There's Always A Number One At Mclaren Says Montoya

[Chris Strange 0]

It was this time last year that Juan Pablo Montoya competed in his final Grand Prix, if you can call it competing after the Colombian racer had a first lap coming together with his teammate, Kimi Raikkonen, eliminating both racers from the American GP at Indianapolis.

Now, twelve months on and the team

[Jez 0]

That's nice Juan. Anyways, how's oval racing treating you? Yeah? Turned right recently?

[NeoData 0]

I tend to agree with Montoya on this one.

I'm sure the intent is there to treat them both equal and they have equal status on the track. But there is allways a favorite . Even among our own family we all have our preferences. So here we have a 2 time WDC new to the team and a Rookie who's British and been under Ron Denis' wing for 10-15 years that coupled with the fact that Alonso is expected to win where as Hamilton isnt causes people to be happier when hamilton wins because its more of a surprise. This then leads to subconcious favoritism

which while understandable is still disrespectfull to Alonso and sends the wrong message to everyone.

[Jem of the Shire 0]

well this is interesting coming from someone who was a driver for mclaren in recent years, and should be taken seriously. On the other hand, JPM probably doesnt like Ron & Mclaren very much and so is bound to say negative stuff about them.

When people say Kimi is being negatively affected by Schumacher's presence, a lot of TF1 members say Kimi should just shut up and get on with the job.

So the same applies to Alonso. Stop moaning about it and just keep racing hard

[Fed up 0]

I'm inclined to agree with JPM - Ron has always had his favourites over the years, from Mika to Kimi and now Hamilton - The guy is a very emotional soul. The Lewis story, the black kid from the poor family blah blah, has an element pof the divine about it and Ron must feel than connection.

Fernando is there to bring sponsors and the WCC - Lewis is the future

[Jem of the Shire 0]

Fernando is there to bring sponsors and the WCC - Lewis is the future

I disagree, I think Alonso was recruited to be the teams lead driver and win the drivers title (and of course the WCC as you point out), Alonso is only 25 so should also be considered 'the future'.

The fact that its Hamilton who is leading the way is probably a surprise to everyone

[Fed up 0]

The fact that its Hamilton who is leading the way is probably a surprise to everyone

The surprise will mean that they will have to re-evaluate. I cant see Alonso hanging around for too long. Two top drivers in the same team will never work out - Fernando will be there for the next 2 seasons or so and then Lewis will reign supreme like Mika & Senna

[mikathegreat2 2]

Good comment Monty ! He's right about Hamilton being the No. 1 driver at McLaren & all that stuff about Ron Dennis! I'd like to see him back in F1 but very unlikely to happen!

[cavallino 2]

well this is interesting coming from someone who was a driver for mclaren in recent years, and should be taken seriously. On the other hand, JPM probably doesnt like Ron & Mclaren very much and so is bound to say negative stuff about them.

Odd isn't it, in the team that treats it's drivers equally, all their recent drivers have complained about unequal treatment - Hamilton, DC, Prost.

Mclaren got it wrong this year, they started off favouring Alonso, but have now realised that it might not be so clear cut. If Ferrari come closer, they'll support whoever is ahead, and Alonso will have to live with it. If they keep their present lead, they might leave it as is.

[Jem of the Shire 0]

The surprise will mean that they will have to re-evaluate. I cant see Alonso hanging around for too long. Two top drivers in the same team will never work out - Fernando will be there for the next 2 seasons or so and then Lewis will reign supreme like Mika & Senna

I dont see why Alonso would have a problem, because he signed for mclaren whilst Kimi was very much the in-form leading driver at mclaren, so Alonso surely would've accepted the possibility of being equal with a top driver as his team-mate.

Good comment Monty ! He's right about Hamilton being the No. 1 driver at McLaren & all that stuff about Ron Dennis! I'd like to see him back in F1 but very unlikely to happen!

JPM is an F1 legend i'll always miss him. No-one overtakes like Monty did

[mikathegreat2 2]

JPM is an F1 legend i'll always miss him. No-one overtakes like Monty did

True. tbh I think Monty was as fast as Hamilton is today!

[Jem of the Shire 0]

True. tbh I think Monty was as fast as Hamilton is today!

He wasnt super-fast often enough though. In 2005 there were times when he was amazing and untouchable, but too often he either made mistakes or couldnt match Kimi's pace.

His wheel-to-wheel racing was fantastic though, and is what made me such a big fan

[Quiet One 15]

JPM's comments are, at most, trivial. There is always a favourite driver in ANY team. The question is how much it affects the support each one gets and how each driver manage the situation. Nationality, skills, sponsorship, charisma, fans etc. are never the same for both drivers. Do you think Heidfeld and Kubica are treated excactly the same? Or Kovy/Fisi? Or...well, you get it.

McLaren always had a number one driver...big surprise! But McLaren has never given total support for one driver right from the start. Senna was the most prominent exception and it was exaggerated. Senna was not McLaren's but Honda's favourite...and it was made worse by a Prost that slowly secluded himself in bitterness.

I guess everybody both inside and outside the team expected this to be Alonso's year and starting 2008. Nobody expected Hammy (well, except for Mike) to shine so brightly so early. Alonso has to cope with that. If he decides to become bitter about it, Prost's way awaits him. If he decides to just shut up and battle Lewis on track, Lewis better start trying to be as cute as possible because Alonso can be a formidable adversary (just ask Schumi)

[Jem of the Shire 0]

well this year Alonso needs to show us what a great champion he really is. Cos if Hamilton wins the title and Alonso doesnt have the excuse of poor reliability, then Alonso's own worth will surely come into serious questioning

[cavallino 2]

JPM's comments are, at most, trivial. There is always a favourite driver in ANY team. The question is how much it affects the support each one gets and how each driver manage the situation.

Which is exactly what he meant when he said 'favourite'.

McLaren always had a number one driver...big surprise! But McLaren has never given total support for one driver right from the start. Senna was the most prominent exception and it was exaggerated.

So Mclaren have never supported a driver from the start of the season. Never. Excluding Senna of course. And Mika. And Alonso.

Alonso can be a formidable adversary (just ask Schumi)

He had a better car and better reluiability where it mattered.

[Quiet One 15]

Which is exactly what he meant when he said 'favourite'.

Got tangled into my own words there. I wanted to point out that unless JPM was accusing McLaren of favoring Lewis in some unfair way, the opinion that they might like Hamilton better or not is trivial.

So Mclaren have never supported a driver from the start of the season. Never. Excluding Senna of course. And Mika. And Alonso.

Coulthard got more support than Mika when Coulthard started. And no, I cannot prove it anymore than

you can prove that Mika was the favourite. It just seemed like that and if someone here recalls DC's debut at McLaren they will certainly remember that. Again, by "support" I mean the people liked Dc better than Mika. Ron's favorite was Prost, as Prost was much more like McLaren's nr.1. Results, popularity and Honda pressure turned the tide in Sennas favor. Let's not forget that the press liked "The professor" so much more than Senna "the sore loser". People was so engrossed hating one of them they refused to notice they were watching the 2 best drivers of that era competing against each other. Now we have a minor version of that.

He had a better car and better reluiability where it mattered.

That's why it is good to see two top drivers in the same team. Rubinho and Schumi were not in the same league so unless Schumi had a bad day you wouldn't see Rubinho shining. Ditto for Kimi and Montoya, or Schumi and Irvine or Mika and Coulthard (well, those two were close for some time but Mika quickly outshone his team mate)

[Fed up 0]

Coulthard got more support than Mika when Coulthard started. And no, I cannot prove it anymore than

you can prove that Mika was the favourite. It just seemed like that and if someone here recalls DC's debut at McLaren they will certainly remember that. Again, by "support" I mean the people liked Dc better than Mika. Ron's favorite was Prost, as Prost was much more like McLaren's nr.1.

Ron forged a strong bond with Mika after he had a near fatal accident - Senna was a favourite over Prost

Just what I remember

[Jean Todt 4]

well this is interesting coming from someone who was a driver for mclaren in recent years, and should be taken seriously. On the other hand, JPM probably doesnt like Ron & Mclaren very much and so is bound to say negative stuff about them.

When people say Kimi is being negatively affected by Schumacher's presence, a lot of TF1 members say Kimi should just shut up and get on with the job.

So the same applies to Alonso. Stop moaning about it and just keep racing hard

Actually, Kimi has never complained, Kimi has never told anything about Micheal. He did complain that he is trying to get used to Bridgestones! Other than that there is nothing that he said which makes us ask him to shut up. I say, its high time he opened his mouth!

[Jean Todt 4]

He wasnt super-fast often enough though. In 2005 there were times when he was amazing and untouchable, but too often he either made mistakes or couldnt match Kimi's pace.

His wheel-to-wheel racing was fantastic though, and is what made me such a big fan

[la force supreme des mclaren 0]

Yeah right,Please ask Mr.Burger king to shut it. Big Mouth............why does he care about Mclaren anyway.....wrecked their 2005 and 2006 seasons. Instead of injuring his elbow while playing tennis he should've spent that valuable time in the simulator.......helping his and Mclaren's fortunes those two years.

Mclaren are doing fine this season because they've got two very fine,good and professional drivers(a million times better than JPM.....in the professional sense at least)........and they're doing great because they're both treated equally by the whole team.Period.

Juan Pablo,next time you think about somebody else..........i think it'd be great if you look at your season so far except that one race you won by running your team mate off the track! (D'oh! Now i understand why there are no1's and no2's.....for guys like you!)

[Chris Strange 0]

Yeah right,Please ask Mr.Burger king to shut it. Big Mouth............why does he care about Mclaren anyway.....wrecked their 2005 and 2006 seasons. Instead of injuring his elbow while playing tennis he should've spent that valuable time in the simulator.......helping his and Mclaren's fortunes those two years.

Mclaren are doing fine this season because they've got two very fine,good and professional drivers(a million times better than JPM.....in the professional sense at least)........and they're doing great because they're both treated equally by the whole team.Period.

Juan Pablo,next time you think about somebody else..........i think it'd be great if you look at your season so far except that one race you won by running your team mate off the track! (D'oh! Now i understand why there are no1's and no2's.....for guys like you!)

Well Mr Burger won seven GP in a relative short time not bad for a Big Mouth. And he had the balls to say a Big **** to Ron Dennis..... Respect to JPM.

[Jem of the Shire 0]

I think its quite ridiculous to imply that F1 drivers shouldnt be playing tennis

[DOF_power 0]

Mclaren got it wrong this year, they started off favouring Alonso, but have now realised that it might not be so clear cut.

2007 McLaren - F. Alonso = 2006 McLaren

So it's McMerc loss.

[Jez 0]

With Fernando at 25, and Lewis 22, in whatever teams they choose to reside with, from here on, they'll become great adversaries over the next decade. It'll be great for F1.

[DOF_power 0]

McLaren always had a number one driver...big surprise! But McLaren has never given total support for one driver right from the start. Senna was the most prominent exception and it was exaggerated. Senna was not McLaren's but Honda's favourite...and it was made worse by a Prost that slowly secluded himself in bitterness.

Not only Honda, but also Gordon Murray and his acolites. The balance shifted twards Senna in the second half of 88.

I guess everybody both inside and outside the team expected this to be Alonso's year and starting 2008. Nobody expected Hammy (well, except for Mike) to shine so brightly so early. Alonso has to cope with that. If he decides to become bitter about it, Prost's way awaits him. If he decides to just shut up and battle Lewis on track, Lewis better start trying to be as cute as possible because Alonso can be a formidable adversary (just ask Schumi)

I doubt that Prost's way awaits him. Beside, Prost was runer up in 1990 and WDC in 1993, not bad really.

I still think alonso will win the WDC.