All time Formula One points holder and two times World Champion Fernando Alonso faces a choice in the coming weeks. Having conceded this year’s driver’s title despite wrangling the absolute maximum potential from an under-performing Ferrari, he must choose whether to dismount the prancing horse or to try and tame it for one more season. With the new turbo era set to begin next year, along with the return of in-season testing, it should be a clean slate for all teams to start from and arguably the perfect opportunity for Alonso to add to his world championships. However, rumour has it that Ferrari are struggling to build an engine to conform with the new fuel consumption requirements, and could be up to 100hp down on the likes of Mercedes.
Put yourself in Alonso’s shoes for a moment. Do you stay or do you go?
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OFFICIAL SPEEDHUNTERS SUPPLIERS
stay
He would look like such a coward if he runs away from Kimi
Gotta stay on your horse.
A world class team-mate will only motivate Alonso to be even faster. He couldn't leave now after Marenallo has made him the fixture of the entire team, and yes, he certainly would look a coward if he ran away from Kimi.
Wouldn't make any sense to leave now. Perhaps move to McLaren or RBR in 2015.
The new rules for 2014 will change the RB supremacy because all the teams will have to redesign their cars. It is possible that any team could find the best solution for next years so I think that Alonso should stay with Ferrari and pray for a good car (a year again...)
http://www.motorsportcars.es
Alonso may not like being under pressure from his teammate, but Ferrari is still his best shot at a WDC, barring Red Bull or Mercedes both of which have already locked in their drivers. And true to Alonso's political/mind game agenda, he's already made public comments equalizing Kimi and Massa as drivers, although we all know that after 2009, Massa's stock has gone down and Kimi's has only gone up since his return.
Think about it though. This season, the only teams that have been able to really hold a candle to RBR throughout the course of the season has been Mercedes and Lotus. Ferrari and McLaren have struggled and fallen off the development curve and although Ferrari sits above Lotus in the Constructor's currently, it's more to do with Alonso's early season wins and points consistency. Lotus has been able to challenge Ferrari and also the other teams because of Kimi's own performance, as well as having James Allison who is regarded as second only to Newey in terms of design.
Now that Ferrari have snatched up JA as well as other key Lotus staff, it has now made Ferrari as strong a team as Mercedes and RBR. Furthermore, next year's engine regulations will favor teams that have factory engine support. That would be the three aforementioned teams. Lotus will likely suffer next year with the loss of those technical people and Kimi (although Hulk would give them great motivation to challenge), and McLaren will probably will not recover form until Honda comes on board since Mercedes will likely share as little engine data with them as possible next year.
Plus, Alonso v Kimi is just awesome for us fans. If he can win a WDC against Kimi as his teammate, it will cement his legacy as one of the greatest of this or any generation and actually increase those dismissive critics of Vettel who has not really been challenged by a teammate before.
Option 3: Stay at Ferrari and continue to not win the WDC. As much as I'd love to see a shift in power, Vettel, Newey, Horner and RBR as a team are just better. Better at pit stops, better at aero, better at team management, better at all of the little things where others make mistakes. I don't see this changing for 2014 even with the new rules. Hopefully I'm wrong.
I'm in complete agreement with Nuggets. I voted Stay, because it's closest to the unspoken & most likely option 3: Stay at Ferrari, attempt to beat his own World Champion teammate, and let the chips fall where they may. Alonso has long stated that he wants to finish his career at Ferrari, and he's well integrated. He and Raikonnen are clearly both capable of winning the WDC but it remains to be seen how Ferrari's dramatized team dynamic will affect things. Dare they force team orders on either former Champ depending on who's faster or higher placed in the championship? I used to really dislike Alonso in the Renault days but never doubted his speed, kind of like Vettel for me now. Now, I think he's one of the best rounded drivers on the grid, with the patience, experience, and raw speed to make it count. Much like Kimi, which is what will make things so interesting. Ferrari's results this year with the lackluster F138 speak to Alonso's talent, and I think he takes a long view of things.
Anyone other than Red Bull would be a lateral move at best, and even in that case McLaren is the only foreseeable option with the development resources to field a championship car, this year's exceedingly poor showing notwithstanding. Surely that can't be repeated. Lotus has done amazing things on a short budget but that must be considered with Kimi's sheer consistency and RoGro's speed when he doesn't crash, which in fairness he hasn't done as much this year. I don't Lotus' surprising strength continuing in the long term unless they really get their funding squared away. Kimi may have quit them over money, but I don't think he'd have signed for Ferrari if he didn't like what he saw coming down the line. Hamilton surprised everyone with the Mercedes-Benz move, and it's paid off better than McLaren would have.
Red Bull is the juggernaut here, but other teams have made some key moves going into next year, so I'm really looking forward to it. My only disappointment in that regard has been the sounds of the V6's. Ferrari hasn't released a clip of theirs yet that I'm aware of, hopefully it screams like a proper Ferrari. I understand it's hard to fit into such a small technical box with much differentiation, but come on...
Also, will somebody please give Hulkenberg a worthy car already?!? That kid has several championships in him, no questions asked.
Good discussion to consider over a beer on Friday evening!
Well for one Alonso is still under contract for three more seasons. So who ever he went to would have to pay out a large sum and quite frankly no team can do it and stay in budget. Secondly I would not put allot into the whole Ferrari engine being that far off. Ferrari are known for spreading false rumors about stuff like this.
My question is what will happen when team orders are called?? Neither Kimi nor Alfonso like to listen and I can see those two really going at each other at some point.
As for the rules change next season while being significant is still not that big of a change. Allot of the chassis and aero will stay much the same only producing less down force initially I bet. One hot topic has been the increase in weight and reduction in ballast. The taller drivers are saying its a instant disadvantage to them. Those drivers cant reach the same weight as a Vettel or Massa and not risk their health. One thing for sure is it should be the most competitive field since the end of the 70's. Quite a few strong teams these days. Red Bull, Mercedes, Sauber, Ferrari, Mclaren, and Lotus look very strong. Anyone of these teams can win races next year.
I want to know who will end up at Sauber next year. It looks like Hulk will go to Lotus and I am betting Massa goes back to Sauber.
This new format is extremely hard on the eyes, what was so bad about the nice black background with white text you used to have?
Take a seat at the unemployment line
He's not going anywhere. And he will likely battle Hamilton for the Driver's title next year. I am actually really looking forward to next years F1 season despite the V6 invasion.
Stay, Ferrari has a good team. If you leave, it will be hard to go back once they have figured everything out.
If he wants to win he would have to stay
Alonso will stay, but Kimi is next ferrari champ!