Who will be where when the music stops?

As the checkered flag fell on the Hungarian Grand Prix last month, it also officially signified the start of what the F1 paddock normally refer to as ‘The silly season.’ They call it that for several reasons. Firstly, the summer break coincides with the time that most teams and managers are looking to secure or renew contracts, which effectively opens up the drivers market. Add to the fact that, without a race, a 500-million strong fan base all of a sudden have nothing to talk about for three weeks, and you’ll understand why rumors start flying around like bits of Romain Grosjean’s car on any given Grand Prix Weekend. And that’s why they call it silly. But let’s talk about the season first, shall we?

So far, Alonso’s manager has admitted to having had talks with Red Bull; Kimi has  reportedly been offered his old seat in Ferrari (even though Vettel has hinted at the Fin replacing Webber instead of Daniel Ricciardo) and Felipe Massa will stay put because he is actually Luca de Montezemolo’s illegitimate son. 

Ok, I made the last one up. But how else can you explain the Brazilian occupying a seat in the most historical team in the history of the sport for almost four years now with a best result of 6th in the championship? His last good year was back in 2008 when he crossed the line as world champion, only to get mugged by Lewis Hamilton 30.9 seconds later after the Brit passed Timo Glock for 5th, giving him just enough points to win the championship. 

In his prime, Massa showed that he was capable of beating Michael Schumacher––no easy task when you consider that he was contractually obligated to come second. He finished third in the championships in 2006, just behind his team mate, fourth in 2007, and runner up to Hamilton in 2008. But in 2009, the Brazilian suffered a horrific freak accident in Hungary when he was hit by a piece of suspension that flew off Rubens Barichello’s car and has never been the same since. 

But while we will never really know how much of the gap to Alonso is due to the injury or just the sheer brilliance of the Spaniard, when you finish 3 and a half championships in a row amassing only half the points of your team mate, the question needs to be asked: Who or what is keeping him there? Because if you can  answer that, you may answer the question, who or what is wrong with Ferrari? 

They may be just a shadow of the team they once were during the Schumacher era, but driving for them still carries a prestige like no other. Much like winning the Monaco Grand Prix. Which probably explains why Luca de Montezemolo publicly berated Fernando Alonso (after being asked what he wanted for his birthday) and was quoted in the press as saying: “Someone else’s car.” 

And there the problem lies.

Granted that while Alonso’s comment was unnecessary because it won’t make the car go any faster, Montezemolo’s outburst is almost certain to make it slower. In fact, I will go as far as to say that I think that Montezemolo’s reaction is a microcosm of everything that is wrong with Scuderia Ferrari.  

Pride in the brand and protecting the team is fine. But what he did was send a fire truck to put out a cigarette just to show the world who is boss. He harped on about how great drivers come and go but Ferrari remains and that nobody is bigger than the team etc., but what he actually did was the opposite. He basically said: No one person is bigger than the team. Except me. 

And the problem with a do-what-I-say-and-not-what-I-do management style that rewards loyalty above talent and performance is that it breeds sycophants not champions. Case in point, Felipe Massa, and to a certain degree, Stefano Domenicali. Both haven’t performed to the standard of the almighty Ferrari since 2008. But both remain. Alonso, on the other hand, has driven a shopping trolley to within a whisker of the championship in 2010 and 2012, yet one public comment (albeit an unnecessary one) that is as obvious to everyone as “I’m driving a red car” and he is publicly emasculated and impolitely shown where the door is. 

Montezemolo’s arrogance would be fine if it was devoid of narcism; but because we all know it wasn’t, Ferrari finds itself robbed of options of say, Mark Webber, Jenson Button, Kobayashi or a whole grid of other drivers in the seat next to Alonso instead of Felipe Massa for a tactical championship.

Which brings us back to the musical chairs. Who will be where when the music stops? Well that’s a tough one. Had this been any other team, I think Alonso would walk out and go back to his old family, Lotus. But it is Ferrari. And the thought of leaving after 4 seasons without a championship has got to weigh heavy on Fernando’s mind. That un-ticked box will be like Senna and the world karting championship he was never able to win. So I see him sticking it out.

But rumors of Kimi back to Ferrari, however, I find ridiculous. I really think that was leaked to peeve off Alonso. If you talk to his mechanics, Kimi hated Ferrari. So much so he left the sport. He is only shining now because Lotus have created the perfect environment for him to do so by absorbing his faults and supporting his strengths, and I don’t think he would swap that for anything but a Red Bull. But only if he could mix it with vodka. And Ice.