Life is so, dear britts! once you are up once you are down. Dear Ed, please read back your chronicle after the Hungary race. Same characters, same play, different results. Shakespeare vs. Cervantes, Philip II vs. Elisabeth I, etc. You don´t have to be so solemn. It´s pure fun.

Your Spanish Taxi Driver No. 2, Asturias, Spain

Without Alonso, McLaren would have been fourth in the constructors championship behind Ferrari, Renault, and BMW.

jose gonzalez, Tucson, Arizona

All people atacks Alonso, so easy. He´s the best and no more.

Arthur , Shefield,

HAMILTON in an average team would be just an average driver (like BUTTON)

O'Brien, cheltenham, gloucestershire

Dear Elias,

So you believe that Alonso snatched the WCC from McLaren, right? He was the one that contacted Stepney. He was the one that got that info.

Yes, he was involved with that information, but he is not responsible for the actions from Stepney and Coughlan. Yes, apparently he made those actions to become public, but if he hadn't... would you be happier? Would you prefer to have a McLaren being WCC with the information that Coughlan got from Stepney? Yes, we wouldn't know about it, but ignorance doesn't imply rightfulness.

If Alonso is still in McLaren is probably because he didn't blackmail Ron, as they are making us believe. Ron is no stupid.

But it is so easy to immediately believe what you want, if the "great Lewis" benefits from it...

Jose, San Diego, CA, USA

Trevor - I agree wholeheartedly. However, it might be deplorable but the standard for that type of behavior was set by the 'great' Michael Schumacher.

Damon, Exmouth, England

In most ordinary walks of life, if you insult your boss, the company is also likely to dismiss you.

stc, Barcelona, Spain

Who among all drivers is what you would call a true Sportsman today? Do "we" really know or we take it the way we want to see it from our "own" perspective?
I have been Alonso´s fan for some time, I am still, and I intend on keeping one. Nevertheless, I also admire Lewis talent. Both are great drivers. I believe that they have both brought a good level of competition to the track. A fierce one, which to be honest, I like more than some of the boring championships of previous years.
Is it fair to do what Alonso did on the first turn? Who´s to judge that? Clearly not me, but neither you. The officials concluded that he did something that was allowed by the Rules. Contrary to what happened a few weeks ago in Hungary, when he was punished for an out of rule beheviour (which I didn´t like, but accept).
Alonso and Hamilton are good fighters. So, let them fight...on the track.
p.s. from "my" perspective it is childish to think that only Coughlan and Alonso new about the sensitive info.

Jose Antonio, Mexico city, Mexico

Some things I can understand...
Alonso just ungrateful?
Anything about Alonso's wotk improving McLaren cars?
Who has done the real spying? Alonso?
Who has told FIA about Alonso mails? Alonso?

L.R., Ljubljiana, Slovenia

As I always say: Envy is a bad, bad adviser. Alonso has proves all along his career his honestity and integrity. But McLaren and Hamilton can't claim the same. Alonso has won, how many? Ah yes! Two Championships with Renault, and running aginst all the support Schummi had (FIA and the Almighty Ferrari). Did he need cheating to achieve that then? Let me see... No! Why would he need it now? What Hamilton would be now if not for all the "help" he has been receiving during all this championship? Let me doubt he will be on top.
McLaren is taken advantage of the fact Alonso has manners, and so he prefers speak in the track.
Anyway, Alonso is a true champion, a gentleman and the best on F1. Regardless of the consequences and all the envious persons as Hamilton.

Nieves

Nieves, Guadalajara, Spain

First of all sorry for my english
I write this from spain and would like to say that Im very sad for all that happened this year, I think that Hamilton and Alonso give us a fantastic season and I think Hamilton is really good, Enjoy with the show and forget all other things beleave me, they are both fantastic runners and very competitive, thats all.

Lorenzo, Mallorca, Spain

So Mr. Gorman, why don't you ask yourself why McLaren is "the fastest car on the grid"? You don't blame Mc Laren for cheating. Instead the culprit is only Alonso. What if Hamilton wins due to the fact that Mc Laren cheated?

alfredo, milano, italy

Not everything is black or white...it seems you have forgotten Hungary, where Hamilton's complaints meant a punishment for Alonso (obeying team orders) and McLaren. And I don't believe this story at all, 'it emerged on Friday...', hum, rumours... Let's just see the facts.

Carlos, Sevilla, España

Dear Elias
Hamilton is the beautifull girl of McLaren and the British Press, now he is seeing how Alonso is gonna win him is nervous.
Is OK, time puts each one in its place. Is McLaren who has los his reputation because of his actions, is not Alonso's fault if McLaren cannot win properly a championship that has been so much time without winning.

pablo, bilbao, spain

Alonso is the best!!!!

carlos grande, london,

Alonso is a most complete driver. Forget the propaganda that Ferrari had an inferior car the two years that Alonso beat Schumi head-to head. Alonso won the championship two times by being a complete driver and is nearly at the top of the heap this year with a superior Ferrari driven by two talented drivers and McLaren giving their all to make Hamilton their golden boy (since he was 12)! The treatment by M-M of Alonso is what is despicable. Call him temperamental if you like, but he is a fantastic driver and gets the most out of any car.

And why is Ferrari not at fault in SpyGate? It was after all one of their representatives who passed on the materials? Who in any business does not try to get leg up on a rival, legal or not? If not legal one calculates whether or not one will get caught.

McLaren ought to show more respect for Alonso; all the drivers are Prima Donas - convince me that Hamilton is not. Motorsport wants him to be the next world-wide Tiger Woods phenomenon.

Liam, Philadelphia, PA USA

In most ordinary walks of life, if you threaten your boss and precipitate a crisis in your company that costs it $100 million...Yes true..but who started the situation? Hamilton didnt trate McLaren as a team, in Monaco, in USA and in Hungary. He started that crisis himself. He forgot the team. He copied all time Alonso´s car. Dennis could stop everything, and he didn´t. Now, what happened have a name, Ron. He has to put order in the team. Alonso had the wrost car, and the wrost wheels. Is Ron treating equal Lewis and Alonso? I think not, and there is the first problem he had.

Manu, Pucela city, Spain

If Alonso takes the title this year, and
If Alonso stays on another year at McLaren
(presuming there was no actual threat to Ron Dennis), and
If Alonso were to take the title again in 2008,
Who would look more handsome in red?
'Marketing Gem' Lewis or 'Rogue' Fernando?
Ever thought about that?

Michel Angstadt, Serranillos del Valle, (Madrid) Spain

Sorry, do you really think that Mister Dennis did´nt anything about Ferrari, come on, open your eyes. And what about Mosley said???? Dennis gave his version, and Mosley gave another diferent about it.....Hamilton and Alonso must fight for the championship during the race that´s right, but Hamilton has been helped during the season in many races by FIA and Dennis.......

Fausto, Benidorm, Spain

Alonso is the best driver in the world, better than Hamilton, Kimmi and Massa. He won two world championship and...Massa?...Hamilton?...Please, forget him...If Hamilton do not wi, everybody cry in UK...

Jose Anel, Salamanca, Spain

The british have a lot of envy of our pilot, for that, the only thing they are doing, it is telling lies about our pilot without sense. You have to realise that Mclaren was in a desert until Alonso's come, and your "hero" Hamilton and father is in first place thanks to the well done job made by Fernando

ambrosio, Madrid, Spain

Some things that you are forgetting:
- It was McLaren, not Alonso, who spied Ferrari and used Ferrari’s technology.
- It was Dennis, not Alonso who reported to the FIA.
- Hamilton cooperated with the investigation as well.
- Alonso stays at only two points of Hamilton despite all the inside problems that he suffered this season, including the pressure of the ultra-nationalistic British press.
Please try to be objetive.

Al, Stockholm,

I'm of the view that it'll be Dennis that goes, while Alonso will be with Mclaren next year. I'm sure Mercedes is fed-up with Ron, the more he keeps talking the more he puts his,now both feet in his mouth.

River, Vancouver, Canada

Well, I do not believe one secong that Ron Dennis never knew about existance Ferrari confidential information when even team's 3rd driver did. It sounds hard to believe in.
As for Alonso, he appears to be a man who will do ANYTHING to win, on and off the track.
As for Hamilton's moan followed yesterday's GP about Alonso pushing him off the tarck, it just sounded childish. What did he expect? Alonso giving a position to him or something?

Jelena, Bristol ,

For his role in the scandal Alonso is guilty of Conduct Unworthy of a World Champion...period. He has damaged thew entire sport. And, it has cost his team $100 million dollars. He should be gone.

Darrell, Cambridge, Ontario, Canada

Pfffffff, come on Ed.
Why the bitterness? I know that your reporting should tend to lean Hamilton's way. But this is not fair.
For weeks you are writing that Alonso should stop talking en start beating his team mate. Well, he does.
And "The Ronster"? He is a big guy, he doesn't need your sympathy and neither should Lewis.
By the way: I am a DC fan and Belgian, so I think I am pretty objective on this one.

Wim Verhaegen, Mechelen, Belgium

Do you really think the penalty for McLaren has been given for the Alonso's mail von March '07?
There is not any more news regarding the popular dossiers of Ferrari in Hands of McLaren engineers?
Pour Hamilton, his computer is broken.....
Dear Mr. Gorman, your British sophistication to judge the facts is the best one on this planet
Congratulations!
PS: show must go on!

Javier, Barcelona, España

Mr. Gorman,
Don't forget Hamilton's behavior in Hungary that caused McLaren not to get any points and pulled-back Alonso from pole to 5th place. Besides he lacked respect to his boss and his team (radio incident) and I don't recall such a call for governance then.
It seems the FIA knew about those e-mails before Alonso was FORCED to send them. I believe Fernando is 50% responsible for the car preparation this year whilst Hamilton did nothing but play F1 on his PS2 while his father signs autographs.
Furthermore the data of both pilot's tunings are shared (that's why Lewis is on the 1-4 ranking instead of 4-7), meaning if Alonso had anytime benefited from information from Ferrari, so did Hamilton.
If as you say Rosberg would be to "replace" Alonso, I look forward reading this column in a year time with the two "kids" fine-tuning a Formula 1...

Miki Lux, Luxembourg,

i know see why people do not claim when their companies are cheating, defrauding taxes and stealing: because the press does not like it. they prefer nce yes boys ...

mark, alicante,

To Mark from B'gham,
All of us, fake English comentators, do not pretend to subestimate your sharpness nor your brilliancy making out we are Spanish.
I tell you what, I don't like FA, but I usually read UK papers to find out what your views are about all this mess... I wonder if you could actually do that..I mean read Spanish papers to have differents point of view..I bet you don't really need that.

Lewis mate, stop whinging and drive like you used to do in GP2

Alberto, Gijon, ESPAÑA

Don´t ever dream that the spanish people is now against Alonso .
By the way , all the trash that articles like this one is throwing to him i hope will help him to get out of Mclaren the sooner the better.
Lets see how goes Mclaren next year without Alonso.
If is true that Alonso threat Ron Dennis , wich i dont belive , imagine what it takes to a double world champion to get to that point . Is as simple as seeing your supposed team cheering Hamilton for a second or third place and you not even a smile for a win.

Fred, Santander, Spain

Never mind Alonso or Hamilton.
Dennis should be fired for presiding over a complete breakdown in ethics.
this is a case of insider trading ,where Mclaren not only had the full Ferrari technical dossier,but even obtained the set-up of the car and pit-stop strategy of Ferrari for each race.
It has brought Mercedes into disrepute and the drivers both benefitted from this info.
Dennis should go,and mercedes should appoint a new boss with a code of ethics.

C.Elder, london,

To all those fake 'English' commentators out there - so obviously from Spain (the accents etc come up in the text for God's sake).

Don't you have any work to do ?

Mark, Birmingham, Uk

I hope and desire that Fernando Alonso gains his third title world-wide, because he is the best one at the moment and is deserved it.

His equipment has not helped him in anything and everybody has been able to see clearly since Hamilton has been favored in very many occasions. That is not right, nor loyal game.

Fernado is alone against all and for that reason it deserves to win.

Luck Fernando, CHAMPION

LUZ, madrid, SPAIN

Hamilton will be champion when the circuits do not have curves!!!.

Why Fia permit Hamilton to do less curves than any other pilot everytime, everywhere?

Jokin, Bilbao, Spain

What absolute drivel "allegedly" .....

Gary, Bristol, UK

There's a lot of Spaniards around here rushing to the defence of Alonso. I believe a British author said it best - "thou doth protest too much".

Pete R., Stoke-on-Trent,

NO Ed, unlike you I don't believe everything I'm told. Nor am I so biased that I would believe Alonso is somehow to blame for everything that has befallen McClaren. Alonso is driving with the demeanour of someone who has finally figured out his job is to win the DC and not whinge. He has a lot of support in Spain so I'm not sure where you get 'at the end of their tether with their hero' - do you read Spanish at all?

Alonso is probably 'gatvol' as we say here [fed up to the teeth] with McClaren - and the British press is not going to change that. He can afford to sit out a year if he has to, and as a triple world champion [yes I believe he will win the DC] he will be the hottest of properties.
Where will they be without the info [from Ferrari] which enabled their own cars to be as fast as they are, and Alonso's technical input? If nothing else, the e-mails show who put the effort into developing the car - it certainly wasn't Hamilton.

Bethany, Johannesburg,

Apparently in the heat of the discussion between Ron Dennis and Fernando Alonso in Hungary, after having requested No. 1 Driver status and being told that the team was very honest in its dealings with the drivers and its policy of equality, Alonso mentioned the fact that he was new on the team and yet he had some emails that showed just how honest the team was.

Is that a threat? Is that blackmail? Or is it a way of refuting the other person's point in the midst of a very heated discussion?

The British press have ruled who their scapegoat is.

Honestly, I think both Ron Dennis and Fernando Alonso deserve the benefit of the doubt. If they TRUST each other, they can work together next season. It would be beneficial to both of them that they remain on the same boat. Dennis would have the best car developer working for him, Alonso would have the best car, and a teammate with a mouth bigger than his.

Michel Angstadt, Serranillos del Valle, (Madrid) Spain

Alonso is a great driver, and the current world champion. However, as this season has proved, he is world champion in title only, certainly not by nature. It takes far more than winning to be a true World Champion; someone to admire, inspire and look up to. For this you need, Integrity, Honesty and Honour - concepts that are totally alien to Alonso. So yes, he is world champion and may even be again this year, but I challenge anyone to say that he is worthy of being a True champion.

Andy, Worthing, Sussex, UK

Come on...!who beleives the story of threatened Dennis,..as you all the british know that the severe punishment to mclaren came from ferrari and just "to make thinsg right". Mail between Alonso and Pedro were from March, and all the scandal of the photocopies was in April...doesnt match too much eh..?
So...please i know you all love Hamilton but be realistic, i reckon he is a great driver, but he would not be the leader of this championship without Alonso. I think no-one in this country want to admit all the work that Fernando make on this car(im not talkin only about telemetry),and that you all now see that it s givin results to mclaren.
For me,i hope Fernando quit of Mclaren cause is clear that no one support him there (Hungarorring for example),and i guess the team will miss him more than they had expected.
In resume, Fernando will win his third consecutive title and he will show he is the boss,and im looking forward to see him in red the next year or as soon as posible.

Daniel, madrid, spain

"In most ordinary walks of life, if you threaten your boss, your company is likely to dismiss you..."

Would that rule also be applied to Hammilton?

David, London, UK

Fernando Alonso, who now beautifully fights for his third title in a British team with a British team mate (Mister-the-team did-a-fantastic-job-Hamilton), will 'talk' in the next few races.
And will say soon goodbye to all this disgraceful British-made rubbish.

Alonso is in his way to his third consecutive title (!!!) and to Ferrari. Latin power.

Maximvs, Un Lugar de La Mancha, Hispania

This spy story & the whole silly season is getting just too long, I guess most of us -F1 fans I mean- are willing to start reading again about engines, tyres & stuff like that.

We have one of the most exciting championships ever with two monsters at the wheel of the same car. My plan for the next five weeks is to sit back, relax, place my bet and enjoy the end of the season.

Octavio, Portugalete,

The article has a clear British bias - understandable, considering where it's published. But the portrayal of Alonso as being the one triggering the 100 mil. fine is ridiculous. No one around here asks how it was possible for Dennis to know nothing about the Ferrari dossier. The truth is everybody spies everybody, but McLaren were caught with their pants down. As a team leader, Dennis' chief concern should be to keep a very good team climate, clean of suspicion and prone to maximizing results. It evidently was not the case. Now he pays the penalty - deserved, but lenient.

IonG, Winnipeg,

... oh, englishmen... don't forget once you were gentlemen!...

... you only have to admit all this "nonsense Alonso-Hamilton affaire" has become a matter of national proud...

... we all must keep being gentlemen despite whatever may do Ron Dennis, Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton...

... they are no saints, they all seem to me as wolves...

... both pilots have taken advantage with some unfair decisions ...

... oh englishmen, you once were gentlemen...

(... sorry but, Fernando is still a bit better than his young team-mate... the brave spanish driver will claim the championship...)

Miguel, Huelva, Spain

So Alonso must be out and when Hamilton acussed the team in Monaco and Hungary is a normal thing. I read la gazzeta and most of the italians wants Fernando in Ferrari and Hamilton is the new crier os F1.

min, Jaen, Spain

Where is this newspaper from?
Where is Ron Dennis from?
Where is Hamilton from?
Where is Mclaren team from?

Fco, USA, TX

Okay, first of all.. anyone that has followed formula 1 and understands how the sport (business?) ticks, will know that information exchanges have ALWAYS been part of it, whether it be copying aerodynamics, listening in to other team radios engineers moving jobs from one team to another. No one wonder why all formula 1 cars look the same? come on, it doesnt take a rocket scientist... this whole spying affair has been blown out of proportion.
Now, so McLaren are aware of Ferrari's info, and this helps them make informed decisions.. okay.. but to suggest that the test driver, or a driver with information can improve the car single-handedly without any of the engineers raising an eyebrow? Come on, are we in primary school? The whole team must have known about the Ferrari data, it is preposterous to blame just De La Rosa or Alonso for it. Are Stepney and Coughlan not the bad guys any more?
If anything, this shows how out of touch Ron Dennis is with his team.

Lee Graham, Hitchin, Herts, UK

To Trevor: Do not believe all what it is said on the media... Alonso will win this 2006-2007 F1 season for third time in a row because he is the best driver nowadays. Period.

To Joe from Brighton: You are right sir, Alonso is defending from many of the wolfs that surrender him. Additionally, I agree: Alonso is currently the most complete driver in F1.

Mucha suerte, Alonso!

Xavi, Boston, US

You could be a little more fair and less nationalistic. Hamilton is a formidable pilot. There is no doubt about that. But we have seen him driving as agresively as Alonso did yesterday, or even more, at past races along this season.
And what do you say about his behaviour in Germany? His claim cost his teammate Alonso the pole and his team McLaren lost all the points!!!
At the end that race could cost Alonso (and MLaren) the Championship, but according with you that was fair from Hamilton and you charge against Alonso with no evidence about his "threatening behaviour to Ron Dennis".

Javier Carbonell, Barcelona, Spain

who's crying now?

D. Javier, London,

McLaren would be well advised to opt for a driver who understands the team and who would offer commitment and loyalty, the sort of driver who doesn't bad mouth his former teams. Ideally an older driver who could be a mentor to Lewis, with the maturity to accept and recognise the talent of his young apprenctice without displaying bitterness and envy.
A driver whose recently published biography I am about to enjoy on my annual holiday. DC, your old team needs you!!

Gary Pepworth, PONTRIEUX, France

Some day you will realise..."Alonso is still arguably the most complete racing driver in Formula One", it's not easy to be the best. He's not a bad sportsman, I think he's simply defending himself of the atacks of the wolfs that are surrending him.

Joe, Brighton, sussex

I don't think Santander promote the kind of betrayal and disloyalty that Alonso has shown his team and employer. They would not withdraw their sponsorship from McLaren simply because Dennis has dismissed an ungrateful and temperamental Alonso. There's more to commercial business decisions than that.
And if I were Ron Dennis, I wouldn't waste time with Alonso but would give him his matching orders when it would hurt him the most - right after the next Grand Prix! In other words, let him come close to the title - then snatch it from under him... much like he has done with McLaren's Constructors title.

Elias, Stevenage, UK

Dear Mr, Gorman,
so McLaren cheated?
Why no mention about integral text of evidence?
It would be intersting, trust me!

Fabrizio, Pistoia,

It is deplorable for Alonso to try and blackmail his team by demanding to be made champion over Lewis instead of fighting it out on the track and also trying to throw money around.

Alonso grow up and be a true sportsman

Trevor, Johannesburg, South Africa