How long will Alonso last?

[glazbagun]

Alonso seems amazingly happy at McLaren given the car he's swapped. I can't see McHonda getting to the top in the next two years if at all. Does anyone think he could eek out his career into his 40's like Schumi but without the break until he gts a championship winning car again? Even if he swapped with Rosberg today I'm not sure you could put a safe bet on an Alonso championship with Hamilton out there, and in five years time we'll have Max, Sainz, Ricciardo etc all with more experience.

Has he just resigned himself to the fact that he's being paid very well to never win a championship, or is he naturally so competitive that he'll keep at it until noone will hire him?

[Jasandjules]

glazbagun said:

Has he just resigned himself to the fact that he's being paid very well to never win another championship, or is he naturally so competitive that he'll keep at it until noone will hire him?

EFA

[Pebbles167]

I think he'll be in longer than button.

[RichB]

glazbagun said:

... is he naturally so competitive that he'll keep at it until noone will hire him?

Which Noone? Is Peter Noone an F1 team principal now?

[lee_fr200]

He's probably waiting to see what happens at merc with Rosberg

I think if mclaren ain't competitive next year he will leave mclaren it can't be easy for either him or jb driving that dog of a car

[VolvoT5]

The Alonso situation is a bit strange really. I don't really like the guy but I think he has handled himself quite well this year and managed not to throw his toys out of the pram too violently..... but this is quite out of character for him really, so I do wonder if he is resigned to is situation.

All throughout silly season nobody has linked him seriously with another team and to me seems clear that Ferrari, Merc & Red Bull don't want him. So I do wonder if he is still as good as the fans rate him. For example in a championship winning car I'm not at all convinced he would beat Hamilton or Vettel, I suspect Ricciardo and Rosberg would be a major challenge and in a couple of years Verstappen and Sainz could be serious contenders too. So there is plenty of talent out there and none of them have the high maintenance perception that Alonso carries around.

Massa, Button and Raikkonen all seem to have settled into the role of 'solid racer' rather than 'serious contender for WDC' and none seem that bothered at being outperformed by their team mates these days. I do wonder if Alonso is starting to go the same way and if he is offering McLaren much value for money at the moment, especially given how bad their car is anyway.

[Hamsterdam]

VolvoT5 said:

The Alonso situation is a bit strange really. I don't really like the guy but I think he has handled himself quite well this year and managed not to throw his toys out of the pram too violently..... but this is quite out of character for him really, so I do wonder if he is resigned to is situation.

All throughout silly season nobody has linked him seriously with another team and to me seems clear that Ferrari, Merc & Red Bull don't want him. So I do wonder if he is still as good as the fans rate him. For example in a championship winning car I'm not at all convinced he would beat Hamilton or Vettel, I suspect Ricciardo and Rosberg would be a major challenge and in a couple of years Verstappen and Sainz could be serious contenders too. So there is plenty of talent out there and none of them have the high maintenance perception that Alonso carries around.

Massa, Button and Raikkonen all seem to have settled into the role of 'solid racer' rather than 'serious contender for WDC' and none seem that bothered at being outperformed by their team mates these days. I do wonder if Alonso is starting to go the same way and if he is offering McLaren much value for money at the moment, especially given how bad their car is anyway.

Not convinced at all he would beat Hamilton or Vettel in a Championship winning car? What you basing that on?

He ran Vettel very close for the drivers championship for a couple of years in a inferior car when at Ferrari.

[zeDuffMan]

VolvoT5 said:

The Alonso situation is a bit strange really. I don't really like the guy but I think he has handled himself quite well this year and managed not to throw his toys out of the pram too violently..... but this is quite out of character for him really, so I do wonder if he is resigned to is situation.

All throughout silly season nobody has linked him seriously with another team and to me seems clear that Ferrari, Merc & Red Bull don't want him. So I do wonder if he is still as good as the fans rate him. For example in a championship winning car I'm not at all convinced he would beat Hamilton or Vettel, I suspect Ricciardo and Rosberg would be a major challenge and in a couple of years Verstappen and Sainz could be serious contenders too. So there is plenty of talent out there and none of them have the high maintenance perception that Alonso carries around.

Massa, Button and Raikkonen all seem to have settled into the role of 'solid racer' rather than 'serious contender for WDC' and none seem that bothered at being outperformed by their team mates these days. I do wonder if Alonso is starting to go the same way and if he is offering McLaren much value for money at the moment, especially given how bad their car is anyway.

Alonso's contract doesn't run out until the end of next year. Ron Dennis made it quite clear last year he isn't up for grabs, which is no surprise given the money he's thrown at him. I think Alonso is good PR for McLaren as well.

As for whether he's any good, as you say, it's hard to tell. In the last couple of years with Ferrari, he was always there near the front, even though the car was st. But now he's been stuck in the back of the pack for a couple of years I guess we don't really have an accurate measure of his abilities.

TBH I was surprised he didn't jump into WEC with Webber. After he set off the Le Mans race a couple of years back I thought it was a done deal. Instead he went back to a team he had a bad experience with previously, with an engine that had been developed for a year less than the others, which was obsessed with keeping the overall package as small as possible, when cooling was clearly going to be an issue. Maybe he's not the racer they claim he is and is just after easy money. He doesn't need to win, where as you can imagine Ferrari was on his back if he had a dodgy race.

[glazbagun]

I guess having Alonso does lend McLaren credibility and decent marketing. If they lose/sack Button and then Alonso leaves I think they'll struggle to poach another big name given their poor car.

[olliethehut]

I can still see Button and Alonso leaving mclaren at the end of the season. Alonso has been very vocal of the racing in WEC and he still needs to scratch the Le Mans itch.

[Superbad]

olliethehut said:

I can still see Button and Alonso leaving mclaren at the end of the season. Alonso has been very vocal of the racing in WEC and he still needs to scratch the Le Mans itch.

I'm sure he'll stay next year. The rule changes for 2017 could shake things up.

[thegreenhell]

He's said in recent interviews that he wants to give the 2017 cars a chance. I would imagine then that if he's still not enjoying the cars and/or McLaren still aren't competitive in 2017 then he will move on at the end of next season.

In the latest Motorsport magazine interview with him he said he dreams of completing the triple crown of motorsport, which means he needs to win Le Mans and the Indy 500.

[RichB]

glazbagun said:

I guess having Alonso does lend McLaren credibility and decent marketing. If they lose/sack Button and then Alonso leaves I think they'll struggle to poach another big name given their poor car.

I could see this being the end for McLaren. They've been in decline for a number of years but without a top name driver they'll may easily disappear. And it can happen, remember Lotus, the real Lotus, not the sad reincarnations that squabbled over the name!

[glazbagun]

RichB said:

glazbagun said:

I guess having Alonso does lend McLaren credibility and decent marketing. If they lose/sack Button and then Alonso leaves I think they'll struggle to poach another big name given their poor car.

I could see this being the end for McLaren. They've been in decline for a number of years but without a top name driver they'll may easily disappear. And it can happen, remember Lotus, the real Lotus, not the sad reincarnations that squabbled over the name!

I agree. So long as he's there saying that he has faith in them to deliver they at least have something to show sponsors and get them in interviews. Without that I don't think they'd even be able to hold new talent if they had it.

Having said that, if 2017 turns things around and they're fighting Merc at the front this will all be forgotten. I think I'd put my money on them vanishing before winning another WCC though.

[rev-erend]

McLaren will deliver next year. Another big pay cheque for Alonso.

[Superbad]

rev-erend said:

McLaren will deliver next year. Another big pay cheque for Alonso.

Drivers who have won multiple drivers championships aren't cheap.

[FourWheelDrift]

How many championships did he win at Ferrari and how many has his replacement Vettel won at Ferrari? Two questions one answer.

I think not driving for Ferrari isn't bothering him too much.

[Podie]

I think he'll see out his contract, but if the 2017 car isn't on the pace I can see him leaving.

I feel a bit sorry for Button - 7 seasons at McLaren and he must have thought he was on for the possibility of a second WDC.

[suffolk009]

RichB said:

I could see this being the end for McLaren. They've been in decline for a number of years but without a top name driver they'll may easily disappear. And it can happen, remember Lotus, the real Lotus, not the sad reincarnations that squabbled over the name!

You're a funny guy.

[cgt2]

RichB said:

I could see this being the end for McLaren. They've been in decline for a number of years but without a top name driver they'll may easily disappear. And it can happen, remember Lotus, the real Lotus, not the sad reincarnations that squabbled over the name!

Just a slight difference, Lotus had no money because Chapman and subsequent owners pissed it all away whereas, winning or not, McLaren is a very healthy and profitable business. They will be back at some point, they definitely have the financial muscle.