Current Fernando Alonso

Suprised there's no thread (although I had one for his blogs), so i'll start off:

A double world championship vs Raikkonen and then Schumacher in 2005 and 2006 respectively elevated Alonso's status but, apparently, no one told his rookie teammate at his brand new team of a theoretical 'pecking order' the following season ... and the Spaniard was 'seen off' by the young Englishman, Hamilton, into two years of Wilderness while both Hamilton and an even younger Vettel began to make their mark through '08 and '09.

Arguably, Alonso was in the Top 3 of all the Formula One 'Aces' in the 2000s following Hakkinen's retirement - up there with either Schumacher/Raikkonen and, then, Raikkonen/Hamilton - and remains so in the early 2010s along with Hamilton/Vettel...with only Kubica knocking on the door until the Pole's horrible Rallying accident.

A question mark initially over 2004 during which Trulli lead him in the standing until the Italian fell out with ex-manager and team boss Flavio Briatore (Alonso's then business manager) under dubious circumstances after the French Grand Prix.

Another question mark is...Who has progressed more since the end of 2007: Hamilton or Alonso?

A fan. Then came the unfortunate blackmail allegations against McLaren boss Ron Dennis on the morning of the 2007 Hungarian GP which came to light at the highly costly FIA 'Spy-Gate' hearings before Spa...followed by the odour of the deliberate crashing of the Number 2 Renault car at Singapore in 2008 which lead to Alonso finishing 1st in the event and ended in the banning of Briatore and Pat Symmonds a year later.

2009 was a poor year with 'Nando's' mind likely on the prospect of Santander paving the way to better prospects at Maranello one year earlier.

2010 was a fresh start at Ferrari (who no longer had Schumacher walking through the premises regularly) but first half season mistakes ultimately cost him a title inspite of being infamously aided by a Team Orders switch w Massa at Hockenheim (which lead to more world-wide criticism).

Relatively fast, relatively consistent but prone to mistakes and a possible insecurity complex (*) based on wanting sole focus from a team and being only happy with a Number 2 in the other car running behind him. Anything else and it seemingly rattles him.

(*) This is my own personal opinion.

..and so to 2011...

He's underperformed only at Malaysia (hit Hamilton) and China (invisible while Massa challenged McLarens and Red Bulls) and, arguably, Canada...but has maximized his chances in the other 6 races culminating in the British GP win.

He said in his post-Monaco blog that 'Silverstone would be the WDC cut-off'...and so, after some major upgrades, the Ferrari looks a winner again. It might be too late for 2011 given Vettel's finishing rate...but the 2012 regs means they should keep the hammer down at Maranello.

He's signed on through to 2016...So hopes are high of a WDC at some juncture...but not yet.

 

[Hamberg]

The future is unseen the past is not If I were in Alonso's shoes I would base my decision on what I know and not on what may be

Didn't we say that about Hamilton going to Mercedes?

 

[Jen]

If all drivers were to 'stay safe', there would be no F1.

 

[teabagyokel]

21 Years. 1 WCC. Gamble.

In fairness, they have improved in recent weeks to make their engine advantage tell over Red Bull and Ferrari, suggesting if the Honda is better then they'll keep the Mercedes-AMG honest.

I suppose Honda won't have been sniffing around the Mercedes unit at the MTC and taking advantage of their non-homogenised status. Unless they have any sense.

 

[racecub]

I wondered why McLaren were prepared to pay so much( as is rumoured) for Alonso. They left acrimoniously, McHonda likely won't be fighting for a championship in the first year, there are much cheaper good options out there( Rogro, Hulk) and Alonso generally seems to have a destabilising influence in the teams he drives for. But I've thought again. I've heard it rumoured that the Honda engine is close to the Merc in performance. I've also heard it rumoured that the Merc has a second a lap of developments even within the freeze limit for their next years engine. But that would still put McHonda second on the grid , providing they sort out the chassis. If your car is potentially the second best then you want the best driver you can get to eke out the performance and get amongst the winners, Alonso or Lewis. Lewis would no way go this year, so it's Alonso. He will also better be able to influence the direction the car moves in than the Rookie Mags or the narrow operating window Button. And with Honda picking up the rest of the salary bill after the Santander money, suddenly Alonso to McHonda makes a lot of sense. And for Honda, it shows they mean business.

 

[Il_leone]

It is important for Ron that he shows the other Mclaren backers that he is better leading Mclaren than Whitmarsh

- they are better than last year in terms of pace but still in 5th in the constructors because Williams have improved massively using the SAME engine so clearly the structure within Mclaren is not working

Ron needs Alonso more than Alonso needs Ron/ Mclaren

If Alonso retired whilst his legacy would be tarnished BUT there is no denying he was the best driver from 2005 to now despite what Vettel has achieved

With Mclaren this is seen as their revival back to the front and they want Alonso to LEAD them

 

[Incubus]

I don'tthink it's a case of Ferrari destabilising Ferrari on ths one.

Traditionally Ferrari have always proved they don't help need destabilising themselves!

They might no longer necessarily be the wealthiest team in F1 but still with the means at their disposals they should at least be capable of producing a winning car every season.
Instead with the touch of true genius they routinely overcome these obstacles to invariably end up shooting themselves in the foot.

 

[Bushi]

I think its safe to say that Mclaren has older software than williams Il_leone. There was one race where i recall both the Merc's and williams where about the same in fuel consumption, while Mclaren was way of that. Now that could be because Mclaren has more drag, but i doubt that was the case.

And in 2005 Kimi was the better of the two imo. Unfortunately that merc engine was made of glass.

 

[Andyoak]

If Button really has a narrow operating window how come he is so far ahead of his team mate; and stayed within touching distance of his esteemed previous team mates?

 

[Bushi]

Cause it was within his narrow operating window Andyoak.

 

[racecub]

Andyoak because his team mate is a rookie and has been involved in too many incidents and too many brushes with the stewards.

 

[Jen]

So experience does count then?

 

[racecub]

Of course experience counts. It's why Button is bringing home some points. But more than just experience will be needed in a resurgent team that may be fighting with the best of them for race wins.

 

[Jen]

Crash kid rookie or experienced old boy? Which would you go for since neither seem to have developmental nous? The other option is two experienced 'old boys' - that would be my choice, if only for a year.

 

[Incubus]

Alonso thread?

 

[Jen]

Yes, indeedy. Sometimes one has to explain a train of thought, even if it seems 'off thread'. Hence my reference to two 'old boys' - Alonso and Button which brought it back nicely

 

[Andyoak]

I find it funny that for a man so reliant on a narrow window to work in has managed to find that window when pitted against drivers who could win a gp in a reliant robin...

 

[racecub]

He finds it sometimes, and when he finds it he can turn in drives as good as any of them. But when he can't find it he goes missing, à la mid 2012, out of the points with team mate getting podiums for several races. That's no good when a team needs direction as to development. Alonso is better, he can turn in the drives when the car is off song or not to his liking, as can Hamilton. This is not Buttons' forte. I think Mags deserves a second year at least, he has potential, with Alonso leading the team.

 

[The Pits]

Button is an easy target, especially for some who just like to have the odd dig here and there.

As for the development thing, well to be Frank, where are Ferrari this year? Or last? Despite poaching significant talent, and having the best driver. So either neither Alonso not button are capable of developing a car, or it is intangible to us on the outside just what either driver is capable of contributing, personally, I believe the latter.

As for Alonso, I think any team would have him over button, why wouldn't you? Although he comes at a cost, which may not just be financial.

 

[Incubus]

But Alonso hasn't actually been confirmed yet anyway.
There is obviously some sort of stumbling block somewhere along the line because if there wasn't it would have been confirmed much earlier than at the eve of the season's last GP.

Personally I believe said stumbling block resides on Ferrari's side as opposed to McLaren, Konda or Santander, and maybe something to do with whatever clause(s) on Alonso's conttract, performance-related or otherwise.

Which perhaps explains why Ferrari haven't officially confirmed anything one way or the other, either regarding Vettel's arrival or Alonso's departure.

 

[FB]

Yasuhisa Arai believes Honda will win races next season.

http://www1.skysports.com/f1/news/2...red-questions-for-hondas-return-to-f1-in-2015