Formula 1

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Alonso wins DHL Fastest Lap Trophy




The 2010 FIA Formula One World Championship was decided at the very last Grand Prix of the season on Sunday after a dominant drive from Sebastian Vettel, now the sports youngest-ever champion. The winner of the DHL Fastest Lap Award, however, is Fernando Alonso, who recorded five fastest laps during the season. Lewis Hamilton matched that figure, but Alonso holds the highest number of second-fastest laps.

Since 2007, the Formula 1™ Official Logistics Partner DHL has been the official presenter of the Fastest Lap Award, defining a new standard of speed. Ken Allen, Chief Executive Officer DHL Express, who handed over the award to Alonso said: “The fastest lap in a race is always a challenge. This is the result of speed, precision and teamwork. Winning the DHL Fastest Lap Trophy adds continuity and reliability to this. All these attributes found the basis for DHL’s express business as well.”

Former German F1 driver and RLT TV expert Christian Danner congratulated Alonso: “Fernando has driven an incredibly fast season in the Ferrari, which in most races wasn’t the fastest car. He has shown that, all things considered, he is a very strong and most complete driver in the field.”

Alonso succeeds Vettel, winner of the 2009 DHL Fastest Lap Trophy, and Kimi Raikkonen, who secured the trophy during its first two years. In 2007, the Finnish driver defeated his Ferrari team mate Felipe Massa with six fastest laps after a neck-and-neck race that was as exciting as this season’s. In 2008, Raikkonen sailed through with 10 fastest laps. Last year, Vettel secured his triumph at the very last second, making his penultimate lap the fastest of the championship finale at Abu Dhabi and catching up with Red Bull team mate Mark Webber on the home stretch.

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Mika Hakkinen has taken a swipe at former rival Michael Schumacher, saying that he is now a "tragic ex-hero" and that he should retire immediately.



Hakkinen enjoyed several memorable title clashes with arch-rival Schumacher, notably in 1998 and 2000. But after a disastrous return to Formula one that saw young team-mate Nico Rosberg accrue nearly twice as many points, Hakkinen says it is time for the German to call it a day.



"Michael is for me now a tragic ex-hero," Hakkinen told Munich newspaper TZ. "I ask myself why on earth he got back into the cockpit. There is the most successful man in motor sport driving down in the pack and making a ridiculous mistake in Abu Dhabi that almost cost him his life."



Schumacher's already disappointing season could have ended in far worse circumstances after a spin on the opening lap saw Tonio Liuzzi's Force India launch into his Mercedes, the nosecone and front wing narrowly missing his head.



"What a tragedy this would have been for the Germans - and on the day of Vettel's triumph. What has the man who has won more than anyone else still to prove? In my view, he is dismantling his own legacy bit by bit. And I see it making no difference whether it is for technical reasons or because he can no longer keep up with the boys."



Like Schumacher, Hakkinen himself contemplated a return for Formula One after his retirement before eventually taking a drive in DTM. But he warned that today's young guns are no respecters of reputation.



"After three years I returned to the cockpit myself -- for Mercedes in the DTM. And I also had to recognise that even as a Formula One world champion, there are no gifts for the older ones.
"I won only three times more. You can neither stop the wheel of time, nor turn it back. Personally, we were never close friends because he always came across, to me anyway, a little bit too arrogant."

[Paul]

[Noxide]

That's cool Paul.

+Rep

[Paul]

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The discussions on the Ferrari pit wall that led to crucial decision that cost Fernando Alonso
the world championship have been revealed.

The exchange of messages between Alonso and his race engineer Andrea Stella, which was not broadcast during the race, shows the team’s preoccupation with Alonso’s position compared to Webber.
It also shows how Alonso urged the team to use Felipe Massa to hold Webber up.

The radio transcript, published by Corriere della Sera, shows how Ferrari made the mistake of reacting to Webber’s pit stop instead of keeping Alonso out.

Lap 9

Alonso is 1.7 seconds behind Jenson Button and 1.4s ahead of Webber, who is 0.8s ahead of Massa.

Andrea Stella: “You gained three tenths on Webber. Felipe is closing in too.”

Lap 12

Webber pits.

AS: “Webber has stopped and Vettel is also losing ground on Hamilton.”
Fernando Alonso: “If you see that Felipe can overtake him in a lap call him in.”
AS: “We are thinking about it, concentrate on Button.”

Lap 14

Massa pits.

FA: “How did it work with Felipe?”
AS: “He came out behind Webber”

Lap 15

Ferrari tell Alonso to pit on lap 16.

AS: “OK, come in [to the pits] now.”
FA: “OK”
AS: “You will come out close to Webber. You are in front”.

Lap 17

Alonso is 1.1s ahead of Webber and 1.5s behind Vitaly Petrov.

FA: “What’s the situation?”
AS: “We have to overtake the Renault in front, he won’t stop any more. After that it’s Rosberg.”

Lap 22

Alonso is 0.5s behind Petrov. None of the cars that were in front of him before he pitted have come in yet.

AS: “I know you are giving everything but it’s critical to overtake Petrov.”

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Delete please.

It's depressing and I take my rep back

[Paul]

But its good to know the truth. I follow a lot of F1 people on my twitter, i get constant updates.

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Well Alonso is going to be champ next year.

Guaranteed

[Paul]

Yes and thats the truth


The new Pirelli tyres


Massa an Nando testing them tomorrow and saturday.