Will Fernando Alonso return to F1?

F1 hot lap with Fernando and his girlfriend Linda Morselli...

 

https://streamable.com/g5bwd

Is that a McLaren? That thing oversteers like hell!

Is that a McLaren? That thing oversteers like hell!

720S.

I have always been an Alonso fan, I think some of the people around him or maybe just him have made questionable decisions in the past, which are hurting him now in the pursuit of a continued F1 career.

But what he is doing is having fun, in the way drivers did in the past, yes he walked into the best drive in WEC, but that is not his fault!  What was he supposed to do, drive a Rebellion for 2 years before?  And it leads him into these new projects like Dakar.

I admire him for doing these things, his ability and reputation open the door, but why not?  He wants to enjoy himself and find new ways if doing so, and add more strings to his bow, something a lot of ex F1 drivers really do not even try and do. 

But what he is doing is having fun, in the way drivers did in the past, yes he walked into the best drive in WEC, but that is not his fault!

Why doesn't Alonso embrace being a Toyota company man, and do the SuperGT series in Japan? 

Why doesn't Alonso embrace being a Toyota company man, and do the SuperGT series in Japan? 

Maybe later. I think he has some unfinished business...

Maybe later. I think he has some unfinished business...

His business in F1 is finished. It  finished in 2006!

Maybe later. I think he has some unfinished business...

Do tell more! 

Brazilian journalist, has been to every race in 2011, lives in England and does not work for Globo TV (major telecommunications group in Latin America who has been covering F1 for 40+ years).

He seems to have good sources and her speech and posts are directed more towards the dedicated viewer, not the general public (something that is more Globo's).

OK thanks. That does not change though that one of the major premises of the blog post is blatantly incorrect

His business in F1 is finished. It  finished in 2006!

Some strong opinion here. The years after 2006 were the years I became a fan of Alonso. Because? Maybe you know the answer...

Do tell more! 

I wish I could... All the recent comments from Monza made it clear - the man wants to return and show the world of F1 one last fight for wins and maybe the WDC. 

F1 hot lap with Fernando and his girlfriend Linda Morselli...

 

https://streamable.com/g5bwd

She really likes speed doesnt she? not the typical girl or woman who gets scared. No coincidence he's been with two very famous racing guys lol

I think he would look at Super Gt at being a series he could do later on perhaps, right now he is a big deal so can command drives in just about anything he wants, be well paid, get all the testing etc, so why not push for Indy, Dakar, maybe even WRC or something.

Super GT is a good series but for someone like Alonso I think it is a big step down, he wants to win the big, huge global races. Hence what he is doing, and I don't blame him!

She really likes speed doesnt she? not the typical girl or woman who gets scared. No coincidence he's been with two very famous racing guys lol

A bit of off topic tho.

what has happened to the idea of three car team?

Huge Alonso fan and really wish to have him back. But I don't see it happening. he's only coming back for a top seat and the only seat I can see as any possibility is Vettel's and I don't really see that happening. Merc is a no and Honda will never have him back so RB is a no. Sadly I think he's done.

I don't see Vettel walking away from $40 million for the simple fact is that is for sure his last big pay day year. Who else would hire him for that? He won't race for just a few million, there is a pride factor there. So I don't see any seats for Alonso at top teams.

2021 Ferrari seat is possible but how old will he be then? 38? Don't see it

Edited by FNG, 11 September 2019 - 23:07.

A bit of off topic tho.

what has happened to the idea of three car team?

I don't think he is coming back, but I can't be the only one who doesn't think that Leclerc is on Alonsos level.

After Budapest the opinion of the majority was quite different.

Edited by PlayboyRacer, 12 September 2019 - 01:56.

You want Mercedes lockout an all red Ferrari lockout of podiums. That was one of the stupidest ever suggested, along with the grooved tires mess years. I’d take Bernie’s sprinklers over 3 car teams any day.

what do you know about what I want?

never the less, there must be a certain rules that binds about the third car. 

sprinkling a track was yet another dum idea.

Alonso, Button, Rosberg to tackle Mount Panorama in S5000 race? - https://www.planetf1...mount-panorama/

(posting here because this was the original thread)

Also saw in another story that Rubens might do it too...

Edited by AustinF1, 14 November 2019 - 03:39.

Alonso, Button, Rosberg to tackle Mount Panorama in S5000 race? - https://www.planetf1...mount-panorama/

 

(posting here because this was the original thread)

 

Also saw in another story that Rubens might do it too...

Sounds cool but it's still up in the air.

Also think the only thing Rosbergs wife will let him run at a million miles a minute is his mouth

Edited by pitlanepalpatine, 14 November 2019 - 13:49.

Some strong opinion here. The years after 2006 were the years I became a fan of Alonso. Because? Maybe you know the answer...

Tell us, because a lot has happened in those 13 years and it could be anything.

Didn't know which of the multiple places I should post this, but I guess this thread is as good as any. 

Alonso has finished the Dakar now and says it was "amazing" and he'll likely return. He just isn't sure when. He seems all-in on this year's Indy 500, says he's "close to running with the Andretti team", doesn't want to plan anything for 2020 after Indy, and will evaluate a potential 2021 F1 return, a full IndyCar season at some point, or a return to WEC in Hypercars. Andretti also says Alonso to Andretti is very close to happening. Jenna Fryer seems to think it's happening, and Robin Miller says it's 100% a done deal. It seems like they're just waiting for the right time for an announcement - likely when Alonso has fulfilled his Toyota commitment.

It's all very interesting imho because for the first time since his retirement he's talking about "feeling like an F1 driver" and talking about the things he likes about the sport and misses. But he also says he'd have to weigh that vs the extreme time commitment it takes. Also interesting is his talk of doing a full IndyCar season, because as far as I know he's never spoken publicly about that as a real possibility, because of the time he'd have to spend away from home basing his work in the U.S.

“First I finish the Dakar, then I do the Indianapolis 500, and in the summer I will have to make a decision,” he told the El Partidazo de Cope program.

“I have the idea of returning to Formula 1, “I feel like a Formula 1 driver, it’s what I like most and it’s what I know how to do best.

“I don’t know if I will return or not, but I will think about these next two or three years of my career in the summer. I will decide in the next few months.

“It is the top category of motor racing, but it also has its disadvantages.

“Formula 1 requires a complete dedication of your life.

“I already had 18 years of that and now I have to assess whether I want to do two or three more years of that or not.”

Edited by AustinF1, 18 January 2020 - 03:33.

 

Didn't know which of the multiple places I should post this, but I guess this thread is as good as any. 

 

Alonso has finished the Dakar now and says it was "amazing" and he'll likely return. He just isn't sure when. He seems all-in on this year's Indy 500, says he's "close to running with the Andretti team", doesn't want to plan anything for 2020 after Indy, and will evaluate a potential 2021 F1 return, a full IndyCar season at some point, or a return to WEC in Hypercars. Andretti also says Alonso to Andretti is very close to happening. Jenna Fryer seems to think it's happening, and Robin Miller says it's 100% a done deal. It seems like they're just waiting for the right time for an announcement - likely when Alonso has fulfilled his Toyota commitment.

 

It's all very interesting imho because for the first time since his retirement he's talking about "feeling like an F1 driver" and talking about the things he likes about the sport and misses. But he also says he'd have to weigh that vs the extreme commitment it takes. Also interesting is his talk of doing a full IndyCar season, because as far as I know he's never spoken about that as a real possibility, because of the time he'd have to spend away from home basing his work in the U.S.

 

https://www.grandpri...-in-normal-car/

 

 

https://www.essentia...meback-in-2021/

 

https://www.planetf1...g-to-formula-1/

 

https://sportsfindin...ormula-1/10456/

 

Thanks for putting it all together so lazy guys like me don't need to look all over the net...   

It's more or less what I expected his motivation to be. Dakar was "something completely different" surely, and he took the chance to try it, but I guess it's not really in his veins, like single-seaters. And of course the top of it is still F1. He also is best placed to recognize the effort it takes to do it properly, and I fully understand it's a consideration if he's really willing to go all-in once more. I'm almost sure he wouldn't think twice if a seat in a top 3 car fell from heaven, but everything else ... is it really worth it for him at this stage? 

Personally I would probably best like it if he committed himself to a few full Indycar seasons, logically that would also be his best chance to win the 500 one day. But I sense the desire to at least try a 2021 F1 car is still really, really strong, so...

In any case, and to many folks dismay, it doesn't sound like the speculations are going to end any time soon!

Edited by as65p, 18 January 2020 - 00:28.

I would imagine his desire to come back to F1 is directly related to whether he can land a winning ride.  Remains to be seen whether anybody will ever challenge the big-3 for wins regularly,... and if not, Fernando probably won't return to fight for 7th place again.  I still just don't see him driving for the big-3 ever again at this point.

Spending the next years in IndyCar trying to win that title and the 500 sounds like the best possible career path to close the legendary achievement of winning the Monaco Grand Prix, the Formula 1 WDC, the World Endurance Championship, the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and... then the Indianapolis 500 as well as the IndyCar Championship.  A feat truly remarkable, if he pulls it off.  And he doesn't have forever to try and do this, either.  Age is a factor there, as well.

And he would still have time to do the one-off events like Dakar or another LeMans, or Bathurst, or the Chili Bowl, or whatever else he might think of...

Edited by maximilian, 18 January 2020 - 02:28.

I'd love to see him or any other F1 driver try Sprint Cars, or Midget racing as in the case of the Chili Bowl ... but just like the Dakar, that's something that would take a long time to master to the point of being competitive. Talk about something that's unlike anything else out there. Speaking of that, this summer will mark 50 years since my dad took me to my first Sprint Car race. How time flies. I just got my first ever World of Outlaws tickets for March. 410 Sprints. Hell yeah. Can't wait. Haven't been to the Chili Bowl either, but it's on my list ... and a whole bunch of other people's lists.

Edited by AustinF1, 18 January 2020 - 03:53.

Kind of like this little ditty. https://www.crash.ne...ys-series-chief So toxic that Alonso fella. 

Kind of like this little ditty. https://www.crash.ne...ys-series-chief So toxic that Alonso fella. 

TOX!C!!!!!II!III

Kind of like this little ditty. https://www.crash.ne...ys-series-chief So toxic that Alonso fella.

It won't help... Many people are too convinced that he's an evil man. Despite all the facts. Welcome in the age of emotions and feelings...

Alonso the guy that claimed that renault didn’t want him to win in 2006? Ask pat symonds about that one.. im not gonna say he is the evil man as things get exaggerated in the media etc but he is not the easiest to work with either. I don’t see how that opinion is controversial.

The opinion that Alonso is difficult to work with is controversial because it applies to every top driver but the others get a pass.

It is therefore a selective accusation.

In this particular case, Alonso had some moments with Renault in 2006 yet was immediately rehired in 2007....so Renault clearly wasn't too upset with his difficult nature.

Alonso had a total breakdown in relations with McLaren in 2007 yet was rehired in 2014....so McLaren clearly wasn't too upset with his difficult nature.

Alonso had a breakdown in relations with Japanese company Honda after their McLaren-Honda project was a total failure in 2017 yet was hired by equally Japanese company in 2019 and seems to have an excellent relationship with them....

So the "Alonso is toxic" is just a 'cancel culture' project by certain people.....and the more relevant Alonso remains, the more they feel triggered.

Much like their "cancel Vettel" project failed in 2019...

Edited by Paco, 19 January 2020 - 22:49.

The opinion that Alonso is difficult to work with is controversial because it applies to every top driver but the others get a pass.

It is therefore a selective accusation.

In this particular case, Alonso had some moments with Renault in 2006 yet was immediately rehired in 2007....so Renault clearly wasn't too upset with his difficult nature.

Alonso had a total breakdown in relations with McLaren in 2007 yet was rehired in 2014....so McLaren clearly wasn't too upset with his difficult nature.

Alonso had a breakdown in relations with Japanese company Honda after their McLaren-Honda project was a total failure in 2017 yet was hired by equally Japanese company in 2019 and seems to have an excellent relationship with them....

 

So the "Alonso is toxic" is just a 'cancel culture' project by certain people.....and the more relevant Alonso remains, the more they feel triggered.

Much like their "cancel Vettel" project failed in 2019...

Wich drivers get passes then? genuine question.

Edited by thefinalapex, 19 January 2020 - 23:00.

Erm...the Japanese 2019 team was Toyota, no? Afaik Toyota and Honda would gladly spite each other.
To be added Helmut Marko himself said pretty clearly the Honda guys were against any Alonso pitch to RBR. And that Mercedes execs were against Alonso too due to the McLaren spygate.
True, this can be interpreted as “big brass executives usually hold grudges” too. So maybe it’a not just black or white; some people tend to forgive (or see to their interests, like Renault or Ron Dennis) while others stick to their initial decisions.

Looks like Honda is about to forgive too, though ... or they never had that much of a problem with Alonso in the first place. There was no way they were going to give Alonso a ride while he was working for Toyota. And likely Toyota was never gonna let Alonso drive for Honda while working for them. Some writers are even starting to intimate that that was what held up Alonso returning to Andretti all along.

Edited by AustinF1, 21 January 2020 - 16:04.

Toxicity is easier to handle when said driver is winning.  Or at least competitive.    For every Alonso there is a LeClerc and at least a couple of Russells in the pipeline.  

Wich drivers get passes then? genuine question.

Lewis Hamilton is notorious for bitching and moaning when he doesn't understand race strategy. Or when he is slower than his teammate.

Michael Schumacher had very high standards for his crews.

Nigel Mansell was a complete diva, always complaining about the car and that only he secured the win (in the Williams FW14B!!!).

Yet all of them were also highly appreciated by their teams for their undoubted speed and ability. And practically all of them keep any criticism inside the team (yes, even that Alonso fellow) until it just becomes too much. Top drivers are typically difficult characters. They are egotistical and demanding of their team. That's just part of their make-up. It also separates them from the merely good drivers. And all of them realise the importance of good relations with their team. So you will not often see them alienate their team. If it happens, it is because the relationship has broken down.

If you look at Alonso at Ferrari, he is extremely popular with the team until 2014. After a very poor 2013, 2014 was yet another write-off and it was clear he lost faith in Ferrari ever getting it right. Same thing with McLaren-Honda. At first, he was optimistic. The public criticism only came later, when Honda failed to show much progress.

And that is what any top driver hates the most IMO. They can live with poor (initial) performance as long as there are clear signs of progress.

Even Schumacher, perhaps the ultimate team-oriented driver, in 1996 first started rattling the cage internally after Ferrari produced a dog and then publicly and basically forced Ferrari to hire his entire Benetton crew. Or even Alain Prost. He left Renault, McLaren and Ferrari under a cloud. He sleeps with the wives of his bosses and best friends. So why aren't there stories about toxic Prost?

Edited by taran, 20 January 2020 - 11:48.

Since 2007 Alonso has pissed in a lot of people's cornflakes. The British media didn't help that at all, but what was to be expected? I'm Dutch and although I love to see Max doing well, I'm so sick of the biased Dutch F1 "reporters". They talk a lot and often state their opinions as facts. 

After missing out of the WDC after a brilliant 2012 I've seen Alonso change in a humble way. All the driving outside of F1 has changed him, in a better way I think. Hence there wasn't a shitstorm after failing to qualify at Indy with Mclaren. WEC, Dakar, Daytona 24hrs and more I've seen a humble driver, eager to try almost anything with an engine. I hope for a full season of IndyCar with a competitive drive instead of F1. 

You want Mercedes lockout an all red Ferrari lockout of podiums. That was one of the stupidest ever suggested, along with the grooved tires mess years. I’d take Bernie’s sprinklers over 3 car teams any day.

We didn't have grooved cheese tyres did we?...Besides. It was the same for everyone...And look at FE. No issues with their grooved tyres..

Alonso won’t be back in F1, but as others have said, would enjoy it if he competed a full season in Indycar. I don’t follow Indycar (just the odd race highlights), but I admit if Alonso were committed to a full season there I would definitely make more effort!

It's well worth watching without Alonso, too.  Come on over to the Dark Side!   

There are some news messages going around that Alonso and McLaren haven't extended their contract. One door shut. Another one opens?

It doesn't have to mean that the McLaren door is shut...but it does mean he's not tied to McLaren should another team come knocking at Fernando's door.

I don't see it happening unless Seb throws his toys out of the pram...and while he's passed his peak, Seb is still too good for that.

The opinion that Alonso is difficult to work with is controversial because it applies to every top driver but the others get a pass.

Edited by Marklar, 21 January 2020 - 08:16.

I do think that the Alonso narrative is slightly exagerated, but that others are exactly the same but get a pass is utter bs. There is one thing to bitch around out of frustration sometimes, another thing to make so much politics internally that it becomes for many teams a reason to not hire you, which clearly is the case for him. His reputation clearly has to come from somewhere. Fans cant judge that because if it happens it happens away from the public (well, public as well, the Honda stuff was clearly more damaging than any bitching any driver you mentioned did, though admittedly Alonso's case was way more understandable as well)

Whether he practiced a different behavior elsewhere is in some ways irrelevant. You are not behaving the same in every enviroment, especially if your wishes are heard more in one than in the other. The only thing it proves is that teams are responsible too, if the driver has a particular character. Or that he changed over the years.

And there we have it....

Here you claim that teams don't hire him because of his actions but again without any actual proof of it. Sure, the top teams didn't hire when him when he was looking for a better ride in 2018/2019 but they all had suitable #1 drivers already. Had Hamilton or Vettel suffered a career-ending accident (or even just a lengthy hospitalisation) I'd bet good money that Alonso would have been hired as their replacement. So IMO it is more a matter of opportunity than Alonso being unhirable. There simply aren't enough top drives. If Alonso hadn't left Ferrari, Vettel (a 4-time champ) would have had to stay at Red Bull...was he toxic too? And Hamilton benefitted from Schumacher hanging up his helmet otherwise he would have been stuck at McLaren. He tried to get in the Red Bull...but Marko must have decided he was too toxic for Red Bull. And that Ricciardo guy must just ooze toxic goo because both Mercedes and Ferrari have never been interested in him.

See how that works....?

Yet we do have actual proof that both Renault and McLaren were happy to sign Alonso again and Toyota weren't put off by him lambasting Honda's mediocre efforts. Yet you are still peddling your "Alonso is too political" narrative.

What are you going to say if Andretti-Honda sign Alonso up for the Indy 500? Claim Honda USA went rogue and poor old Honda Japan simply doesn't have the influence to stop it from happening?

And there we have it....

 

Here you claim that teams don't hire him because of his actions but again without any actual proof of it. Sure, the top teams didn't hire when him when he was looking for a better ride in 2018/2019 but they all had suitable #1 drivers already. Had Hamilton or Vettel suffered a career-ending accident (or even just a lengthy hospitalisation) I'd bet good money that Alonso would have been hired as their replacement. So IMO it is more a matter of opportunity than Alonso being unhirable. There simply aren't enough top drives. If Alonso hadn't left Ferrari, Vettel (a 4-time champ) would have had to stay at Red Bull...was he toxic too? And Hamilton benefitted from Schumacher hanging up his helmet otherwise he would have been stuck at McLaren. He tried to get in the Red Bull...but Marko must have decided he was too toxic for Red Bull. And that Ricciardo guy must just ooze toxic goo because both Mercedes and Ferrari have never been interested in him.

See how that works....?

 

Yet we do have actual proof that both Renault and McLaren were happy to sign Alonso again and Toyota weren't put off by him lambasting Honda's mediocre efforts. Yet you are still peddling your "Alonso is too political" narrative.

 

What are you going to say if Andretti-Honda sign Alonso up for the Indy 500? Claim Honda USA went rogue and poor old Honda Japan simply doesn't have the influence to stop it from happening?

I'm sure you're aware that Toyota and Honda have a strong rivalry and if Alonso could be seen to be winning in a Toyota where he couldn't win in a Honda that would be seen as a positive, not a negative?  You seem to be labouring under the assumption that Japanese companies form a monolithic entity and that if you annoy one you annoy them all.  They're all the same right?

BTW if Andretti-Honda do sign up Alonso then I'd take that as a sign that Honda don't have an issue with Alonso but do have one with McLaren (as it would mean that its the first time they sign him after he's stopped his relationship with Woking). I'd also say they were not prepared to sign the Spaniard while he had a contract with Toyota.  You know, because all the Japanese companies are the same as you said.

Companies are not all the same.  They have different needs and objectives.  Different cultures.  Therefore they can respond to the same person in different ways at different times.  Through his career Alonso has found Renault a welcoming home.  McLaren first time round was not, second time round was better (but then the company's circumstances had changed significantly too).  Ferrari he found difficult.  I've heard enough from the likes of Ron Dennis over spygate and from LdM to know that there is an issue with Alonso and his career suggests it too.  You've compared him with Hamilton and Vettel who have had careers spanning over a decade and who have only ever driven for two entities, McLaren and Mercedes for Hamilton and Red Bull (RBR and STR) and Ferrari for Vettel.  Both switched teams entirely at their own volition without any pressure from their original teams (in fact taking them by surprise by their decisions to leave).  Alonso hasn't been that fortunate.  He has effectively been kicked out of Ferrari and left McLaren the first time round under a cloud to say the least.  You'd expect someone of his talent level to have more control over his career don't you think?

Even his decision to stop driving for McLaren last year seems rather ill-considered if you believe his long term objective is to win again in F1, just when the team in Woking turned a corner securing 4th comfortably and looks to be on the up.  What better platform would he have had last season to showcase his skills by kicking Lando or Carlos around the block and harassing Ferraris, Mercs and RBRs?  To show the world that he still has it?  Although personally I believe despite his words he is done with F1 and is sampling the best of what the rest of motorsport has to offer.  

Edited by Talisman, 21 January 2020 - 10:46.

I'm sure you're aware that Toyota and Honda have a strong rivalry and if Alonso could be seen to be winning in a Toyota where he couldn't win in a Honda that would be seen as a positive, not a negative?  You seem to be labouring under the assumption that Japanese companies form a monolithic entity and that if you annoy one you annoy them all.  They're all the same right?

 

BTW if Andretti-Honda do sign up Alonso then I'd take that as a sign that Honda don't have an issue with Alonso but do have one with McLaren (as it would mean that its the first time they sign him after he's stopped his relationship with Woking). I'd also say they were not prepared to sign the Spaniard while he had a contract with Toyota.  You know, because all the Japanese companies are the same as you said.

 

Companies are not all the same.  They have different needs and objectives.  Different cultures.  Therefore they can respond to the same person in different ways at different times.  Through his career Alonso has found Renault a welcoming home.  McLaren first time round was not, second time round was better (but then the company's circumstances had changed significantly too).  Ferrari he found difficult.  I've heard enough from the likes of Ron Dennis over spygate and from LdM to know that there is an issue with Alonso and his career suggests it too.  You've compared him with Hamilton and Vettel who have had careers spanning over a decade and who have only ever driven for two entities, McLaren and Mercedes for Hamilton and Red Bull (RBR and STR) and Ferrari for Vettel.  Both switched teams entirely at their own volition without any pressure from their original teams (in fact taking them by surprise by their decisions to leave).  Alonso hasn't been that fortunate.  He has effectively been kicked out of Ferrari and left McLaren the first time round under a cloud to say the least.  You'd expect someone of his talent level to have more control over his career don't you think?

 

Even his decision to stop driving for McLaren last year seems rather ill-considered if you believe his long term objective is to win again in F1, just when the team in Woking turned a corner securing 4th comfortably and looks to be on the up.  What better platform would he have had last season to showcase his skills by kicking Lando or Carlos around the block and harassing Ferraris, Mercs and RBRs?  To show the world that he still has it?  Although personally I believe despite his words he is done with F1 and is sampling the best of what the rest of motorsport has to offer.  

Oh, I agree that Alonso probably won't be coming back to F1 and personally, I'd prefer to see him do Indycar full time.

As to the different view we have of Alonso, you claim that Ferrari kicked him out in 2014. The reports at the time suggest Ferrari were trying very hard to get him to resign while Alonso was having doubts Ferrari would ever amount to much. Afraid Alonso would leave, Ferrari then signed up Vettel.

Hardly the same as Ferrari kicking Alsonso Alonso out IMO.

Edited by taran, 21 January 2020 - 11:13.

Oh, I agree that Alonso probably won't be coming back to F1 and personally, I'd prefer to see him do Indycar full time.

 

As to the different view we have of Alonso, you claim that Ferrari kicked him out in 2014. The reports at the time suggest Ferrari were trying very hard to get him to resign while Alonso was having doubts Ferrari would ever amount to much. Afraid Alonso would leave, Ferrari then signed up Vettel.

 

Hardly the same as Ferrari kicking Alsonso out IMO.

There are conflicting reports about that, Vettel was openly hinting that he had already signed a deal to drive for Ferrari before Alonso made a decision.  But even if your version is right there is plenty of other evidence in my post left unaddressed.  Also even if he made the decision to leave Ferrari under little pressure its clear he made a mistake, choosing to move to a midfield team with a budget significantly lower than that of the Italian team with a brand new untested works engine deal.

Edited by Talisman, 21 January 2020 - 11:11.

There are some news messages going around that Alonso and McLaren haven't extended their contract. One door shut. Another one opens?

Is probably about Indy 500, Alonso is doing it with Andretti, he rejects McLaren, imagine if they keep him as ambassador. Alonso doesn't need McLaren for anything, the F1 team is not good enough and he can get a drive in other competition without their help.

Is a shame his second stint a McLaren was a disaster, it was such a nice "redemption" story.