Soldato
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In Alonso's history of terrible career decisions, I'd rate this one somewhere around the middle.
Motorsport Off Topic Thread
- Thread starter Shimmy
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Why would Alonso want to stay with a team that would dump him after one more year?
Quite. He's already made the absolute worst move that he'll ever make in his career, nothing from here on out will compare.
Soldato
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Because they'll still be farther up the grid than perennial money-spunkers Aston Martin. Then he could have retired with some dignity instead of languishing around the back of the midfield, at best, battling Williams and whatever rookie AT replace Tsunoda with.
Eennhhh...I think it was pretty clear where that McLaren team had planted their flag and it sure wasn't on Alonso's side of the garage. Plus, it's not even as if you could say that McLaren were particularly wrong to favour Hamilton like that.
But going back to McLaren for 2015? Almost anything would have been a better move than that. Going NASCAR racing, or sportscar racing, or lawnmower racing would have been better than that. A fact borne out by the car trying to kill him in pre-season testing, and KMag having to drive the car in the opening race of the year.
You're basing your theory though on this years performance with the car and you have no idea what it'll be like in 2023. It maybe that Aston have stopped developing this year to concentrate upon the next.
Who knows, but lets wait and see...
Saw this elsewhere. Huge image and worth a good look. It's a cutaway of the Ferrari garage this year.
So much detail, so many hidden nuggets.
View attachment zN5gExN.jpeg
So much detail, so many hidden nuggets.
View attachment zN5gExN.jpeg
Got a lot of time for that, more you look funnier it gets! There are certainly some subtle ones in there and many not so!
Soldato
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Sounds like Alonso announced the Aston deal to the world before telling Alpine. 
Alpine surprise over Fernando Alonso switch to Aston Martin
Alpine admit that Fernando Alonso's move to Aston Martin was a surprise and was caused by a contractual dispute.
www.bbc.co.uk
Sounds like Alonso announced the Aston deal to the world before telling Alpine.
"We offered him a one-plus-one deal," Szafnauer said. "We discussed with Fernando, 'Look, if next year at this time you're performing at the same level, of course we'll take you.'
"But he wanted more certainty: 'Independent of performance, I want to stay for longer.'
"But he wanted more certainty: 'Independent of performance, I want to stay for longer.'
Alonso is going to stick around like Massa, isn't he? Well past the point he's lost his edge and is an embarrassment to the sport.
Only driver in recent times that I can recall, who has hasnt outstayed his welcome is Rosberg. Drivers will always milk it as long as they are still employable/have the desire to keep driving.
I always like to see new blood in the sport. However, if someone is will to employ the services of an older driver, a known quantity. Especially when said team is losing its most experienced driver. Then why shouldnt he stick around, I mean regardless of where the car finishes, lets face it he's having fun driving round F1 cars. I'm sure deep down he knows he's past his prime and is unlikely to win a championship now. I mean given a rare streak of fortune its not completely out of the bounds of reality but lets face it his prime has passed. Whats the alternative, slump off into obscurity and irrelevance, only to be dredged up for interviews and appearances or god forbid a pundit...
But so what? I'm sure his input will help AM, they seem to be barely treading water at best. What have they got to lose I mean they are throwing money at a car and nothing to show for it. Why not a driver!
Biggest issue I see here is that AM got rid of the wrong driver.
I mean Vettel is literally the reason we're talking about this... But, generally, while I'd like drivers to retire sooner than they usually do, they also don't stick around long enough to be a real embarrassment: Massa is the most obvious exception, blundering around with a total lack of awareness in his last couple of seasons. Even Kimi didn't stick around as long as Fred is planning.
That's a little unfair on Massa. He had retired, then Rosberg retired, Merc paid for Bottas and Williams needed someone very quickly. They called him.
I don't remember anything especially exciting in his last two seasons, don't think he finished above 6th and he wasn't at the back.
I'm not saying that I really judge someone negatively for taking millions to do something they enjoy doing even if they suck at it, but he's still a clear example of a driver who drove past the point they really should have retired.