Alonso vs. Raikkonen at McLaren???

pburns

Who would your money be on?

I've heard it proposed a few times that Kimi is 'slightly' faster but Alonso is 'slightly' better as an all-rounder... I don't think it's that simple. Something tells me Alonso has the speed AND the smarts. But Kimi is so unflappable & he'd have a big advantage being the incumbant driver...

Ay Cee

I have to say I'm loving Alonso.
He's a real breath of fresh air, no heirs or graces about him. Gives credit to his rivals when it's due.

Although Mclaren have a habit of killing any character a driver may posess to turn them into automaton's for the compay.

steviec

Alonso, comfortably. Although Raikkonen will probably be faster first due to familiarity with the team.

Alonso has dominated every team mate he's had. Raikkonen was slower than Heidfeld at Sauber, did beat the consistently slow Coulthard, and hasn't been all that convincing against Montoya in equal circumstances. Montoya is very inconsistent but when he's on form he's comfortably Raikkonen's equal. The only time Fisi(or Trulli or other past team mates) has beaten Alonso is when there's a technical issue or something to mess up Alonso's race.

Agree on McLaren killing their drivers character though. Juan Pablo is like a different person to his old cheerful self at Williams. And David Coulthard is actually likeable since joining Red Bull! McLaren must put their people under a lot of pressure.

pburns

Some Alonso-bashers have commented that Trulli got the better of him in qualifying during the first half of 2004... Trulli won Monaco as well remember. Of course Trulli is mega over one lap - it seems to be his speciality (IF he's comfortable with the car).

I'm surprised Alonso has beaten Fisi so comprehensively. Fisi destroyed the career of the very promising Wurz & almost ended that of 'boy-wonder' Button. But Alonso has tucked him up good-and-proper. He has a no-bull attitude, has a Schumi-like ability to 'drive-around' car problems, is intelligent, mature and devestatingly quick over a race distance.

His race-craft is exemplerary - he can defend (like against MS last year) and attack (Suzuka, the last couple of race starts).

It would be a gift to the sport if he's teamed up with Kimi next year. Then we'll find out who's really the best...

Dcully

Kimi tbh,only for all the breakdowns he had last year hed have wone the title.
He was awarded what most in the sport regard as the real F1 title,that being the pro drivers driver of the year.
Alonso is a class act but ALL the luck goes his way.
Id go with Kimi but only just.

endplate

Doesn't look that challange is going to happen. Rumour has it that an announcement is going to be made at Imola that KR is going to Ferrari next year regardless of what MS is doing and the muppet (Juan Muppet Montoya) is going to RedBull