Photo: Fernando Alonso on Facebook
If you take a look at the official Facebook page of Fernando Alonso, you’ll find it curious that the cover photo is him in Renault overalls, driving a Renault, cheered by his former team. Why is that when the Spaniard has raced for McLaren at the Indy 500 and Toyota at the 24 Hours of Le Mans?
Marca reports Fernando Also is currently talking to Renault about a potential return to Formula 1 despite his ongoing obligations to the British and Japanese constructors. The Spanish publication doesn’t mention the origin of this hearsay, but the 38-year-old racing driver did post a lot of Renault-related images on social media as of late. In other words, speculation is rife.
Let’s suppose the rumor turns out to be true and ‘Nando returns to the foremost series of motorized sports. There’s certainly a seat available given the departure of Daniel Ricciardo to McLaren while Carlos Sainz jumped ship from McLaren to Ferrari in Sebastian Vettel’s place. But would that be the right decision for the Spaniard who returned to Renault in 2008 to no avail?
Well, not quite. Under the leadership of Cyril Abiteboul as team principal, the works team has outperformed despite the financial backing of the manufacturer from Boulogne-Billancourt, France. Remember when these guys promised Danny Ric that his car would be a podium contender? How about the fact that Renault-powered McLaren scored more points than Renault?
Adding insult to injury, Red Bull Racing dropped Renault as the hybrid power unit’s supplier at the end of 2018 for Honda. The Japanese manufacturer has stepped up its game since Alonso’s woeful second stint at McLaren, helping Max Verstappen finish third in the drivers’ standings in 2019.
Even more importantly to highlight, Fernando Alonso has famously said about his departure from Formula 1 that “it’s a goodbye.” He did add a cheeky “but life changes very quickly” to his statement, leaving many doors open if someone wants the Spaniard behind the wheel of a single-seater racecar.
But once again, would Alonso be useful to Renault if he were to run for them in 2021? Given the Crashgate scandal that ended Nelson Piquet Junior’s career in Formula 1 and the Spygate debacle from 2007, ‘Nando is hardly a top-tier asset. Although a great racer - properly great - and a double world champ, his frustration with a sub-par car won’t help Renault bounce back.
But wait, there’s more! Marca further reports that Liberty Media would be “happy to pay a good part of Alonso's high wages and an agreement could be reached before the 2020 season gets underway in Austria.” Given the financial difficulties of the sport during these times of hardship, it’s unlikely for the U.S. giant to foot the bill as everyone tries its best to pull through.
Let’s suppose the rumor turns out to be true and ‘Nando returns to the foremost series of motorized sports. There’s certainly a seat available given the departure of Daniel Ricciardo to McLaren while Carlos Sainz jumped ship from McLaren to Ferrari in Sebastian Vettel’s place. But would that be the right decision for the Spaniard who returned to Renault in 2008 to no avail?
Well, not quite. Under the leadership of Cyril Abiteboul as team principal, the works team has outperformed despite the financial backing of the manufacturer from Boulogne-Billancourt, France. Remember when these guys promised Danny Ric that his car would be a podium contender? How about the fact that Renault-powered McLaren scored more points than Renault?
Adding insult to injury, Red Bull Racing dropped Renault as the hybrid power unit’s supplier at the end of 2018 for Honda. The Japanese manufacturer has stepped up its game since Alonso’s woeful second stint at McLaren, helping Max Verstappen finish third in the drivers’ standings in 2019.
Even more importantly to highlight, Fernando Alonso has famously said about his departure from Formula 1 that “it’s a goodbye.” He did add a cheeky “but life changes very quickly” to his statement, leaving many doors open if someone wants the Spaniard behind the wheel of a single-seater racecar.
But once again, would Alonso be useful to Renault if he were to run for them in 2021? Given the Crashgate scandal that ended Nelson Piquet Junior’s career in Formula 1 and the Spygate debacle from 2007, ‘Nando is hardly a top-tier asset. Although a great racer - properly great - and a double world champ, his frustration with a sub-par car won’t help Renault bounce back.
But wait, there’s more! Marca further reports that Liberty Media would be “happy to pay a good part of Alonso's high wages and an agreement could be reached before the 2020 season gets underway in Austria.” Given the financial difficulties of the sport during these times of hardship, it’s unlikely for the U.S. giant to foot the bill as everyone tries its best to pull through.
Google News