Alonso to replace Ricciardo next year
Discussion
reported a few times that in race trim the renault PU is actually able to run more power than the merc, it just misses the qualifying special that merc have and reliability seems to be there.
Probably a couple of test/FP1 runs this year and it's all about making sure they're competitive for 2022. He's got 18 months or so to focus the team around him again and make sure development suits his driving style.
Probably a couple of test/FP1 runs this year and it's all about making sure they're competitive for 2022. He's got 18 months or so to focus the team around him again and make sure development suits his driving style.
If Alonso is able to produce some those insane starts and overtake 50 % of those ahead of him in the Renault as he did with those god awful McLaren's, he should be on for some good points finishes in 2021 as he'll be able to fight harder to hold on to those places than in the McLaren.
The cars aren't anywhere close to being as different as when Schumacher left and returned, so any comparisons draw there should be knocked on the head from the off. He's also been active since leaving so that is also a major difference between the two drivers.
I'm looking forward to seeing him come back.
The cars aren't anywhere close to being as different as when Schumacher left and returned, so any comparisons draw there should be knocked on the head from the off. He's also been active since leaving so that is also a major difference between the two drivers.
I'm looking forward to seeing him come back.
I’d really love to know what motivates Alonso . Here’s a bloke that’s knocking on 40 and , with every passing year , is never going to be as good as he was in years gone by. It’s an age thing and you can’t get by it. Other than Renault in all it’s previous formats he has never truly gelled with another team and , for me , his behaviour has been toxic and unforgivable . Unless he’s a sociopath he must know that too .
But , hey . Here he is again with his mate Flavio lurking in the background somewhere. So if all else fails there can be a real battle of egos with him and Alain Prost and Cyril Thingamebob.
Maybe the McLaren drivers can give him the finger when , hopefully they lap him.
Surely a mediocre team can’t revive a fading image so it’s got to be a top up of ego and his bank account . Also who’d be Ocon !
But , hey . Here he is again with his mate Flavio lurking in the background somewhere. So if all else fails there can be a real battle of egos with him and Alain Prost and Cyril Thingamebob.
Maybe the McLaren drivers can give him the finger when , hopefully they lap him.
Surely a mediocre team can’t revive a fading image so it’s got to be a top up of ego and his bank account . Also who’d be Ocon !
Callum43 said:
I’d really love to know what motivates Alonso . Here’s a bloke that’s knocking on 40 and , with every passing year , is never going to be as good as he was in years gone by. It’s an age thing and you can’t get by it. Other than Renault in all it’s previous formats he has never truly gelled with another team and , for me , his behaviour has been toxic and unforgivable . Unless he’s a sociopath he must know that too .
But , hey . Here he is again with his mate Flavio lurking in the background somewhere. So if all else fails there can be a real battle of egos with him and Alain Prost and Cyril Thingamebob.
Maybe the McLaren drivers can give him the finger when , hopefully they lap him.
Surely a mediocre team can’t revive a fading image so it’s got to be a top up of ego and his bank account . Also who’d be Ocon !
what's Ocon got to lose?But , hey . Here he is again with his mate Flavio lurking in the background somewhere. So if all else fails there can be a real battle of egos with him and Alain Prost and Cyril Thingamebob.
Maybe the McLaren drivers can give him the finger when , hopefully they lap him.
Surely a mediocre team can’t revive a fading image so it’s got to be a top up of ego and his bank account . Also who’d be Ocon !
lower than Fernando...well he's a double world champion revered the world over
faster than Fernando...wow he's a double world champion revered the world over
I suspect it is simply a mutually beneficial arrangement for both parties.
Alonso, as stated earlier, has probably been humbled somewhat by his time away in other racing series and will undoubtedly be missing driving F1 cars in anger. He isn't stupid, no matter how divisive he can be, and will be entering into it with his eyes open knowing Renault aren't going to be competitive. He gets to drive, in F1, gets some sort of salary and nobody has any expectations of wins and championships (unlike Mclaren where, Honda engine aside, I bet they fundamentally covered up the state the actual team was in when negotiating with him). You can bet he also had few other driving options for 2021 too given how the pandemic is impacting lots of racing series with teams closing left right and centre.
Renault get a star driver and appear to their Board to be making the bold moves they were probably told to make in order to stay in the sport. Signing Vettel was probably seen to be too much of a 'safe option' and he isn't so marketable either. Alonso has a brand appeal Vettel doesn't, especially in France. It's as simple as that. Also, they have been stung by Ricciardo leaving and neither can they be 100% sure Ocon won't jump ship to Mercedes as soon as possible, despite Toto making him a free agent. Get Alonso in, feel like they have mitigated an immediate risk to their driver line up and buy themselves some time with the parent company.
Signing Alonso, Renault will get to put the blinkers on and think about the end of 2022 later and he gets to drive having convinced both himself and Renault he won't get disruptive when things don't improve like they all hoped.
Win-win for the immediate needs of both parties.
Alonso, as stated earlier, has probably been humbled somewhat by his time away in other racing series and will undoubtedly be missing driving F1 cars in anger. He isn't stupid, no matter how divisive he can be, and will be entering into it with his eyes open knowing Renault aren't going to be competitive. He gets to drive, in F1, gets some sort of salary and nobody has any expectations of wins and championships (unlike Mclaren where, Honda engine aside, I bet they fundamentally covered up the state the actual team was in when negotiating with him). You can bet he also had few other driving options for 2021 too given how the pandemic is impacting lots of racing series with teams closing left right and centre.
Renault get a star driver and appear to their Board to be making the bold moves they were probably told to make in order to stay in the sport. Signing Vettel was probably seen to be too much of a 'safe option' and he isn't so marketable either. Alonso has a brand appeal Vettel doesn't, especially in France. It's as simple as that. Also, they have been stung by Ricciardo leaving and neither can they be 100% sure Ocon won't jump ship to Mercedes as soon as possible, despite Toto making him a free agent. Get Alonso in, feel like they have mitigated an immediate risk to their driver line up and buy themselves some time with the parent company.
Signing Alonso, Renault will get to put the blinkers on and think about the end of 2022 later and he gets to drive having convinced both himself and Renault he won't get disruptive when things don't improve like they all hoped.
Win-win for the immediate needs of both parties.
Surely Renault just wanted a big name driver so picked up the one who was affordable/keen. They don't have the car to make big strides this season or next.. Does it have to be more complicated than that?
It's Alonso, he will bring headlines and sponsors etc. Hopefully he will do a great job as a driver too, but no driver could make them competitive - their days of even fighting for fourth are on hold until at least 2022. That's not a dig, but it's a reality I think.
Another big plus about Alonso and his headline making comments is that it'll keep the Renault brand name prominent in the motorsport press, regardless of how competitive they are. It's a no brainer - which is why so many of us assumed months ago he would return to Renault when we knew DR was leaving. Not so many of us love the idea.. but it was predictable.
It's Alonso, he will bring headlines and sponsors etc. Hopefully he will do a great job as a driver too, but no driver could make them competitive - their days of even fighting for fourth are on hold until at least 2022. That's not a dig, but it's a reality I think.
Another big plus about Alonso and his headline making comments is that it'll keep the Renault brand name prominent in the motorsport press, regardless of how competitive they are. It's a no brainer - which is why so many of us assumed months ago he would return to Renault when we knew DR was leaving. Not so many of us love the idea.. but it was predictable.
DeltonaS said:
Fernando Alonso On His F1 Return
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQKPOk2neLM
he has amazingly long, perfectly parallel sides to his head/face these days. He's an actual Muppet I think.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQKPOk2neLM
ash73 said:
I was hoping we'd see him do a full season in IndyCars, and maybe even win it like Mansell.
Would have been good to see him win the WDC with Ferrari, I always thought he was a more natural fit for Ferrari than Vettel.
He's managed to jump ship from McLaren just as they're on an up-turn too!
Anyhow the F1 midfield will be better off with him in the mix, he's always fun to watch.
Agree on the Indycar part.Would have been good to see him win the WDC with Ferrari, I always thought he was a more natural fit for Ferrari than Vettel.
He's managed to jump ship from McLaren just as they're on an up-turn too!
Anyhow the F1 midfield will be better off with him in the mix, he's always fun to watch.
He's a character, he has the experience on the other hand he shouldn't be in F1 anymore. But so do a couple of others; Kimi, Grosjean and obvioulsy Stroll to name a few.
F1 is a strange circus.
The Hypno-Toad said:
I think behind the scenes he has probably secured first dibs on buying the team for him & Flav. Kimoa F1 has a nice ring to it.
That’s the first I’ve heard of that idea. I like the sound of it. It didn’t work for Villeneuve and his manager, or even Prost with the French government. But that doesn’t mean it can’t work. Alonso knows the Enstone team and they know him.
I hope it happens.
SpudLink said:
That’s the first I’ve heard of that idea. I like the sound of it.
It didn’t work for Villeneuve and his manager, or even Prost with the French government. But that doesn’t mean it can’t work. Alonso knows the Enstone team and they know him.
I hope it happens.
I don't. It didn’t work for Villeneuve and his manager, or even Prost with the French government. But that doesn’t mean it can’t work. Alonso knows the Enstone team and they know him.
I hope it happens.
There is no place in the sport for a weasel like Briatore.
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