Leading members of the Italian media have played down Niki Lauda's suggestion that Fernando Alonso was a real cause of the Ferrari slump. F1 legend and former Ferrari driver Lauda, now the outspoken team chairman at Mercedes, had in China slammed Spaniard Alonso as "selfish, moody and negative".
Alonso's Maranello exit has coincided with a major boost in form for the fabled team, while the 33-year-old's new employer McLaren-Honda is struggling. Lauda told La Repubblica: "The changes (at Ferrari) have brought fresh impetus. In sport you cannot seek perfection, only functionality -- and now Ferrari works."
But Pino Allievi, the doyen of F1's Italian press contingent, sees it slightly differently. "For me the most important change was the presidency, rather than the absence of Fernando," he told the Spanish sports daily Marca. "I think everything is now organised in a more rational way, with all the power given to (technical boss James) Allison and the president no longer grandstanding. Ferrari is now a normal team, nothing more," the Gazzetta dello Sport veteran added.
As for Alonso versus his successor Sebastian Vettel, Allievi insisted: "Fernando would have won with that car in Malaysia, for sure." However, La Stampa correspondent Stefano Mancini said it would be amiss to rule out the effect of Ferrari's driver change.
"Fernando is a great," he said. "One of the best, if not the best. But it is true that in recent times he was very closed, barricaded within his immediate working group and that blocking affected the team in certain ways," added Mancini. "With Vettel it looks a little different -- always smiling and a more positive atmosphere, but I think it is a matter of one cycle ending and another beginning," he said.
La Republicca's Marco Mancini, meanwhile, thinks the new guard at Ferrari - headed by Sergio Marchionne, Maurizio Arrivabene, Allison and Vettel - are reaping the benefits of work that has been going on for some time. "It has been a progressive change," he said. "It started with Domenicali, followed with Mattiacci, who gave all power to Allison, and now it continues. It is true that Fernando's ego was hard work in recent times, but the result of Malaysia was not because of the drivers. Last year he (Vettel) would not have won either." (GMM)
Alonso absence not cause of major boost for Ferrari
- Published on 13 Apr 2015 14:59
-
0
- By: Rob Veenstra
.
Trending news
-
Montoya sees Newey's influence taking shape at Aston MartinJuan Pablo Montoya expects Aston Martin to take a significant step forward after the summer break, crediting Adrian N...
14 Aug 2026 14:09 -
Waché admits Red Bull still not at desired level despite recoveryRed Bull technical director Pierre Waché has acknowledged clear progress with the RB22, but insists the team i...
14 Aug 2026 16:04 -
Cadillac appoints Marcin Budkowski as new team boss with Ferrari pedigreeCadillac has appointed Marcin Budkowski as its new team principal, bringing in a senior figure who witnessed Ferrari&...
14 Aug 2026 15:06 -
Hamilton Echoes Verstappen Criticism of F1 OvertakingLewis Hamilton has become the latest high-profile voice to question the quality of overtaking in the current Formula ...
14 Aug 2026 13:08 -
George Russell reveals sports psychologist has been key to Mercedes performance since 2020George Russell has confirmed he has worked with the same sports psychologist since 2020, using mental coaching not as...
14 Aug 2026 12:14
Dutch Grand Prix
Local time
-
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Dutch Grand Prix
Local time
-
Friday
-
Saturday
-
Sunday
-
Friday
-
Saturday
-
Sunday
Test calendar
Circuit de Catalunya - Winter testing
-
Jan 26
I. Hadjar
- 1:18.159
-
-
-
Jan 27
M. Verstappen
- 1:19.578
-
-
-
Jan 28
A. Antonelli
- 1:17.362
-
-
-
Jan 29
G. Russell
- 1:16.445
-
-
-
Jan 30
L. Hamilton
- 1:16.348
-
-
Bahrain International Circuit - Winter testing
-
Feb 11
L. Norris
- 1:34.669
-
-
-
Feb 12
C. Leclerc
- 1:34.273
-
-
-
Feb 13
A. Antonelli
- 1:33.669
-
-
Bahrain International Circuit - Winter testing
-
Feb 18
G. Russell
- 1:33.459
-
-
Feb 19
A. Antonelli
- 1:32.803
-
-
Feb 20
C. Leclerc
- 1:31.992
-
-
World Championship standings 2026
Pos
Driver
Team
Points
Pos
Team
Points
Related news
Give your opinion!
Formula 1 Calendar - 2026
Date
Grand Prix
Circuit
-
Spain
-
Bahrain
-
Bahrain
Formula 1 Calendar - 2026
Date
Grand Prix & Circuit
-
Spain
Circuit de Catalunya
-
Bahrain
Bahrain International Circuit
-
Bahrain
Bahrain International Circuit
6 - Mar 8
Australia
Albert Park
13 - Mar 15
27 - Mar 29
Japan
Circuit Suzuka
10 - Apr 12
Bahrain
Bahrain International Circuit
17 - Apr 19
Saudi Arabia
Jeddah Street Circuit
1 - May 3
United States of America
Miami International Autodrome
22 - May 24
Canada
Gilles Villeneuve
5 - Jun 7
Monaco
Monte Carlo
12 - Jun 14
Spain
Circuit de Catalunya
26 - Jun 28
Austria
Red Bull Ring
3 - Jul 5
United Kingdom
Silverstone
17 - Jul 19
Belgium
Spa-Francorchamps
24 - Jul 26
Hungary
Hungaroring
21 - Aug 23
Netherlands
Circuit Zandvoort
Driver profile
- Team Aston Martin
- Points 631
- Podiums 9
- Grand Prix 204
- Country ES
- Date of b. Jul 29 1981 (45)
- Place of b. Oviedo, ES
- Weight 68 kg
- Length 1.71 m
- 188,072 comments on Aston Martin
78 members have this team as their favourite
Tweets about Fernando Alonso
Team profile
- Team name McLaren
- Base Woking, United Kingdom
- Jenson Button 1
- Lewis Hamilton 1
- Fernando Alonso 1
- Niki Lauda 1
- Stoffel Vandoorne 2
- Lewis Hamilton 2
- Lewis Hamilton 2
- Gerhard Berger 2
- Daniel Ricciardo 3
- Jenson Button 3
- Lewis Hamilton 3
- Kimi Räikkönen 3
- Mika Häkkinen 3
- Lando Norris 4
- Lewis Hamilton 4
- Jenson Button 4
- Kimi Räikkönen 4
- Jenson Button 5
- Sergio Perez 6
- Kimi Räikkönen 6
- Kimi Räikkönen 6
- Niki Lauda 8
- Alain Prost 8
- Kimi Räikkönen 9
- Fernando Alonso 14
- Kevin Magnussen 20
- Jenson Button 22
- Lewis Hamilton 22
- Gerhard Berger 28
- Stoffel Vandoorne 47
- Carlos Sainz jr 55
- Oscar Piastri 81
- 306,890 comments on McLaren
- 162 members have this team as their favourite
- Tweets about McLaren
Replies (0)
Login to reply