Alonso to Renault again?

Drive what for free? There are no seats available in competitive cars/teams.

It appears to me, that unless Honda sort themselves out, Alonso is going to be forced to retire. While I understand many here don't like him, I think it will be a shame to lose a real racer from the grid ... rather lose Kimi, Massa, Stroll, etc.

Pete

 

Not sure why Renault would want to keep Palmer on, so if we assume Alonso takes a big pay cut (kimi did when he came back to F1...actually to the point that they didn't even pay him the paltry 5m!), I'm sure he'll have a seat there.

Don't think he'll be able to go to Williams, purely because that'll make Stroll look even worse and they're the big money at the team right now.

 

I'm not so sure.

Alonso was at Renault because Briatore was his manager and ran the French team as well.

That's not the case now, and Abiteboul never said he was interested in him.

 

If Renault can get Alonso for the same they're paying Palmer, surely they won't hesitate a second? Renault only pays him a million, I'm pretty damn sure Alonso will score more points than him helping the team climb several places in the constructors championship = far more money for Renault. Give him a % of that.

 

I don't know if Alonso is keen to drive for next to nothing towards the end of his career.

Raikkonen did it because he wanted to get back in F1 and had still had a few years ahead of him.

 

There is also a question of image, Bas, although Carlos Goshn has said that he will not interfere with the choices of the F1 team. As for myself, I do not have the slightest doubt that Fernando, being the warrior he is, can still be very competitive for the next three or four seasons, even at 40 in 2021. But let's face it, he is not "the man of tomorrow" anymore.
Remember that Abiteboul (or was it Frederic Vasseur before he left?) has said about Massa when it became known last year that he could be available: "we are not interested in the drivers who were winning in 2008, but in those who will be winning in 2018 and beyond".
There maybe some form of mutual interest for the past years, but I just can't believe that a return would make sense. But that's just me.

Rgds

 

+1

I see Renault looking for a new promising talent, and not so much recruiting somebody who has been successful in the past.

 

I see Ocon as the future for Renault...

 

+1 Bottas has a one year deal and has yet to prove himself.

 

Yep, a long term thing is an issue and I don't see Renault winning in the short term (next 3 years). I've little doubt Alonso will be capable of winning by then still, however, would he drive 3-4 more seasons in the middle? Absolutely not.

IMO, if he can't get a reasonable seat for 2018 (providing Honda doesn't improve during this year), I'm sure he'll be looking at Le Mans. I think Porsche is full, however...

Depends whats more important to him, earning big money or chance at glory? If he's there simply to cash big, he'd probably be a bit less vocal...he's got some 300 million in the bank, and doesn't appear to be a big spender.

 

Alonso to Team Penske next year. Go for the 500 win and drive their new car at LeMans. If this guess comes good, say goodbye to Helio, who hasn't won much in the last 5 or so years.
Roger can't be too thrilled with Mikey grabbing all the pre-500 media hype, can he?

 

What I've heard is this whole Indianapolis thing is based on Fred committing to McHonda long term.

 

And so do I!!

He is the most promising French driver; Renault will grab. Him soon.

 

I really find it amazing how Alonso's attitude really crashed his career. Nothing seemed to work for him since he left Renault the first time. He's probably gonna retire with just two WDC, knowing he could have easily be 4-5 times WDC.

 

If he could have easily done it, he would have!
While at Ferrari, at least, Alonso had the reputation of putting his head down and driving the hell out of the car ... 2nd place, 5th place, 8th place, wherever he was in the field. There is nothing I see in his post-Renault career which indicates that "he could have easily" done anything.

 

+1

At the wrong place and at the wrong time.

That's Alonso' career post Renault.

 

After Renault, he was in all the right teams at all the wrong times. The perceived attitude, I think, boils out of his frustration at not having a championship-capable car since then. That's easier to see when he's not driving for Ferrari and my natural bias for the team is removed. If he'd had a sufficiently capable car, the conventional wisdom is that he would have gotten the job done.

Had he been in Red Bull or Mercedes during their dominant eras, he'd have been a 9-time WDC by now and working on his 10th. His driving isn't what let him down, it has been the career moves landing him in the wrong car for the championship fight year after year.

All the best,
Andrew.

 

Agreed.

All the best,
Andrew.

 

Yep and his perceived attitude would be very different.

It unfortunately often happens, its not fair, but then neither is being born in Syria recently, etc.
Pete

 

I'm hoping Alonso moves to Indy full time, that would be awesome. I'd love to see what he could do in those fields. Would either solidify the idea that F1 was the supreme talent of driving on the planet, or perhaps current IC drivers would be competitive and help loosen F1's grip on being the premium open wheel series.

 

That won't happen, IMO.

F1 is a GLOBAL series, a World Championship, Indycar is still a national series.

I do not dismiss Indycar or try to denigrate it in any way, but it is a US-based national series, a very good one too, with only the occasional race outside the States.

 

I can't see it right now either. But perhaps when he is older like Montoya. Or if he becomes so dissatisfied with not having a decent car in F1. I'm interested to see the new Indycar in 2018 - looks good on paper, but they will need a pretty substantial power boost to be of similar performance to F1 this year.

Not apples to apples, but we are also seeing a similar trend with former international soccer stars playing in the US.

 

I envy Americans for having such a brilliant single-seater series at home, with very good racing, a full calendar, skilled drivers, etc...

If I was living in the States, I am sure that I would attend a few races, travelling with my camper van, etc.. touring the country from race to race, etc...

We simply do not have that in Europe.

 

+1 Enough said.