Will Alonso Win Another WDC After 2006?

I think it will extremely difficult. Sure he is going to McLaren, and most see that as a negative, but as cycles go it is about time for McLaren to offer a more reliable car. I would not underestimate Ron Dennis.

Beyond Alonso showing substantial immaturity lately, I believe the other reasons that Alonso will have a difficult time adding to his two WDC's are Hamilton, Kubica, Rosberg, Heikki, even Massa, not to mention Raikkonen in a usually reliable Ferrari. Then you have the existing regulars that could surprise everyone, like if Toyota and Honda ever got their respective acts together.

One competition I would love to have watched in 2007 is Kimi in the Ferrari, and Alonso in a Renault. As race fans, we can only hope that the McLaren becomes reliable and we can see without DNF's which of these two is really the best for an entire season.

I do not hide the fact that I personally believe that FA was gifted his two WDC's. I am betting on Kimi in 2007, I believe he will prove to be consistently faster than Alonso. Not to mention he is wearing red next year and he knows when to keep his mouth shut.

 

Kimi already gave Alonso a pretty good run for the championship last year and I expect it to happen next year. As you stated, he will be in a more reliable car, and McLaren is on their bi-yearly cycle of having a well performing car (car performed "great" for Kimi in 03 and 05. So maybe it will perform good for Alonso in 07. I also fully expect Kubica to be a strong performer next year. I have been very impressed with his performance thus far. The Honda's seem to be picking up as well.

BTW, how long is Alonso's contract? Has Hamilton been officially announced or is he still under thought?

 

I predict Alonso will win the WDC and WCC in 2007 with McLaren. Ron Dennis knows how to win and the problems with the car will likely be worked out by next season. Plus, Alonso is much better with technical feedback than Kimi who will likely fail at Ferrari due to his inability to help with car developement...

 

In a word...... NO! Alonso will blow next year then end up with Montoya as his team mate in Nascar. Looks like Nascar does not want JV they gave him the red headed stepson act.

 

I get the impression that there won't be anyone dominating F1 in '07. The podium people will need a large library of national anthems on hand.

But somebody will be the numeric winner overall.

You *win* races. Championships are math.

 

I don't think that McLaren had made any significant progress this year that would hint at a better showing next year. FA will have a tough time, and he isn't going to get that much help from any team mate. Kimi, on the other hand, has nothing but memories of "what if" coming out of McLaren. I think he's a race horse with the bit in his teeth, just waiting to drive a fast, reliable car. And Massa's no slouch either...

 

That's a pretty bold prediction.

I believe Alonso has the driving skill to win another one, however I would be very surprised if it was next year. I agree 100% that you can never count Ron Dennis out, however the fact that the car got worse in 2006 versus 2005, McLaren doesn't appear to be heading in the right direction. You never know though.

I look forward to next year. I love when top drivers switch teams, it just makes the anticipation almost unbearable.

 

Although I can't stand Alonso, other than Schumi, who lines up on the grid that's better than him?

KR tends to destroy cars. I'm not sure if he overrevs, hits more curbs, etc. but he consistently is less reliable than his teammate. That's not magic, or luck... he's contributing to these failures that he's become prone to.

The newcomers just can not be counted on at this point. You can see all the promise in the world in Kovalainen, Vettel, etc. and it doesn't amount to a hill of beans until they prove themselves in the show. HHF beat Schumi in F3 (F3000?), Sato won handily on the lower formula, etc.

So, at this point, I don't see who is supposedly going to beat Asslonso.

 

Alonso is definitely an extremely talented driver who has the ability to win many more WDCs. The issue is whether he will be driving for a team that gives him a car capable of winning. McLaren must improve next year relative to the competition. I don't think FA can win with the current car.

 

Nope. it's gonna be Kimi, Massa, and Heikki.

edit : i'm saying this based on the current performance of the cars/teams.

 

Alonso has an interesting style of driving. He does not enter a corner smoothly as do most drivers, he suddenly makes a sharp move with the steering wheel to the apex. Obviously works for him.

This works OK in the Renault, it has not affected his front tire wear. So will this work in the McLaren? Will this work with the Bridgestones? Will Alonso have to adjust his driving style to the McLaren chassis to avoid excessive tire wear? Or will McLaren adjust the suspension geometry to suit Alonso? Or maybe this will not matter at all?

 

McLaren right now, without Newey, is in trouble; Newey was still at McLaren when FA signed on. I wonder if FA would have signed on with McLaren if he had known Newey wouldn't be there.

Also, McLaren will have to adapt to the BS tires; Ferrari will have the advantage there, at least at the start of the season.

More interesting in my eyes will be this kid Hamilton; a young gun who if he is fast could ruffle FA's feathers. If the Mclaren isn't as fast as the Ferrari next year and comes good in 2008, at which time Hamilton will have had some experience, FA could be in for a very hard time.

 

The McLaren is supposed to be far and away the easiest on tires out of the front runners. Judging by the shots we see when they pit, that appears to be true. I don't quite understand why he does that though. It seems that he wants to understeer the first quarter or so of the corner, which doesn't make much sense, but does appear to work for him.

 

Alonso has a great shot to win many more titles. He's a gifted a driver and if the McLaren is good he'll make it work for him. He was by no means "gifted" the 05 and 06 titles. People forget the fight he had with Kimi in 05. It's not like he had no real competition, so how was the title "gifted' to him? In 06 the FIA has tried to gift it to MS, in my view. Alonso was dominant at the begining of the season, then Ferrari closed the gap right after the mass damper was banned. Alonso stayed close and picked up as many points as possible. He's been brilliant all year under great pressure. He's also had less support than MS has being that Fisi is usually off the pace. The FIA's meddling has tainted this year's title by trying to make it artifically close and give it to MS but everyone knows that the title should be Alonso's this year as well. Alonso is the real thing, I don't think I buy all of the reports of his outbursts. It will be interesting next year. To me, it will be down to who gels with his team faster, Kimi or Alonso. I don't see too many others having a shot.

 

According to reports in F1 racing magazine last year's and this year's McLaren suffer from understeer. Kimi seems to have a found a way to drive around it. FA will have a bit of a mountain to climb if next year's car understeers as well. His driving style, on a car that already understeers will probably be ineffective. Probably not too good for the front tires.

 

With both FA and KR changing to a new team, we will now see who is more complete as a race car driver when it comes to leadership and the ability to understand and to develop a race car.

 

Alonso's driving style is quite interesting to watch, his turn in is so aggresive, unlike Schumacher, he doesnt even blip the throttle while cornering...can't afford to. But I think the championship will go to those that are willing to hunt down positions and pass! Massa seems to have a problem with overtaking, and I think his wins will be more of those that he runs away with. KR has no qualms with passing and he will definitely stick it to Alonso. I'm glad to see that Kubica takes opportunities that are handed to him and is not afraid to go for it.

Alonso will win another championship, but not by dominating like Renault did these past two years. It'll be more of a battle.

 

I agree with the points of DGS and Anthony C, with the potential rise of Red Bull, Toyota and Honda, teamed with the probable slip (albeit temporarily) of Ferrari and Mclaren while they adjust to new drivers and Mclaren to Bridgestone, this means many of the drivers and teams will be fighting for wins at the start.

In the long run, I expect to see is the surge of BMW, maybe not this year, but end of 2007 and 2008 with Kubica. Kimi will be a front-runner in a reliable Ferrari, but Alonso may pull a 'Villeneuve' and be victim to an unreliable team.

 

FA will.

It may not be next year, and it may not be with McLaren, but he's a pretty good shoe, regardless of it you like him or not.
I see him moving around and winning ala Piquet.

 

Good point. Both Alonso and Button seem to rely heavily on their tire performance (at least in their current cars).

So will that "tokyo drift" turn-in work better or worse on "spec" tires that likely won't have quite the grip of what they're running now?

Hopefully, the spec tire will be a bit heavier -- not so close to the edge (so safer). But that may mean that Alonso's style might work on those.

With both Ferrari and McLaren losing designers, and musical chairs among the drivers, we may yet see some surprises in '07.

 

+1

I have a higher opinion of Alonso's abilities than most here do, apparently. While I don't think he has Kimi's outright speed, he is a far more consistent driver. Kimi, for all his talent, is hard on equipment. He won his 2005 WDC and will win his 2006 WDC on merit. Is he emotional and prone to brain fade in some of his comments? Sure, but he is also still only a kid. You can read up on some of MS's childish antics in his early days too, if you wish. Ask Martn Brundle what he thinks of MS' maturity back when they drove together at Benetton.

Alonso will mature with time, especially under Ron Dennis tutelage. I will never count out McLaren's abilities to come back with a first-rate car in any given season. Next year is going to be a very interesting, and hopefully exciting, season with these two drivers.

I doubt anyone else will get close in the title race.

 

You are wrong on your assertions that Ferrari only caught up after the mass dampers were banned. Ferrari was quicker than Renault for several races before that. Without a doubt, the Ferrari package was quicker for the second half of the season. If MS wins the title (unlikely at this point), it will be because he earned it. Even the dubious grid penalties were irrelevant, since FA had mechanical DNFs in each of those races.

 

Why wouldn't Alonso win another title? It comes down to the car alone, his driving skill is obviously good enough.

 

I think the reason is, at least from my point of view, is that are more young guns that are really fast with great rides than I can remember happening for a long time. The competition will be tremendous, and I really do not think that Alonso is any better than third best on the grid this year.

 

1st
2nd
3rd





4th.

That's how it is. Kimi and Alonso are really the only people who have shown they can make a fight for the championship. Now, I personally believe that there are a few others who could as well - Button, Webber, Heidfeld, Massa - but the car has been the limiting factor thus far. Alonso will be able to get on any team he wants (except Ferrari). The only question is whether the car that year will be good.