watch?v=VGvoGqB-j_U

The fact is, Kimi's trying to dodge an eager fan is not very good for his image as an F1 driver and worse as the champion of the world's richest sport.

Furthermore, not attending to the child just depicts a level of ignorance that's just unacceptable from a human being. The least he should have done was go back there to see how the kid is doing.

The image Raikkonen is shadowing over the F1 title he carries with him is just sickening at this point. The FIA should have done something about it. As a matter of fact, Ferrari should do something about it, instead.

The FIA these days cannot be asked to remedy these sort of situations when we consider Mosley is still in power and probably feels no different to Raikkonen's badittude.

Performance

Raikkonen is third in the driver's standings, seven points adrift of championship leader Lewis Hamilton and behind teammate Felipe Massa.

Our champ has had a dip in performance that's even more worrying than his off-track antics with photographers and fans. He scored no points in Monaco and Canada, three in Hockenheim and only five in Silverstone.

Clearly, Raikkonen is not the champion we need; someone needs to take that title from him. A talented driver of his caliber with a team like Ferrari backing him with a package like the F2008 and a second driver like Massa; has got to perform better than that.

As a matter of fact, Raikkonen has every card in hand plus the FIA on the payroll, so why he is third in the driver's rankings is just hard to comprehend.

Conclusion

F1 has had its run of bad press with last year's spy scandal and this year's Mosley's case. What we don't need is a champion that fails to deliver on expectations both off and on the track.

Kimi Raikkonen, it's time to shape up!

Lewis Hamilton Writes Another Page of History at Silverstone!

Alex Levy — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 03:15:49 -0400

What a race this year's Silverstone was! From start to finish, we saw drama unfold. Lewis Hamilton's superb driving did the job today, with an opportunistic Heidfeld taking second, and in the meantime, the strategic genius of Ross Brawn putting Barrichello on the extreme wets secured Honda's first podium finish of the season! What an outcome...

And what a bleak day this has been for the Ferraris. Massa was unable to control his sliding car. The commentators counted five spins and possibly more unseen.

But also a dismal performance from Kimi Raikkonen, finishing fourth, one lap down.

The grand prix started with Heikki Kovalainen in the pole position, looking all set to go on and win it. Mark Webber was in second, Raikkonen in third, and "yours truly" Hamilton waiting for his moment in fourth.

It was "him" that took a great chance right at the start, taking advantage of Webber trying to hold the iceman, "ice kool" Hamilton saw the gap and went for it, almost nailing teammate Kovalainen, who defended his first place with authority.

However, as the first round of laps would have it, Hamilton was on the pace and Kovalainen just could not hold him off any longer. It made all the more sense not to block a fellow teammate, considering Alonso was lapping one sec faster. Therefore allowing Lewis through, or rather not blocking him any further, was a better strategy.

The rest of the race saw spectaculars spins. Webber, Massa, Raikkonen, Kovalainen, Glock, and a host of other drivers all felt the sting of the unforgivable wet conditions.

However, the biggest drama today must have been Barrichello's. The only man switching to extreme wet tyres, he came about half-a-minute faster than Lewis Hamilton before the Brit went in his second pit stop. Had it not been for the fuel-hose malfunction at Honda's pit lane, the winner of the British Grand Prix this year could have been Brazilian, not British.

However, this raises an interesting thought experiment—why did McLaren run the risk with another set of intermediate tyres for Lewis, considering a max gain of 12 second a lap on extreme wets. It would only take three laps at this pace, which Lewis is more than capable of achieving without over-cooking it.

As the saying goes, "Luck favours the brave", and it did—although the risk taken towards that extent could have been very costly...

In any event, today's race was a lot more interesting to watch than Magny Cours; Lewis did a fantastic job to get back to business after two jinxed results in both Montreal and France.

The podium was something of an originality, with three different manufacturer's on there, one being Honda, which has not happened since 2006. Ross Brawn is truly a master tactician to have decided on extreme wets for Rubens. If only Ron Dennis had done the same....

Regardless, the bottom line is that we have a threesome at the top of the driver's standing with Raikkonen, Massa, and Hamilton in the No. 1 "bed". Kubica will be watching this one closely, only two points behind this lot, whilst resurging teammate Nick Heidfeld is only 12 points behind that trio, and ten behind the guy that has outpaced, outshone, and outdone him for most of the season.

The German driver has sent the message he's in for a five-way championship decider...How sexy, I mean, how exciting?!

What it all comes down to is that today's GP was emotional, but it also revived a lot in terms of marketability for F1, with regards to the politics. The scandals and all the rubbish that is crippling the sport's image; these drivers are doing a tremendous job entertaining us to level unknown.

Mr. Mosley, how dare you try impose hefty superlicense fees?! I will never understand your reasons behind that!

Euro 2008: Russia and Spain through to Semifinal Clash of Titans

Alex Levy — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 12:19:02 -0400

Hello everyone, and welcome back to my Euro 2008 column.

Today, I am peering over Russia's success over the Netherlands and tonight's highly anticipated game, Italy vs. Spain

Both quarter-finals could not be decided in normal time. So it was left in extra time to decide which team would march one step further in the competition and who would simply pack their bags and go home to watch the rest of the Euro 2008 on the big screen.

Russia vs. Netherlands

In what may have been the upset of the tournament, the Russian revolution overran the Orange storm with a three goal wipe-out job that saw the awe-inspiring Dutch crashing and burning in Russian hell.

If the first half was any indication to how events would unfold in the 2nd half and beyond, it was Russia having the better of it with long-range efforts from Kolodin's right footer on target as always and, putting heavy pressure on Van Der Sar's shoulders.

It was a surprise the first 45 minutes of play ended goalless. Equally efforts from Van Der Vaart, Bouhlarouz and Van Nistelroy could not change the outcome either!

Second half

The Russians walked in the second half badder, meaner, stronger, leaner and most of all with purpose. They set out quickly to make their intentions loud and clear.

They finally found what they were looking for, on 56th minute with a left footer from Pavluchenko finding the back of Van Der Sar's net, a feat up until then only Thierry Henry of France had managed to achieve in this competition so far!

Russia looked all smiles and set to advance into the semi, with further efforts from Saenki and Pavluchenko mounting the onslaught onto the Dutch's defense, looking to screw the last nail into the Dutch's coffin.

However, the orange storm was still not showing signs of abating, with Sjneider's free kick on 86th minute finding Van Nistelroy's diving header into promised land for the late equaliser, the Dutch looked anything but dead. Russia 1 - 1 The Netherlands!

So off we were for another half hour of extra time before the much-dreaded penalty shoot out session would unfold if the score was to remain a draw.

Yet again the Russians made their intentions heard, they were in no mood for penalties; early efforts from Arshavin, Pavlyuchenko, Kolodin, Zhirkov and Torbinsky may not have found the back of the net, but it was a demonstration of strength that did the damage to the Dutch's defense, eventually the breach was exploited with Torbinsky's goal on the 112th minute and Arshavin's thor hammer blow on the 116th minute, which buried the Dutch dream six feet deep.

The orange storm evaporated in the most painful fashion; in the qualifying stages the Netherlands looked so dominant, having deposed of early favourites Italy 3-0 and France 4-1. The Dutch went in the quarter-finals with high expectations on their shoulders and fans enthusiasm and attendance numbers at games yet to be seen from other nations.

With the sheer belief they would destroy anybody that would dare stand in their way; the Dutch found an opponent that refused to go down the path Italy, France and Romania all obediently took. The Russian Revolution took out the eye of the orange storm writing a page of European football history in what may go down as the upset of the tournament.

One small point of consolation for The Netherlands lies in the fact that Russia's coach is none other than Dutchman Guus Hiddink!

If one man is to be held accountable for Russia's mighty football tonight, we all know who to point the finger at. His record as a manager of foreign squads speaks volumes. Russia is just another team he is taking to the next level!

Italy vs. Spain

This confrontation had "game of the tournament" written all over it, on paper that is. However, it quickly turned out as the most boring game of football of the year.

Neither team managed to produce the level of football they were expected, with jeering fans and lacklustre opportunities for goals on both side; this game failed to live up to its expectations.

Spain had control of the game throughout, with early efforts from Ambrossini, Perotta, Villa and Silva all just adding to Buffon's workout routine. The Spanish armada's onslaught was met by a "Fort Knox" like Italian defense, solid, compact and most of all not allowing any opportunity to turn into a goal; occasionally the Italians were up front with burst of ingenuity and set play.

They had one of the most unmissable chances to seal the deal on 61st minute; when Camoranesi should have scored, yet Casillas rushing back into his goal, somehow made that most important of saves.

This kept his team and country in the competition by the skin of their teeth in one of the most agitated moments of the match.

Chances would come both ways, the clearest though must have been Senna's 25 yarder on 81st minute, Buffon tested in all measures saw the ball releasing itself from its grip finding the near post in what must have been a heart bouncing moment for the Italian keeper and captain!!!

Cometh extra time, efforts from all side in the form of shots headers and more shots from Silva, Di natale, Rossi and a late one from Cazorla all but failed to produce that one goal the crowds of fans were looking forward to. The game was further stretched on to the much dreaded penalty shoot outs session.

On paper, statistics were stacked against Spain as the date 22nd of June is synonymous with failures in all major competition, 22nd June Euro 1996 against England losing on penalties, 22nd of June world cup 2002 again on penalties losing to South Korea.

Yet today, the 22nd of June 2008 Spain turned the tables crushing "La Squadra Azzurra" with Fabregas sending his team off to the semis and the Italians back home to watch the rest of the Euro in high definition:) Spain 4 - 2 Italy.

Preview

We're all set tongue-in-cheek for the next stage of the competition, for Russia vs. Spain will be a different game altogether; Spain beat Russia 4-1 in the qualifying stages; however, the Spanish side can expect an altogether different Russian side, filled with confidence having deposed of the mighty Dutch.

This semi will be the one to watch; turning the page over the other semi with Turkey against Germany this one should be filled with drama and heart-bouncing moments.

The bottom line is: one of this four teams will walk out on June 29 champion of Europe, with what we have witnessed so far we could be in for another surprise.

Four years ago, Greece took the silverware in the most unexpected fashion... Could this Euro 2008 unfold in similar fashion with Turkey and Russia both likely candidates to that extent?

I definitely hope so!

Euro 2008: Miraculous Turkey through to semis!!!

Alex Levy — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 21:30:41 -0400

Hello everybody and welcome back to Alex's EURO 2008 column!

Today I am looking at Turkey's impressive title charge and how they managed to miraculously fend off a somewhat better opponent for the second time in as many games.

Recap

Turkey vs. Czech Republic

It was do or die for both teams as the remaining qualifying ticket was on the line that night. It all looked set for the Czechs with a 2-0 lead after 62 minutes of play thanks to a first half header from Jan Koller and a second hammer blow by Winger Jaroslav Plasil.

However, the Turks somehow found the courage and tenacity to turn a 2 goal deficit into a 3-2 advantage in the space of only fifteen minutes.

The climb back started with Turan scoring the first of a three goal-Turkish delight job followed by captain Nihat Kahveci's double in the 87th and 89th minutes, which was all the Turks needed to reach the quarter finals; the match, however, ended on a little sour note for Turk keeper Volkan Demirel, who was shown red in extra times. However, the Czech just could not capitalize on that opportunity.

After this victory Turkish coach Fatih Terim a.k.a. The Emperor had the following message for his country:

"I send a message to my country and I say to the people 'get on the streets, celebrate this victory, profit from this moment!’"

Terim may have implied through this statement his team's chances of advancing even further would be rather slim if not next to impossible; in other words, enjoy our moments of victory now before our dream comes crashing down. However 11 strong Turkish athletes had a different say in the matter last night against Croatia.

Quater finals

It was yet another night of history in the European football competition. The match had "battle of the fittest" written all over it. But most importantly, it was a game of spirits as neither teams managed to score in normal time.

The game finally took shape in a heart-stopping high octane extra-time. In the space of the final three minutes of the game, drama was played in the most heart-bouncing fashion.

At the 119th minutes, Klasnic Header gave the Croats that much needed goal to advance to the quarter finals, the first goal of the game nonetheless not the last as the Turks have yet again demonstrated they would fight till the end. Croatia was on the brink of advancing to the Semi Finals when past the last minute of extra time and into that one added minute of injury time, Turkey found one last gasp of hope in the form of Semih's late equalizer to keep the Turkish dream on!

How ironic his name is Semih, as in Semi Finals!!!

That goal led to the much dreaded penalty shoot-out. It all came crashing and burning for the Croats as Modric and Rakitic's shot could not find the back of Rustu's net. Meanwhile Arda, Srna and Hamit Altintop all fired home, with Rustu sending the Croats back home with an incredible save against Petric's attempt, the Turk won 3-1 on the penalties shoot out and booked themselves a well-deserved Semi-Finals ticket against Germany!

Beyond the Game

Turkey's victory and ascent into the last four flies in the face of recent political issues and integration problems in the shape of a failed bid for EU membership. The Turks have celebrated all night long putting their worries behind them for a change and allowing for a wild night of joy and celebrations!

What's interesting about the Croatia vs. Turkey game is that the Croats are well on their way to receive their EU membership whilst Turkey has been in negotiation with Brussels for over 40 years to that extent. Yet tonight the Turks took revenge in style; the question is of course what would happen if Turkey was to win the Euro 2008, surely it would be a slap to the EU's stance regarding the Turk's EU membership bid.

To put it in simple terms; a succesful title charge in the Euro 2008 will have to reopen the negotiation talks for membership furthermore with an Irish no-vote for the Lisbon treaty. Eurocrats will look for new ways to improve the EU's image, accepting Turkey's membership bid with a potential full membership accession in 2015-2020 time would, in my view, be a very strong option to that extent

Winning the Euro 2008 is the only way for the Turks to help themselves integrate Europe even more. As of now Turkey has been compared to the sick man of Europe in some Academic paper. However a sporting victory could turn this image around and the future of Turkey may lie in the hands of 11 strong men with two games to go!!!

Turkey has made so much effort to become European. Winning the Euro 2008 would be the symbolic representation of the Turk's belongingness to Europe despite geographical and cultural factors stating otherwise. It is time for Turkey to be accepted within the EU and not rejected at the periphery of Europe.

To that extent, let's just hope the Germans nor any other European nations i.e. the Dutch (most probably in the finals) won't vote NO against Turkey's bid for Euro 2008 glory!!!

Go Turkey go!!!

Euro 2008 Group B: Romania and the Netherlands Are on Fire

Alex Levy — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 10:56:09 -0400

It was yet another night of competition in the Euro 2008 championship.

Tonight, the world champions and hot favorites, Italy, faced off with the Netherlands while France was battling with Romania.

Italy 0 - 3 the Netherlands

Who would have thought of such a score line—betting on it would have raised more than one pair of eyebrows.

The Netherlands took Italy for a ride they just won't forget. In 30 years of European competition, the Italians were never beaten by the Dutch yet tonight, history was made in grand fashion.

The Dutch took no prisoners nor spared any slights of mercy for their Italian counterparts, as they kicked off their Euro campaign with a bang in the shape and form of a three goal demolition job, at the hands of Ruud van Nistelrooy, Giovanni van Bronckhorst, and Wesley Schneider!

It took the Dutch no less than 26 minutes to find an opening in the Italian defense, although off-side in position, Van Nilstelroy deflected Schneider's left footer into the Promise Land, romping to a brilliant start of the match that was just a sample of things to come.

The match turned in the Neds favor—it started with a miraculous line save from Van Bronckhorst, who in the process, eluded a much needed Italian equalizer. Thereafter, the Dutch were on the counter attack, wasting little time. They found speed, skill, and great play and 17 seconds later, the Italians were hammered by a second goal courtesy of a superb half-volley from Schneider!

The third goal came in the second half following yet another brilliant save from Dutch keeper Van Der Sar, blocking Pirlo's on target free kick in high-flying style. The rest writes itself as Van Bronckhorst headed home Kuyt's center pass.

The Dutch have been impressive, bold, ambitious, creative, and on top of it, they have destroyed the world champions and Euro 2008 favorites in the process. What a way to start!

Furthermore, Van Der Sar was nothing short of amazing tonight, with superb saves and a determination, just like the rest of the Dutch squad, to stamp their mark on their opponents. If this is any indications of the Neds' intentions, then they are the team to watch for sure.

France 0 - 0 Romania

Abomination, frustration, and most of all, questioning their chances qualifying for the finals is on les bleus agenda tonight going into their hotel rooms

Unlike the brilliant Dutch, the French could not find their way through the strong Romanian defense. Efforts from Anelka in the 33rd minute and later from both Benzema and Malouda resulted to nothing.

There is not much to argue in the French favor. A slow start to a European campaign against underdog Romania is demoralizing; nonetheless, the French are famous for bouncing back with style and authority. However if the "coq sportif" are serious about a second European title, then the French will have no other choice but to sort out their offensive deficiencies as future opponents, the Netherlands and Italy, will demand a higher level of play than tonight's first test against Romania.

On the upside though, Romania's defense just would not let anything filter through their nets tonight. Having stalled world cup runner up France in its quest for the European Cup, Romania should receive an extra confidence boost, when facing the likes of a disgruntled Italy, which will be looking for payback, and the brilliant Netherlands who have shown another face tonight!

Could Romania finish in the top two in the Group of Death?

Bottom line is that the Netherlands and Romania have stalled the favorites in their qualifying marches to European glory. They have shown to Europe and the world of football that they can outsmart their stronger opponents.

This Euro 2008 could be as unpredictable as ever!

Mosley Wins Vote of No-Confidence!!!

Alex Levy — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 04:24:00 -0400

A dark cloud has been cast over motorsports today.

Max Mosley won the vote of no confidence. Just when we all thought the man was cornered, defenseless; up until today the question was not whether he would survive, but rather who would replace him. That question spilled a lot more ink as opposed to the aftermath of today's vote .

The FIA has deliberated, the votes were cast in the most democratic, fair and anonymous manner (apparently). What was seen as an opportunity to restore the FIA's image, confidence and most of all credibility has been nothing more than a scam. Max Mosley has won the vote of no confidence by a mile!

Here are the controversial results as obtained on the F1-live.com website

For the motion: 103 (i.e. those ignorant looneys who thought they'd keep Max as president of the FIA just for laughs)

Against the motion: 55 , (those people in their right frame of mind today, i.e. those who did not smoke pot the night before, those who realised what was right for motorsports.)

Abstentions: 7 (as in those people who did not give the least care into this)

Invalid votes 4 (those who were probably too drunk or stoned and just could not ballot their votes or those who voted themselves as replacement for Max)

This is unbelievable. How on earth did this happen? The FIA has voted in majority to keep a man that has brought so much shame on himself and on the FIA as an organisation in general. Setting up a vote of no-confidence was a big favor considering in any other executive board of any other major companies, Max would have had the decency to resign before the board of execs or shareholders dissolve him. How then could the 103 representatives defend themselves of their decision to keep Max as president of the FIA?

What were those voting for the motion thinking? Are they aware over 200 motorsports association throughout the world have called for Mosley to quit?

This is the FIA's response. A total fiasco. A political machination with key implications for the future of the FIA. A total mishap. A scam in essence. Max Mosley may have won this battle, he may be safe for now; however, the respite has already ended for FIA is now facing a boycott from Europe's largest automobile club—and that's just the beginning.

The fall out of Mosley's survival has begun with Germany's Allgemeiner Deutscher Automobil-Club (ADAC)—Europe's largest automobile club—issuing a statement regarding their intentions to boycott the FIA until further notice, in protest of today's vote in keeping Max Mosley as FIA president.

Furthermore, representatives from America's automobile association (AAA), Robert Darbelnet, mentioned the AAA may join the ADAC in the protest. Give it a couple of days and this motion will snowball big time; how will the FIA respond to this one?

The boycott will have repercussions and consequences, it will batter the FIAs image as a credible board for the running of motorsports; if a majority of the world's automotive associations follow the ADAC's lead in this boycott, Max Mosley will have a very difficult time to advocate himself as the president of a so-called competent authority regulating motorsports in a just manner (as if...).

Furthermore, to add oil to the flame Bernie Ecclestone was quoted earlier today as saying he feared Max Mosley would re-run for the presidency in 2009 although this is more of a manipulation attempt than anything else, a mediatic coup in essence meant to frighten the public at large and get everyone (every automobile association) to pressure Mosley out of his job.

Today's vote has cast a dark cloud over motorsports, another battering for the image of our beloved formula one.

Now is the time to stand up against the malfunctioning, tyrannic and ignorant authority at the top of the FIA!

Formula One: Heikki Kovalainen's Date With Destiny In Montreal

Alex Levy — Fri, 30 May 2008 11:18:54 -0400

The Canadian Grand Prix is reknowned for its historic moments. Lewis Hamilton taking his first ever victory in F1 last year is one of them.

I have that funny gut feeling Heikki Kovalainen is about to do the same. Here is why I think there will be two Finn flags on the podium in Montreal.

Heikki as of late has had to go through a mean streak of bad luck. Let's face it; the guy is jinxed.

Despite a 26G crash in Barcelona, enduring an early puncture as a result of a clash with Raikkonen in Turkey, a faulty gearbox in Monaco, and now 23 points adrift of championship leader and teammate Lewis Hamilton...Heikki Kovalainen is my man to deliver with authority in Montreal.

Heikki's resilience, fighting spirits, tenacity, drive and motivation are just second to none. His strength of character is in a league of its own.

Rolling into Montreal in just over a week's time, Heikki will not bulge at the opportunity to make up for all the hurdles that have stood in his way so far (Hamilton beware).

I would even go so far as to predict his first ever victory in Formula 1 the same way Hamilton got the job done last year with a six-podium streak to go with it. Heikki cannot boast this sort of record; however, his personality attributes will make up for this deficiency.

Also, Ron Dennis' apparent decline as a power figure at McLaren should most definitely play in Heikki's favour. It's just a matter of time before we could have a switch of driver status, and I stand by my argument.

I believe in Heikki Kovalainen as a much better long-term investment than Lewis Hamilton for three reasons:

Heikki is so straight in what he does. Pressure does not seem to get in his way. If that's not an advantage over Hamilton, wait until the Finn gets to grip with the MP4-23.
Heikki has a much stronger personality, meaning again under pressure he will not bulge.
There's a lot less media/sponsor attention on the Finn's shoulders, meaning he can focus a lot more of his efforts on where it matters most, i.e. racing and not acting or posing for greedy sponsors.

For all these reasons I stand by Heikki Kovalainen as a driver of choice.

Now Montreal is do or die for him, and I get that funny feeling this could be the turning point of the season if Kovalainen pulls the trigger!

The bottom line is, 23 points adrift is still bridgeable. Kovalainen has the spirits and all that streak of bad luck should now be behind him.

P.S. As of the second Finn flag I mentioned of early on, Kimi Raikkonen will be out in Canada on a mission to recapture the driver's lead and show the world who is the top apex driver in Formula 1!

Prediction for Montreal:

1. Kovalainen

2. Raikkonen (hence the two Finn flags)

3. Kubica (come on)

4. Hamilton

5. Massa

Formula One: Ferrari Roaring Toward Manufacturer's Championship

Alex Levy — Fri, 30 May 2008 02:00:56 -0400

Ferrari's form in the 2008 season could not have been more different than last year, when McLaren was on form setting the pace.

This year though, it's payback time for the pranced horse squad, with 69 manufacturers points in the bank already, a whopping 16 points clear of runner up McLaren Mercedes and 17 of BMW Sauber. The red devils have made their intentions very clear this year!

Ferrari have the package and they mean business! The F2008 alone is a dream package of a car that seems to play in a league of its own; pace, drivability, adaptability and the mean potential to conquer Grand Prix where its predecessor was being atomised (see last year's McLaren 1-2 in Monaco) with authority.

Also Ferrari has an amazing driver line up, the best in the world in the words of Mr. Montezemolo. McLaren and BMW Sauber too can boast a great driver line up as well. Yet it is the very hard work and cooperative spirits of two great talents in Felipe Massa and world champion Kimi Raikkonen that will bank all the points needed to clinch the manufacturer's crown on the tracks, as opposed to the FIA offices...(see last year's spy scandal)

Now I suspect Massa and Raikkonen probably would not get on in real life, let alone spend their holidays together. These two are so different in so many ways.

One is a (mono-syllabic) Northern-lone-wolf-hunter-gatherer who wants to live his life his own way and has already hinted at retirement. The other is a Latino hotshot driving with his heart, allowing emotions to get in his way at times; which explains why he has never lifted the driver's championship crown.

Yet this pair of drivers is working superbly well. Contrast this with Hamilton-Kovalainen, Kubica-Heidfeld and Alonso-Piquet; in all three combos there seem to be a strong driver and an underachiever (in terms of points scored this year of course).

Let's face it: Piquet aside Kovalainen and Heidfeld are awesome; whereas Ferrari has two strong drivers bringing in the manufacturer's points everytime they race. This is why I believe the Maranello outfit will lift the Manufacturer's crown this year.

Furthermore, the arrival of Stefano Domenicaeli replacing good old Jean Todt has been a lot smoother than expected. Although Todt was seen in the Ferrari garages, I believe Domenicaeli has what it takes to slowly but surely fill in Todt's shoes, and yes, these are big shoes to fill.

So what could possibly get in the way of the "red storm"? One issue springs to mind already which is Raikkonen's recent dip in performance (again looking at the statistics, ninth in Monaco, third in Turkey); it's not that easy to determine how much did the strategy blunders last weekend overshadowed the Finn's true pace or whether the man himself is to blame? Only time will tell!

My prediction going into Montreal is that Ferrari will once again roar its way through to the top. Let me be bold, predicting a podium 1-2 lock out on a track where everyone would expect the McLarens and BMWs to have the upper hand. As much as I hate to say this, the Ferrari will once again prove to the world it can challenge anyone, anywhere, anytime, anyways...

The bottom line is, Ferrari is up for it and so is Mr. Raikkonen, looking to bounce back with vengeance on top of his agenda!

With this in mind, what or who could possibly stand in the way of the red storm?

Answer: I'll leave this one for you to comment on...

Monaco Grand Prix: Lewis Hamilton Wins the Streetfight

Alex Levy — Sun, 25 May 2008 03:32:03 -0400

And there it is, the moment Lewis Hamilton has been eagerly working towards, emulating childhood hero Ayrton Senna, winning the Monaco GP!

Lewis' victory could not be any more glorious than this. With Kimi Raikkonen finishing ninth and Massa third, Hamilton is back in the drivers' lead, three points clear of the Iceman going into Montreal.

This is a key turning point in the championship—up until Monaco, Ferrari had locked P1 for four races in a row!

Having started in P3 Hamilton did a great job in the beginning of the GP, eliminating Raikkonen, taking second place, and pressurising Massa in the process.

Everything could have gone belly up for that knock in lap six—hitting the barrier and destroying his left rear tire in the process.

As a result Hamilton was forced into pitting in early to get new tires and some extra fuel, which as the race unfolded would prove a winning strategy. It gave him perfect timing for his second pitstop, and it also gave him the option of switching on the dry tires as the track dried up.

Hamilton not only took advantage of both Massa and Raikkonen running wide, but also Kimi Raikkonen's penalty drive (Raikkonen fitted new tires after the pre-race deadline).

Nonetheless, Hamilton's victory didn't result from the poor driving of his competitors alone—far from it!

His pace throughout the race was extraordinary—building a gap of up to 36 secs+ on Massa in the middle stint, keeping his focus on where it mattered most and respect where it's due. Lewis has been fantastic throughout!

Furthermore, this win will definitely boost the morale at Mclaren, having been outdone by Ferrari for most of the season. It's payback time for the boys in grey.

Winning in such a difficult race, rain aside, plus having had to pit early—the conditions were not in his favour, yet Lewis Hamilton has fought his way to victory in the most tenacious fashion.

Bottom Line: when push comes to shove and the fight is on, guess who won't be taking prisoners and defending one of the last outposts of Mclaren's resistance—Lewis Hamilton!

Monaco Grand Prix: Ferrari Conquers Last Bastion of McLaren Resistance

Alex Levy — Sat, 24 May 2008 03:50:12 -0400

Ener the dragon...against all odds and expectations, Ferrari has set a foot across the defense line of what seemed to be McLaren's impregnable fortress. The pranced horse squad has been supreme in qualifying for the Monaco GP.

The very track that was almost owned by the McLaren boys has been conquered by a red storm in the shape and form of Felipe Massa and Kimi Raikkonen locking out the front row!

So why is Ferrari's outpacing McLaren in this particular event so important in the championship? Well, the McLaren were clear favourites walking (I mean rolling) into the glamourous streets of Monaco. The silver arrows have won so many times there that no other team can boast such a rate of victory in Monte Carlo.

Moreover, the higher downforce at Monaco should have played in the hands of the Woking outfit as it did in past editions, yet it is Ferrari coming out on top and conquering one of the last outposts of McLaren's resistance!

On the other hand, it is payback time for the Italian outfit, as their last victory in the principality dates all the way back to 2001.

Regardless, the consequences for the manufacturers championship will be tantamount, especially if Ferrari keep things the way they are and make it a one-two this Sunday.

The manufacturer's championship crown will be within reach sooner rather than later, because if indeed Ferrari are now so good that they can outdo the McLarens on their favoured tracks, I just do not see how Lewis Hamilton and Heikki Kovalainen will be able to stop the Red storm.

Furthermore, I do not agree the manufacturer's championship is a two-horse race. By the looks of it, second place is where the two horse race is happening, as it stands, BMW, two points clear of McLaren, is second with 44 points despite not having recorded a single victory yet.

The German manufacturer gets more points out of Robert Kubica and Nick Heidfeld. I doubt they will be able to challenge for the championship anyway. Nineteen points adrift of Ferrari is quite a gap. So what looks like a threesome on paper (without being rude) is actually a one-team demonstration of pace, power, speed and domination in Formula One.

I hate to say this, but Melbourne aside, Ferrari has claimed victory on every single GP they have entered in, and if that's not scary enough, then Sunday the scarlett team could take it to the next level and beat the silver arrows in their own promised lands!

Felipe Massa has been getting to grips with a very different face to what we've been witnessing in the start of the season. From two DNF's, the Brazilian hotshot came back with a vengeance with two victories. A third in Monaco would seal the fate of the manufacturer's championship as long as the Iceman finishes second.

If indeed Massa wins in the glamour-clad-champagne-flowing-yacht-cruising-babe-tanning streets of Monaco; a GP he himself labelled as one of his least favourites, we Formula One fans may be in for one very interesting battle for the world championship title. What more can we ask?

We could ask that the same would apply for the manufacturer's championship. Having said that and looking at the situation, this is all wishful thinking; i.e. considering the domineering potential of the F2008 and the dream pair of drivers at the wheels of this tremendous pace-setting machine.

We're only in round 6 of 18, a third of the way through the championship; it clearly is evident the F2008 is a mile above the rest; despite what Hamilton, Kovalainen and Kubica may think of it, the Maranello squad is well on the way to claiming the manufacturer's championship this year.

As for the driver's title, well, if everything holds equal, it is guaranteed a man in red will be world champion...again, or for the first time!

Or will a beacon of hope shine through the red storm and claim a first-ever drivers championship?

Monaco Grand Prix: Sebastien Vettel to Feel the Bite

Alex Levy — Sat, 17 May 2008 09:57:39 -0400

Heading into the coolest race of the year in Monaco, bad news has struck the Faenza-based squad.

In Monte Carlo, Scuderia Toro Rosso plan to introduce their new STR3 car. However, as a result, Sebastien Vettel will incur a five-grid penalty.

The new car requires a new gearbox, yet under current rules gearboxes have to last for at least four GP's in a row. Regardless of the defense Toro Rosso can mount against the penalty imposed on Vettel, the young German will be relegated five places.

This is unfair considering the circumstances.

In my view this penalty is misplaced—there is a difference between deliberately changing gearboxes and introducing a new car that, under its specifications, will require a different gearbox altogether.

Why can't the FIA see this? A fairer ruling would have been to penalize the team with a fine or something—but not the driver. He has nothing to do with it.

On a race track like Monaco, where overtaking is next to unthinkable, the young German talent will feel the bite.

Being retrograded five places in qualifying will definitely entail finishing five places behind.

And Vettel's teammate, Sebastien Bourdais, will not incur a five-place grid setback since he failed to finish in Turkey. If this is not adding oil to the flame, what is?

This situation is unfair. Why doesn't the FIA turn around and remove the penalty in Vettel's case? Why can't the FIA understand that Toro Rosso is bringing in a new car, which will have a different gearbox setup to the previous one?

If you don't agree with this take a look at the 10-second penalty incurred when you drive through a closed pit lane—understandable to some extent, but not when you're on your last lap of fuel.

On the positive side, this is a very good opportunity for the young German hotshot to harness character and tenacity—an opportunity to return fire in the face of injustice.

The bottom line is seen under similar circumstances. Some people will turn the other cheek, but I hope Vettel won't go down in that fashion.

In the face of tough times I am looking forward to seeing the boy slap back twice as hard!!!

Lewis Hamilton: The David Beckham of F1?

Alex Levy — Thu, 15 May 2008 06:19:14 -0400

There was an interesting article in the news recently pointing out that Hamilton had agreed to a 20 million pounds contract over the next three years to become one of Reebok's brand ambassador.

Furthermore, the article stated that at this going rate plus the money Hamilton already makes with McLaren, pundits are predicting Lewis to be well on course to matching Schumacher's estimated 500 million pounds fortune and more—becoming Britain's richest man in sports.

However, money is not everything in life, especially if you're an F1 racer.

Your goal is to win, and that's primary. The money should be second to that—yet it seems that while Lewis' performances go down, his potential income and sponsorships deals are on the rise.

Are we then witnessing the birth of a David Beckham in Formula 1? In other words is Lewis Hamilton gaining fame, money, and recognition as a tool for brand promotion over his performances?

Last week in Istanbul as part of a Vodafone promotional event, Lewis was asked to go up on stage (theatre performance) and play the role of Apollo...How ridiculous is that?

Lewis is not an actor—he is an F1 driver for goodness sake! He may be a key promotional tool for McLaren's sponsors, but at heart that's not what he has signed for.

My worry is that Lewis Hamilton is losing sight of what's really important, and for what? Money, money, money!

If David Beckham's record gives any indication, Lewis' legions of fans should not expect their hero to become world champion anytime soon.

Winning races should be on top of his agenda, not wasting time with sponsors!

Felipe Massa Enjoying Short Breath of Glory after Turkish Grand Prix

Alex Levy — Mon, 12 May 2008 08:47:02 -0400

Felipe Massa's victory in the Turkish GP was sensational. Keeping his cool for the hat trick, the Brazilian hotshot managed to take his second GP of the season.

However, one thing that struck me most this weekend was during the podium protocol. If you look again, Raikkonen and Massa exchanged one of the most telling eye contacts yet.

Massa, the winner, looked into the Iceman's eyes almost like a cornered dog begging for mercy and forgiveness. And why not?

Felipe knows what Raikkonen is really capable of, and that in Istanbul Kimi was playing it safe, making sure he was scoring points to keep his lead in the Driver's Championship.

But the exchange of eye contact also says a lot more about the relationship between the two drivers.

Kimi is interested in one thing, going for the double, while Massa has never been crowned champion. And when it comes down to tough pressurized races, nine times out of 10 it is safe to bet on the Finn.

Regardless, Raikkonen did not seem disturbed with finishing third. He knew that had he gone for it, he would have blown Massa and Hamilton away. But by the end of the day, Kimi demonstrated two things—sportsmanship and knowing when to slow it down.

Raikkonen, in my view, is the true winner of the Turkish GP. He has shown incredible confidence, not letting his drive for victory ruin his chances of scoring points, or a podium at that.

Despite what some may think of him, the Iceman is becoming more and more of a "leader" for the team. This is the very quality Jean Todt blasted Kimi for not having, and yet now Raikkonen is the championship leader. He is comfortable with his car and is the man to beat this year.

A very different situation from last year...

Massa, meanwhile, must be in full knowledge of all this and that's why the exchange of eye contact struck me. Despite all the glory, happiness, and emotions of winning the Turkish GP, Felipe knows beating Kimi in the world championship is next to impossible.

Nelson Piquet Jr: Junior Indeed!!! F1 Too Much and Too Early for You!

Alex Levy — Tue, 06 May 2008 13:03:14 -0400

Nelson Piquet Jr the son of 3 times world champion Nelson Piquet has landed himself a racing seat in one of the most opportunistic fashion.

When Flavio Briatore was on the prowl for sponsors so he could finance the return of Fernando Alonso to the regie; he got himself in more than he was asking for, the world's richest man "slim" agreed to sponsor the Renault squad for Mr Alonso's symbolic 46 million dollar salary symbolic because it is 1 million above Kimi Raikkonen's record salary with Ferrari;

in any respect "slim" would agree to lay the cash at one condition and that was for a south American driver to fill in to no:2 driver alongside Alonso. In other words Fisichella can pack his bags and find himself becoming Vijay Mallya's new right hand not like his personal right hand but his racing man to lead the force india team!! anyways Nelsinho was in for a treat thanks to Alonso's return he has made the jump from test driver known because daddy was 3 times world champion to no:2 racer. Impressive; but more to the point considering his dire beginnings piling DNF upon DNF the young Brazilian's rise to F1 may have been precipitated in the great scheme of things.

Alternatively Briatore could have fast forwarded Romain Grosjean (this year GP2 champion) to partner Fernando Alonso, however considering el Nano (ALonso)'s reputation with newcomers GP2 champion (ie Lewis Hamilton 2007) then it's fair to say Flavio was not in the mood for a repeat meltdown especially when you go from strength to strength to secure a record breaking salary for your top man.

More to the point Piquet's appointment as no:2 driver for the French Squad means Alonso is in the clear to lead the team; but also it leaves the door open for Romain Grosjean to replace David Coulthard in 2009 because let's face it DC is on verge of retiring and if not Barrichello will and that could spark some very interesting developments in the Driver market;

Furthermore Grosjean seems to have more potential than Piquet, for a) he is a French national contracted with a French team I mean come on!!! and b) he is a GP2 champion the very feeder championship that brought names such as Lewis Hamilton, Heikki Kovalainen, Timo Glock, Robert Kubica and the likes so Grosjean here is your chance to shine!!!

In the meantime I cannot see Piquet Jr catching up to level, he is just not ready yet, I hope I will be proven wrong as the championship unfolds but I would not rule out him getting replaced in the mid season as pressure is fast mounting for the young Brazilian to deliver for a team that looks to regain its past glories!!!

Ron Dennis: Understanding the Mind of a Genius, Part Deux

Alex Levy — Tue, 06 May 2008 10:07:56 -0400

Following arguments put forward in part I of this note I explain how Ron Denis politics and his game plan will secure his secret bid to take over as FIA president; the man's extraordinary intelligence and forward planning allows him to pick his opponents, take his time to isolate key weaknesses and finally destroy them before they even know he had them in his visor (Mr Max Mosley I feel for you) Thinking outside of the box with plenty of hindsight enables him to be in a strategic position (politically) where he can deliberately decide when and how to take control of the FIA whether he wants to do it in June or in 2009 is up to him and that's the beauty of the strategy only a genius could have fathomed!

So why would Denis be so secretly keen on becoming FIA president and pretend otherwise in public; simple, for any politician to be in the spotlight and enjoy a good reputation i.e. take any decisions they like and stand unchallenged by their peers in power, you have to be drawn into a power vacuum and not force your own way up; in other words you have to work towards getting Mr Max Mosley out of his offices (phase 1) then make sure you stand as the right candidate for the job (phase 2) and finally enjoy a strong image you have built as the result of the collapse of the previous supremo (phase 3); this may sound simple and quite straight forward yet it is working fantastically well at present; if you look at recent events well back from mid season 2007 Dennis has built a ""defeated father" image that is working ever so well PR wise, furthermore adding oil to the flame speculations regarding retirement plans from his long held top position as Mclaren Supremo enables Dennis to take advantage of the current winds of change within the strategic environment of formula 1, for his ennemies and opponents and everyone else for that matters expects him to move on and focus on his personal life.... As if someone so keen would ever consider dropping out in such a fashion??

Then what is it that is playing so well in Ron Denis hands? Looking back to last year's spy scandal may have left Mclaren mercedes with a hefty 100 million dollars fine plus getting the boot out of the manufacturer's championship; however there is more to it than just financial sanctions, McLaren survived the whole ordeal, there were strong speculations as to whether the FIA would exclude Mclaren for good but Denis knew better because in the end game it is the image, the credibility and authority of the FIA as head council for motorsports that has taken the sharpest blow which can only be corrected by the departure of Max Mosley plus a turn around in key policies to revive the outdated body.

This ladies and gentlemen is the opening Ron Denis needed; to further add to his cause some indications points in the direction of Dennis again regarding the launch of an investigation into Max Mosley's personal life; why all that hassle? because someone somewhere just cannot take chances thus having to deal the final blow to Mr Mosley's mandate as head of the FIA but also leading the medias and sports fans alike to believe this was sweet revenge for last year's spy scandal sanctions incurred by McLaren when in reality it is not!!!

Dennis has every reason to put forward his candidacy as head of FIA and more; who knows what kind of policy and strategic direction has he got in mind for motorsports??? My guess is his record at Mclaren speaks for itself and so should his future mandate as head of the FIA!!!

Ron Dennis: Understanding the Mind of a Genius, Part I

Alex Levy — Tue, 06 May 2008 09:35:20 -0400

Ron Denis' long career in Formula 1 has been nothing short of extraordinary; from humble beginnings as a young mechanic, fighting his way to the top and in the process establishing McLaren Mercedes as one of the most succesful team to have ever braced the formula 1 rounds in its short 50 years of existence.

Ron Denis has experience and cunning the likes of which are very difficult to imagine. Nobody last year would have expected that beneath the shadows of the whole turmoils within the Mclaren team as a result of the spy scandal and the relationship breakdown between Fernando Alonso (then world champion and No:1 driver for McLaren) and the team; there was one man laughing his way to the banks and that was Ron Denis this article looks at the way this genius of a man could litterally take over formula 1 and the rest of motorsports as FIA president and more!!!

Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton: the hidden game plan

Mc Laren back in 2006 fought extremely hard to secure the services of the then double world champion, pace setter and man to beat Fernando Alonso; that is such a long gone era but why then were they (McLaren) happy to let Alonso leave at the end of his first year of his contract? Well to answer this question we need to look at it differently, Mclaren as a team benefited from Alonso; if you think about it he did bring a sheer amount of inputs to the team making the car faster and also forcing the beast of a driver out of Lewis Hamilton. If you believe otherwise you may be in for a surprise as this is exactly what Ron Denis had expected or rather engineered and had it was all planned from day one; Ron knew what he was getting himself into, the team and the rest of formula 1 into and this nobody seems to have picked up.

Ron Dennis was 100 percent confident of Lewis Hamilton's potential (i.e. being able to challenge for the title) and loyalty to McLaren (i.e. having worked so many years with the team even Ferrari could never get him) the only missing factor was a strong motivator to unleash that potential early; and that motivator was found and brought to the Woking based team in the form of a multimillion pound 3 year contract with Fernando Alonso;

and again considering his experience of having managed Alain Prost and Ayrton Senna when they were running for Mc Laren in 1993 Ron more than anyone else understood the Alonso-Hamilton relationship would blow up sooner or later for the era of running two top drivers in the same team is just fancy wishful thinking, it just does not work. Dennis knew this and that enabled him to calculate that by the time Alonso would lose his kool, Hamilton would by then have achieved the level of driving that was expected of him and that's exactly what happened. The rest is history because with Hamilton fully developed and both championships open for the taking Ron Denis put his McLaren team in a very strong position as a matter of fact Ferrari won the manufacturer championships in the court but then again Ron understood this would happen and see part II of this note if you want insights as to why the Mclaren Boss was ready to make that sort of sacrifice...

Ron Denis is a political genius and he fooled everyone into believing he was the one being played around by both the FIA and his drivers relationship toward one another! What he holds for us is unknown however his involvement in formula 1 has been very positive so far!

Part II will look into the future of the man and why the spy scandal played in the hands of Ron Dennis.

To be continued

Lewis Hamilton: the Rise and Fall of a Phenom in Formula One

Alex Levy — Mon, 05 May 2008 03:10:04 -0400

Lewis Hamilton's short career in Formula One has been second to none.

Nobody in this sport has ever kicked such a successful maiden season, finishing second in the drivers’ championships with nine straight podiums and four victories to show for it.

Hamilton's caliber ranks him with some of the best drivers the sport has ever seen.

However, despite winning the season opener in Australia, his form has been subpar for the past couple of GPs. He earned P5 in Malaysia, survived a disastrous P13 in Bahrain, and got back to his podium habit somewhat with third in Spain.

The total came to 20 points in the drivers’ championship, nine points adrift of Kimi Raikkonen.

Things do not look so bad. In essence, nine points behind with 14 GPs to go is not worth losing sleep over.

However, if you compare these stats to last year's and factor in that Kimi Raikkonen and Ferrari are a lot stronger this year, Lewis’ chances of a stint as world champion will hang by a thread.

As if the iceman was not enough for Lewis Hamilton to worry about, how is he going to cope with much tougher competition from Heikki Kovalainen. Kovalainen has already outpaced him and will not settle for No. 2 driver status.

On top of this, how will McLaren executives respond to BMW Saber picking up the pace?

Last year, nobody would have given Lewis a chance in heck to have delivered and performed to the highest standards. Now we're in reverse motion.

Everyone expects Lewis to lead and bankroll on the title early. Yet, Mr. Hamilton is trailing the iceman in the drivers’ standing.

If fans’ expectations were not enough to take account of his No. 1 driver status at McLaren, they mount a quickly building pressure on those young and inexperienced shoulders.

To that extent, we all know how Lewis responds in such a highly pressurized setting. See last year's result in Interlagos as evidence.

And if pressure is too much, then how about living up to his words? One key mistake Lewis is making is to believe this year should be his.

He has said this many times, referring to his karting experience and demonstrating he'd always have a good year and a bad one. This classifies last year's second place in the drivers’ championship as a bad year.

Hopefully this year, as a good one, is a strategic fallacy. In a competitive sport like F1, finishing second is a very good result no matter what you make of it.

In the end, Lewis is a fantastic character. He is motivated, driven, tenacious, and a genius at the wheels.

However, his momentum is waning in the face of a much more competitive environment. Yet if he picks his moment and focuses on the task at hand, we should have a new world champion this year.

If not, then it's all safe for the iceman to bank on a double...

Formula One: Who will be Kimi Raikkonen's Teammate or Successor?

Alex Levy — Sun, 04 May 2008 05:57:49 -0400

A couple of months ago, I posted the following title topic on Kimi Raikkonen's Facebook page: "Kimi's next teammate."

At the time, Felipe Massa was surviving a second DNF in as many races, sparking speculations on the likelihood of the Italian outfit keeping the Brazilian hotshot within the team.

Most people in this discussion were split up between Fernando Alonso and Sebastian Vettel, although names such as Nico Rosberg and Nick Heidfeld did pop through.

Now it is clear that Fernando Alonso would not be able to bond with a driver of his own caliber, i.e. Kimi Raikkonen.

Also Montezemolo himself depicted the arrival of Alonso as a damaging move (whilst Raikkonen is No. 1 driver, a key factor to remember, and I shall examine that later in this article).

On the other hand, Sebastien Vettel would be an ideal pick, considering his potential and his willingness to shadow the Iceman as part of the learning curve of a traditional aspiring talent.

Compare this to Lewis Hamilton, who went straight for it last year. Vettel would prove a valuable asset: expandable, flexible and willing to play the part the prance horse, i.e. wait in the background and don't mess with Raikka.

However, the reality of Formula 1 racing is not that straightforward, following comments from Ferrari executives on a possible Alonso move to the Reds.

Ross Brawn of Honda made a very interesting analysis of the whole debacle. He reckons that whilst speculation on Kimi Raikkonen's early retirement plans may not actually materialise this year or the next, it is true that the Iceman will not attempt to carry on like David Coulthard has done.

This is adding further momentum to Alonso's cause. The question we need to ask ourselves is not whether would Alonso and Raikkonen get along in the same team, but how much longer does the Kimster plan on to stay in F1?

If he does move on next year, which would be a disastrous loss for the sport, then who would Ferrari's pick be?

To that extent, considering the Scuderia is the best team in the paddock by a mile pacewise, surely a driver of Alonso's caliber would fit the bill.

Hamilton could request a switch to Ferrari but his loyalty to McLaren Mercedes in the form of a contract extension for the next five years makes him unlikely. Vettel is far from ready to take on such responsibility.

Nick Heidfeld could be an idea, but why switch to Ferrari when you're driving a BMW, the only team capable to taking on the pecking order?

Nico Rosberg and Timo Glock do have potential and enough experience in Formula 1 to advocate their candidacy with the Italian outfit.

When it's all said and done, would anyone at Ferrari relish the chance of hosting a double world champion as their first driver if Raikkonen was to leave?

My answer: not in a million years!