Schumi’s good but unsporting, says Alonso

MADRID – Reigning world champion Fernando Alonso believes that for all his talent, German championship rival Michael Schumacher has been the most unsporting driver in the history of Formula One.

Schumacher announced his end-of-season retirement after his victory in the Monza Grand Prix in Italy on Sunday, but not before reducing his deficit on the Spaniard to just two points with three races remaining. It means Schumacher is now in contention for an eighth world title – however that has failed to impress Renault driver Alonso.Schumacher’s critics talk of his questionable racing ethics, and purists argue that the German should not be included in the pantheon of greatest racing drivers alongside Juan Manuel Fangio of Argentina, Scotland’s Jim Clark or Englishman Stirling Moss.And Alonso, who had a disastrous weekend of racing at Monza, was keen to join those who have often questioned the less sporting aspects of the 37-year-old German’s statistically impressive career.”He’s been the most penalised and is the most unsporting driver in the history of Formula One,” Alonso said in daily sports paper Marca yesterday.Alonso even claimed that French football legend Zinedine Zidane, who capped his retirement from football with an audacious World Cup final headbutt on Italian rival Marco Materrazzi, had gone out with more glory.”Despite his headbutt, Zidane even left with more glory,” added Alonso.In Saturday’s qualifying Alonso was relegated from fifth to tenth on the grid for an infringement which Renault contested vehemently, and he then failed to finish the race on Sunday when his engine blew.Alonso now only has races in China, Japan and Brazil, the season-ender on October 22, to defend his title against Schumacher.The Spaniard did give his German rival some credit, however.”He’s been the best driver in the sport, and competing against him has been an honour,” said Alonso.Nampa-AFPIt means Schumacher is now in contention for an eighth world title – however that has failed to impress Renault driver Alonso.Schumacher’s critics talk of his questionable racing ethics, and purists argue that the German should not be included in the pantheon of greatest racing drivers alongside Juan Manuel Fangio of Argentina, Scotland’s Jim Clark or Englishman Stirling Moss.And Alonso, who had a disastrous weekend of racing at Monza, was keen to join those who have often questioned the less sporting aspects of the 37-year-old German’s statistically impressive career.”He’s been the most penalised and is the most unsporting driver in the history of Formula One,” Alonso said in daily sports paper Marca yesterday.Alonso even claimed that French football legend Zinedine Zidane, who capped his retirement from football with an audacious World Cup final headbutt on Italian rival Marco Materrazzi, had gone out with more glory.”Despite his headbutt, Zidane even left with more glory,” added Alonso.In Saturday’s qualifying Alonso was relegated from fifth to tenth on the grid for an infringement which Renault contested vehemently, and he then failed to finish the race on Sunday when his engine blew.Alonso now only has races in China, Japan and Brazil, the season-ender on October 22, to defend his title against Schumacher.The Spaniard did give his German rival some credit, however.”He’s been the best driver in the sport, and competing against him has been an honour,” said Alonso.Nampa-AFP