Alonso to return to F1 in 2021

Caporegime
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17 Jul 2010
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25,659
Budget caps come in for 2021, major regulation changes for 2022, and there's not a lot they can do now for 2022.
Originally the new regulations were supposed to be for next year. There will have been a lot of CFD and Model making for wind tunnels done already. It’s reckoned Mercedes we’re working on their engine for three years prior to the hybrid engines being used in F1.

also some rumours that Liberty are ‘assisting’ Renault with his wages.
 
Soldato
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Sigh, bad news. Complete waste of a seat, can't stand hearing his name all the damn time. Way overrated imo and has served his time. As we have seen with the current set of young guns putting on a great show all over the grid we don't need these entitled dinosaurs bringing back their politics and tantrums.

He showed himself up at McLaren (for a second time). He's not a great ambassador for the sport and not a team player. Renault deserve him then I guess, but I'd rather someone new had their chance.

That's exactly what the sport needs more fun and games. As for a waste of seat. There's only Lewis that can touch him.

Those screaming about youngsters aren't really making any sense. No-one is saying Messi and Ronaldo should retire to make way for youngsters.
 
Soldato
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The question needs to be asked.....What’s the point of the Renault Driver Academy? That’s the second time a race seat has gone to an establishment driver.
The thing is the Renault drivers who might qualify for a super license are rather... well they haven't shown the potential Leclerc, Norris and Russell did. Jack Aitken in his third season looks average (decent, capable of a F2 win or two a year but nothing special, and much of the grid are just as good, though he does have a super license) though Zhou has looked a bit more promising on occasion, though he has been a bit inconsistent. He deserves his second season though, so I wouldn't rule him out yet - lacks a super license though.

I'm not sure if Alonso is the right choice, but even if they qualified for a super license I wouldn't pick either of those two junior drivers at the moment. Personally I'd look to bring Hulkenberg back as a relatively cheap and reliable option, if he would want to return after being unceremoniously dumped. I think it's ludicrous he's not in F1 and I'm surprised he wasn't in the running for the second Ferrari seat.

If Alonso is rusty (and he should be) then Ocon needs to stand up and make the most of it - he'll only be 24, but in his fifth season next year. Ocon has been rated as one of the sports top young talents, but he's never truly shone, depending on how much you rate Perez. He's got every chance against Alonso. Vandoorne was similarly promising, but he only ever partnered world champions (Button and Alonso), whereas Ocon has taken small steps. If Ocon can't beat a returning Alonso then it will probably end his F1 career, but be deserved. If they're similar or he beats Alonso (if Alonso looks sharp) then it cements his status as a promising driver going forward.

I've always been of the belief that a driver should quit when he wants to or when a team no longer wants them. Alan Jones, Nigel Mansell and Alain Prost all went on too long, but if a driver is in good shape and decent enough then I've no problem. It's what I would do if I still enjoyed it and a team wanted me. I didn't think any worse of Schumacher returning after four years out - I thought of it as two F1 careers, one as one of the true greats, the other as a deserved swan song - it was just merciful he didn't race that notoriously difficult (and rubbish) Ferrari F60.
 
Man of Honour
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I wonder if Daniel feels mislead by Renault prior to signing for them.

They certainly haven't come on really since he joined; albeit I understand why he joined Renault over McLaren when he did (why the hell he didn't just stay at Red Bull another year god only knows).
He must be relishing getting into that McLaren next year now though!
 
Man of Honour
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The thing is the Renault drivers who might qualify for a super license are rather... well they haven't shown the potential Leclerc, Norris and Russell did. Jack Aitken in his third season looks average (decent, capable of a F2 win or two a year but nothing special, and much of the grid are just as good, though he does have a super license) though Zhou has looked a bit more promising on occasion, though he has been a bit inconsistent. He deserves his second season though, so I wouldn't rule him out yet - lacks a super license though.

I'm not sure if Alonso is the right choice, but even if they qualified for a super license I wouldn't pick either of those two junior drivers at the moment. Personally I'd look to bring Hulkenberg back as a relatively cheap and reliable option, if he would want to return after being unceremoniously dumped. I think it's ludicrous he's not in F1 and I'm surprised he wasn't in the running for the second Ferrari seat.

If Alonso is rusty (and he should be) then Ocon needs to stand up and make the most of it - he'll only be 24, but in his fifth season next year. Ocon has been rated as one of the sports top young talents, but he's never truly shone, depending on how much you rate Perez. He's got every chance against Alonso. Vandoorne was similarly promising, but he only ever partnered world champions (Button and Alonso), whereas Ocon has taken small steps. If Ocon can't beat a returning Alonso then it will probably end his F1 career, but be deserved. If they're similar or he beats Alonso (if Alonso looks sharp) then it cements his status as a promising driver going forward.

I've always been of the belief that a driver should quit when he wants to or when a team no longer wants them. Alan Jones, Nigel Mansell and Alain Prost all went on too long, but if a driver is in good shape and decent enough then I've no problem. It's what I would do if I still enjoyed it and a team wanted me. I didn't think any worse of Schumacher returning after four years out - I thought of it as two F1 careers, one as one of the true greats, the other as a deserved swan song - it was just merciful he didn't race that notoriously difficult (and rubbish) Ferrari F60.

Alonso to me is a bit like Kimi; he's coming back because he loves racing and he wants to be there; the difference is that I believe Alonso still has the speed and skill to be at the front if he has a car thats half-way decent.
Kimi is very solid and reliable and while he loves racing there's no argument that he's not the driver he was a few years ago.
 
Associate
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27 Nov 2009
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706
There's no question that he was once good, but it seems silly at this point in his career to be returning just to pootle around the mid field.

Bottas is out of contract at the end of the year, he should sign for Mercedes, from an entertainment perspective, there's a scenario that would make a lot of people happy. I expect Hamilton would kick his ass at this point, but the media and fans would have plenty to talk about.

I know it won't happen...
 
Soldato
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Renault are tragic, Alonso is tragic, two tragics don't make a legend. Or something

I wish Alonso would just go away and Kimi and Big John and Kyviat and Gasley and Bottas and Vettel and all the Ferrari managers oh and Stroll and Perez. There are loads of others who deserve one decent shot or two.

Alonso, Hamilton, Vettel, Kimi now represent a different era time to move on.
 
Caporegime
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Renault are tragic, Alonso is tragic, two tragics don't make a legend. Or something

I wish Alonso would just go away and Kimi and Big John and Kyviat and Gasley and Bottas and Vettel and all the Ferrari managers oh and Stroll and Perez. There are loads of others who deserve one decent shot or two.

Alonso, Hamilton, Vettel, Kimi now represent a different era time to move on.

Yeah I dunno why I watch really. It's no fun being a Renault supporter. Can't see any flashes of brilliance anywhere in the team.

The livery is nice I suppose
 
Caporegime
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Yeah shame about Renault not really sure what they are trying to achieve.

Danny Ric obviously isn't either

Not sure why they are carrying on if in honest.
I can only assume it must be 'profitable' as they are in financial stress.

Either prize money or tv advertising

No engine partners must be tough.
 
Soldato
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Why o why Renault. Can't Alonso just disappear and give someone else a chance.

It doesn't make sense to give someone a chance when if you are much faster than them. Should Lewis leave now to give Ocon or another Merc driver a chance? He's not much younger than Fernando. What is the cut off? Perhaps F1 should have an age limit, or a career time limit. e.g. 15 years in the sport.

It's only in very modern times that the drivers have been so young. Mansell won a GP at 41. Hill didn't even start in until 31. It's not like F1 is that physically demanding compared to athletic sports like boxing, MMA etc.. two areas were you get champions well into their 30s and early 40s.

Maybe Rosberg had it worked out perfectly retiring at 31, when many on here was making derogatory comments about him retiring. Some people need to make their mind up.

EDIT: Another point on this. I would like to see a minimum age limit with the possibility of an exemption if mad-crazy talented. That would stop RedBull destroying all these young drivers.
 
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