As per his contract, Alonso is allowed to leave the team if Ferrari can't supply a top 3 (constructors) car. It's quite obvious it isn't. If we ignore Ferrari's best interest (Alonso has his own to look out for), should he leave? In my opinion, I'd say he jump at that chance with Mclaren Honda, or perhaps even Williams. I think Red Bull is out of reach and surely Mercedes are signing Hamilton (despite the Vettel rumours). He's driven his heart out for 4 years now driving sub par cars. They've not improved, despite plenty of promises for years. Surely he must be getting fed up? After being told year on year that next year they'll fight for the title and it not really happening (best chance was surely 2012, but silly push rod front end prevented that) and now the team is falling back even more. Mclaren has acquired some good staff over the last while and with Honda wanting a star driver...it can well be one of his best chances at another title (or 2!).
I hope he leaves. The pairing isn't bringing the success everyone predicted. Time to start over with Vettel or preferably Hamilton.
Alonso should leave so Massa can come back and make Kimi look good. Maybe they can fight with Marussia.
And go where? He's consistently had the 2nd best car (until this year) but even in a Williams or Red Bull he'd still be racing for 3rd. McLaren is nowhere and unlikely to move up in Honda's first year or two, so where could he go to get a better chance? Ferrari has as good a chance as any other team to compete with Mercedes next year.
Red Bull develops cars quicker than anyone these days. They will be fighting with Merc by year end. Mclaren/Honda could also be a potent combination next year.
Why? Red Bull lets their slower driver go and then we've got Fernando and Daniel battling it out as they did in Germany. Wouldn't that be something? ;-) I know, I know..................
Mclaren. Honda has basically got an extra year of building the most excellent engine possible and have a serious potential of being the best engine next year. Mclaren have also been acquiring excellent engineers over the last 6-12 months. It's up to Alonso to decide or think which team will leave him with the best chance to win another title either 2015 or 2016...realistically speaking that's his last true chance of competing seriously for another title. Underestimating Red Bull is brave. Look how they recovered from their dismal pre season to now having a competitive car. Their biggest issue now is the Renault engine being down on power. If they get the same power they'll be fighting tooth and nail with Mercedes. Impressive. Meanwhile, Ferrari continues to trip over itself. I don't agree he's been getting a 2nd best car constantly, more like 3rd best. Mclaren was faster in 2011 and 2012 (2012 even with 7 retirements compared to 2 for Ferrari, they only finished 22 pts behind Ferrari) and last year they almost lost 3rd place to Lotus if it wasn't for Kimi ''taking absent''. I'd kind of not trust Ferrari's promises anymore if I was in his shoes. His life is being an F1 driver, and a driver of his capabilities really should have more titles (and he definitely knows this). He has 1 serious chance left to sign with a team he thinks has a good or best chance at winning a title with for the next 2-3 years.
Yes!!! Hear Hear! Alonso is the greatest ever! At his very whisper engineers stop and listen, all on the track move over lest they be wrecked by Alonso's great and mighty awesomeness. Yay varily, even his own teammates doth stuff themselves into walls to bring out safety car's, or into Alonso's competitor's at his very suggestion or slightest whim. All hail the great and mighty Alonso, savior of Ferrari. His amazing a talents have brought Ferrari championships, yay, even for every year that Alonso hath been at Ferrari. Yay verily, should even after and despite Alonso leaving, Ferrari should ever win another championship without him, they shall mourn and say, "Oh, but if Alonso were with us, might we not of won multiple championships with in the same year, oh even the if the rule book didst permit but one championship per yet, yay, alonso wouldst of won us four".
As per rumours... Oh, sorry, I forgot that this is the Internet, where anything that gets quoted once or twice becomes an undisputed FACT and everybody is a fu**ing expert. So here is my opinion of fu**ing internet expert: Should Alonso leave to? Mercedes: of course!! Red Bull: mmmm... maybe they´ll be back next year or maybe this is the beginning of their inevitable end. Also he would clash with Vettel. Ricciardo is a nice guy, but he could be faster than Vettel and he´s their young pupil (Hamilton v 2.0?). Lots of ifs, I don´t know. Williams: NO! In a best case scenario, they´ll lbe good for winning races but not championships. Mercedes won´t allow them go further. McLaren: many people is saying that the Honda engine is going to be good becasue they had one more year of development. So what? the other manufacturers also had one more year of development, plus one more year of real experience. Also the McLaren chassis right now sucks. And old best friend Ron Dennis is there... And he´s got another wonder boy. I´d say wait till 2015 and see how they go. And then there is the MONEY. If Caterham pays enough, why not?
Don't be naive. Don't you think that Alonso (and, somewhat unnecessary, Ferrari) has a written contract that states that if the team delivers a sub par car he's allowed to leave? Same for the other way around. If the driver doesn't perform the team can fire him? - Alonso's choice has to happen relatively soon; right now the seats are open and quite likely to be snapped up with multiple year contracts. I don't think Alonso really wants to drive **** cars for the next 3 years and then retire back to Spain. Mclaren outperformed Mercedes up until 2012, Red Bull has significantly outperformed Renault for YEARS...Mercedes not allowing Williams to be a challenger is ludicrous. If Williams suspects Mercedes ****ing with their power or delivering inferior parts they'll sue and WIN (both easily proven). If Williams builds a superior car they can indeed win and challenge for the title (whether they can is another thing, but this car certainly isn't bad). Ron Dennis has said a few times that he would welcome Alonso back despite what happened. Like I've said...Mclaren have been acquiring good people (similar to what Mercedes did about 18-24 months ago, before they started to be where they are now). I see no reason why Honda can't develop a good powerplant, just like Mercedes did.
I think this exact same thing every time someone says something positive about Honda for next year. They need another year just like everyone else. Stefano Concord, CA
For sure there are performance clauses. But everybody around the internet is stating with precision that Ferrari has to finish above 4th to keep Alonso just because that´s what they read in Autosprint (IIRC). As you said, don´t be naive, Mercedes doesn´t need to supply worse parts to Williams to keep them under control. Just look at what happened with McLaren: they gave them engines for free while their own team was not competitive, now that they don´t need them there are not free engines anymore, and also they´re not going to design their engine around McLaren´s chassis nor give them full access to their data. Also Williams right now has not the funds to rival Mercedes. Maybe in the future the Mercedes chassis will suck and they will be beaten by Williams; in that case maybe Mercedes will be more interested in working with Williams like Renault did with Red Bull. But that´s not going to happen anytime soon. I also see no reason for that. But I see more reasons to think that Renault and Ferrari can make a better powerplant than Honda for 2015, and that Mercedes can get even better than they already are. McLaren-Honda will need at least 3 or 4 years to get to the top (if they get there, of course). I´m not saying that it´s impossible, but if I were Alonso and had to drive for them, I´d be sure to get a HUGE check from them, just in case...
I doubt it Bas. Ferrari are a very proud team. Having to let a driver go because their car is **** (apologies for ripping off Lauda ) would be extremely embarrassing. I don't see Luca ever allowing such a thing. Plus they were in a much better position when they signed him. He really had no place else to go so why would they grant such an easy out? The only way I can see him leaving is if Santander pays for his exit somehow. Otherwise he is stuck there for another 2 1/2 seasons. Which is not such a bad thing as it mitigates my disappointment of Ferrari's bad results...
I think anything higher than that number is absurd anyhow, and doubt Alonso would agree to it (i.e. how **** are they planning to be?). Ted Kravitz was my source, he's normally not wrong. A valid argument and it has crossed my mind. I don't think anyone can say with absolute certainty (or even 70%) which engine is going to be best next year. Current suppliers have the advantage of having a year of F1 miles. Honda has the advantage of a full extra year of continuous lab development of the engine, virtually testing every possible angle of attack, whilst current suppliers are busy worrying about this engine and making sure their engine makes it to the end of a race (so their developments have to be somewhat more cautious).
It's not so much of Ferrari's pride but more on Alonso's manager insistence. He doesn't want his driver sitting in a **** car for a potential 3 years. Vettel has a clause, Hamilton does, Kimi...all drivers have clauses in their contracts. It's not a one way street. The team has to deliver a decent car and the driver has to deliver.
Well I hope you're right. Alonso has had some terrible luck in the timing of his team moves after 2006. If he does leave you can bet Ferrari will suddenly build a world beater.
+1 Same kind of thing has happened to quite a few of them over the years. Chris Amon & dear old Ronnie being just two examples of seemingly always being in the wrong place at the right time... Or the right place at the wrong time! Cheers, Ian
Instead of throwing his toys out of the pram, Alonso should have stay with McLaren at the time, and collected his 3rd WDC there. His return to Renault and the move to Maranello haven't been very successful, have they?
Mclaren already have a good engine but must have a **** chassis or something because bet suck. Changing to a honda engine won't fix the fundamental problem. Can't see him having anywhere to go. Everywhere is full. Williams maybe but tbh with te teen around him at ferrari and the familiarity he may just luck it out. Without him ferrari are nothing right now. Barely in the points
