Alonso calls Schumacher most unsporting driver ever
According to Guardian Unlimited, current world champion Fernando Alonso has described Michael Schumacher as "the most unsporting driver in the history of formula one." Apparently Alonso told Spanish station Radio Marca that he thinks Michael will be leaving F1 with more than seven championship trophies. He also thinks Schumi will be leaving with less dignity than French World Cup headbutter Zinedine Zidane.
"Zidane retired with more glory than Schumacher," Alonso was quoted as saying. "Michael is the most unsporting driver with the largest number of sanctions in the history of formula one. That doesn't take away from the fact that he has been the best driver and it has been an honour and pleasure to battle against him. Everyone has their time and you have to respect his decision. Things will be more equal now."
Only two points apart with three races remaining, this should make things even more interesting. Schumacher won last weekend in Monza and with Alonso's DNF, he was able to make up a lot of ground in the points chase. He then announced that he will be retiring at the end of the season, giving him extra incentive to close out his career with an 8th Driver's Title. Next race is Oct. 1 in China.
[Source: Guardian Unlimited]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
tbyron 5:26PM (9/12/2006)
Although he will likely be crucified for his various utterances over the past few days, Alonso has been mostly right, about the sport and about Schumacher. Great driver but mostly classless.
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basso 5:33PM (9/12/2006)
man... alonso is just bitter! what a sore loser
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Francis 5:38PM (9/12/2006)
I'd like to see Schumacher take a swing at him when they get out of their cars at the next race. We need a good NASCAR style brawl to liven up the post-race F1 activities!!
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Dude 5:38PM (9/12/2006)
I was a bit surprised to hear this from Alonso. Should've been Villeneuve ranting on about Schumi.
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New Yorker 5:39PM (9/12/2006)
We all know this isn’t the first time a driver/figure has publicly criticized Schumacher for being “unsporting” or “classless” but can we have a few, or wait, multiple, case-in-point examples of these Schumi no-nos? Someone validate these…afterall he's one of the greatest. drivers. ever.
Who here can list out Schumacher’s a-hole maneuvers?
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Paul Roides 5:45PM (9/12/2006)
Alonso is feeling the noose tighten around his neck. He's done for the season and he knows it, which is what fueled these comments. I just read a different interview on F1.com with Alonso on the issue of the retirement and he seemed absolutely honored to have raced with Schuey. Funny how this discontent was left out.
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Stacey 5:57PM (9/12/2006)
Why on earth would you say something like this.
He clearly has a reputation of taking things like this and making people pay for it. I look for Shumy to win his 8th title. Alonso..what were you thinking giving him just another reason to beat you?
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gkz 6:07PM (9/12/2006)
New yorker -
The most recent example was Monaco this year when he purposly blocked the track during qualifying. Also he caused crashes twice when he was at Benetton. One of those times he was stripped of his second place in the season championship. There are some examples for you...
That being said, I would argue that he's the most talented driver ever in F1 and perhaps all racing. His "a-hole" -ness was mostly early in his career, and while certainly significant, doesn't really diminish his success.
Alonso is coming off as a bratty child here. Perhaps he's just upset that Kimi is going to be winning championships now while he has stupidly taken a seat on a less successful team.
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robotwasher 6:20PM (9/12/2006)
Alonso is nowhere near the driver Schumi is and we'll see that for certain next year when he moves to McLaren. Without Renault, Alonso is nothing.
In 10 years, Alonso will be remembered in the same way as Jaques Villeneuve: a one-time champion relegated to second-class teams, notable only for his semi-crazed rants.
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Dude 6:26PM (9/12/2006)
New Yorker - In '97 Schumi intentionally crashed into Jacques Villenueve at Spain in the final race of the year. JV won the driver's championship anyway.
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Big D 6:29PM (9/12/2006)
Ooo K, nice remarks,
Fred "Juan Pablo" Alonzo..."...in The History of F1...", maybe since he is so young he has a very short view of other F1 drivers. He may have some valid points about how Ferrari is treated this season, but does he remember the rules implemented last year to stop Ferrari from winning another championship which, guess what...led to his championship.
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tpp 6:38PM (9/12/2006)
Schumi has a history of unsportsmanlike conduct on the race track (and off it). It goes back years. He's been a bit better about it in his last years, but Alonso is 100% right about him.
It's kinda sad really given Schumi's talent. He wouldn't have had to do any of it.
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Kokomo 11:39PM (9/12/2006)
These comments are definitely part frustration but, Alonso is also partially reflecting what many of the other F1 drivers (i.e. the Grand Prix Drivers Association) have been feeling over the season. Alonso isn't the only one with a beef toward Michael. Not only Monaco, but Turkey has multiple incidents not to mention the constant annoyances like passing to the front during a formation lap. Not giving up position after shortcutting a chicane was the last big infraction. Last year at Indy, he almost ran his own teammate Rubens off the road to get in front of him.
Some call it "killer instinct"... others call it "a-hole-ness"... he hasn't really lost it. Michael calls it "being competitive." Yet when other drivers get in similar situations, you don't see the same kinda of situations occuring?
Because of his status, people started deferring to Schumi on track... Alonso feels a little bit like people don't give him the same "respect." Which is true... but now that people are actually ready and willing to challenge Michael and he's still expecting "respect"... well...
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A.J. 6:47PM (9/12/2006)
Let's recap:
Schumacher crashed into Damon Hill in 1994 in the deciding race of the season. Hill couldn't finish the race and Schumacher won the title by one point. In 1997 he did the same to Villeneuve, only this time he failed and the canadian won the title. Schumacher was penalised and lost all the points from that season.
And the time he forced Gerhard Berger off the track... and the time he overtook during a yellow flag...
we could go on and on...
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Chris 6:59PM (9/12/2006)
go to wikipedia on schumacher. then, go to section number "9. Controversy" It outlines everything. I agree that he has pulled some questionable stuff...but he really is the best driver. He wins. He does whatever it takes to win, and if/when his bending of the rules goes to far, he gets sanctioned. He might be kind of an asshole...but he is a resourceful, creative, winning asshole.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Schumacher
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Schumacher
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Schumacher
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Mike 7:06PM (9/12/2006)
Alonso is just pissed at the last race.
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desertkarma 7:06PM (9/12/2006)
gkz: If you watched that practice session, it's up in the air whether or not he purposefully lost it in the corner. If you can slide your car and not crash into that first right hander like that, more props to you.
I read the interview on F1.com too... kinda funny he'd just spout this. He knows he ain't winning this... and Schumy goes out on the sweetest come back ever.
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gkz 8:16PM (9/12/2006)
desertkarma:
relax, i was just trying to to point out some quick examples to the other poster's question; which subsequent people have done more specifically with years and names that i didn't feel like looking up.
i'm not passing judgement on schumacher. in fact, in the grand scheme of things, i have a tremendous amount of respect for him.
as for whether or not i could do any of the things he does behind the wheel... clearly not, otherwise i'd be making 80 mil a year too. unfortunately that's just a crazy dream for me.
so get off my case, ok?
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John 9:26PM (9/13/2006)
That wasn't very sporting of Alonso.
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RacetrackOwner 9:12PM (9/12/2006)
First and foremost Schumacher was an employee. He had a job to do, and he wasn't above cutting corners to achieve the necessary results. That being said, a tremendous number of Schumacher's supposed infractions were either actually totally legal, or were quite subjective and controversial from a decision standpoint. In particular, the Monaco thing amounts to supposition on the part of the FIA. But all that really needs to be said is Alonso is a whining bitch.
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