Alonso: Toro Rosso better than BMW

Eurosport - Tue, 16 Sep 08:08:00 2008

Former double world champion Fernando Alonso believes that Scuderia Toro Rosso have overtaken BMW-Sauber to become Formula One's third force after Sebastian Vettel's stunning breakthrough triumph in the Italian Grand Prix at Monza.

2008 Italian GP Renault Alonso - 0

Alonso finished fourth at the weekend, three positions and almost half a minute adrift of Vettel (pictured), F1's new youngest race-winner.

Vettel and team-mate Sebastien Bourdais secured top-six finishes in the Belgian GP at Spa-Francorchamps just a week earlier. That means STR have notched up 16 points in the last two outings, more than any other team save for Ferrari, whose engine has taken much of the credit for the small Faenza-based outfit's astonishing recent upsurge in form.

Alonso - who held the record for both youngest-ever pole-sitter and race-winner in F1 until Vettel stole his thunder - was one of the first drivers to congratulate the German on his sensational triumph and reckons STR has now moved ahead of all teams on performance terms, bar Ferrari and McLaren-Mercedes.

"You could tell that sooner or later they were going to be on pole and on the podium," the 27-year-old Renault star told As.

"Right now I see them right behind Ferrari and McLaren."

One team STR certainly has moved ahead of is parent concern Red Bull Racing, leapfrogging the Milton Keynes-based squad into sixth spot in the constructors' rankings by a single marker and - lying 14 points adrift of both Toyota and Renault with four grands prix remaining on the calendar - theoretically in with a chance now of stealing fourth spot before the 2008 season is out.

Despite RBR - with whom Vettel has signed for next year - having struggled of late with its Renault horsepower, the 21-year-old insists he has no regrets about making the switch.

"First of all, no matter what happens, next year I am going to race for Red Bull Racing," he underlined. "I don't see it as a step backwards."

Crash.Net / Eurosport

Comment 1 - 7 of 67

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  1. This "honnest" driver knew about the Ferrari­ information when he was at McLaren but didn't say­ anything about it until he thought he could use it to­ blackmail Ron Dennis. He admitted himself that he knew­ about the information for a long time and didn't do­ anything about it until that point when he told Ron he­ would make it public. His "honnesty" bluff­ was then called by Ron who went straight to the FIA and­ told them. Interesting idea about what honesty is.

    I­ agree he is a good driver.

    From Grey Scale, on Mon 15 Sep 7:26PM

  2. i hope hes not thinking of joining toro rosso

    From wayne H, on Mon 15 Sep 7:23PM

  3. Just an update on this: Alonso has the doors open at­ any F1 team and he can choose which ever team he wants.­ He is an honnest and a very good driver, unlike your­ Lewis S hit Ham. He wouldn't be employed not even­ from Force India...

    From Gasper J, on Mon 15 Sep 7:05PM

  4. does anyone really care what Alonso thinks anyway. I­ liked him as a world champion (sort of) but can't­ stand him as a spoiled middle of the pack runner. ­ We'll listen when you win again.

    From DAVID M, on Mon 15 Sep 6:49PM

  5. Anyone get the feeling that Alonso's looking for a­ job?

    From GEORGE, on Mon 15 Sep 6:31PM

  6. Quote: "That means STR have notched up 16 points­ in the last two outings, more than any other team save­ for Ferrari, whose engine has taken much of the credit­ for the small Faenza-based outfit's astonishing­ recent upsurge in form."

    I thought that BMW had­ managed 21, McLaren have got 16 and Ferrari only 13. Am­ I missing something here?

    From Grey Scale, on Mon 15 Sep 6:18PM

  7. It's difficult to find fault with Alonso's­ opinion, and I think both BMW and Toro Rosso are moving­ up the scale because of the team principal in each­ case. Mario Theisen and Gerhard Berger are both first­ class team leaders and are the reason for their­ teams' advances - along with their gifted drivers­ of course, and all the background technicians and­ mechanics. The fact is, these team leaders are the­ ones who build the team, so even the individuals who­ are part of the team are there because Mario and Berger­ put them there. Contrast them with Domenicali at­ Ferrari. With Todt Ferrari were top notch, and since­ Domenicali took the lead, they are down a few notches. ­ To me, that's proof that the top guys are­ ultimately responsible for ups and downs. As the head­ of the snake goes, so goes the body.

    From Cyrano, on Mon 15 Sep 6:18PM
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