Flavio Briatore’s risky gamble on Fernando Alonso may not pay off
After leaving McLaren and returning to Renault, Fernando Alonso is a happy bunny now, right. Apparently not – in an interview with a Spanish publication he showed he was already thinking of moving on again:
I’m at Renault because I wanted to get back to winning, like in 2005 and 2006, if not this year then next year. But I have an option to leave so I can be in the best possible car, and it is clear Ferrari is one of the best.
Flavio Briatore has rushed in to stick up for Renault but it seems if the team don’t put up the goods the two times champion will indeed walk to Ferrari.
Briatore said:
At the moment we are in a very promising development run, because it would be completely unrealistic to think we can find those missing seconds to McLaren and Ferrari within days.
Alonso has confirmed what many suspected – that he was reluctant about returning to Renault and secured tough performance clauses from the team to allow him to break his two-year deal at the end of 2008 should they not prove good enough.
Perhaps his somewhat fortunate fourth place in Melbourne will prove decisive in that equation? Regardless, at Sepang he must have seen the writing on the wall – Renault are slower than Red Bull, the team they supply engines to.
Alonso has an exit strategy but for Briatore the stakes are higher. When Heikki Kovalainen said out loud that he didn’t want to be number two to Alonso in 2008, Briatore shipped him out of the team even though Renault had backed the Finn’s career for six years, to keep Alonso happy.
Give Alonso a half-decent car and he’ll wring the most out of it – but how long is it going to take Renault to give him a good enough car? That is Briatore’s dilemma.
Fernando Alonso biography
Flavio Briatore biography
Renault team information
GeorgeK said on 26th March 2008, 23:25
Alonso is an idiot! A talented and crafty driver no doubt, but a loose lipped fool. IF he has an in with Ferrari, and it’s a "done deal" why would he shoot his mouth off about it now? It only embarrasses his future and current teams.
He is undoubtedly plowing new ground HOPING he can catch a ride at Ferrari next year. Based on his contributions to Mac’s "troubles" last year and his comments this year Ferrari would be foolish indeed to bring him on board.
And yes, I’ve just turned 180 degrees on the issue.
oliver said on 27th March 2008, 7:57
George, I believe Alonso had openly dismissed Toyota before they counted themselves out of it. But I had felt Toyota would have been a better option for him, since with the restriction of some of the electronics in the cars, he would be better able to show off his skills as the cars would be relatively even in performance.
Toncho said on 27th March 2008, 8:40
"As" just was referring to a interview on Radio Cadena Ser. Where the journalist asked him if he would like to go to Ferrari , FA answered "FE is one of the best teams" so nothing like a comment out of the blue like the article above suggests. Piquet and FA have bring along some good cash that the tean was deadly in need and Briatore that would be able to sell a freezer to a pinguin convinced FA the car was good enough and ING that with FA they would be able to win again.
About Ferrari, I can not see FA there as they tend to made champions more that buy them and also do not have two strong pilots. The much I dislike Massa he may stay in there if is he able to finish the races, otherwise I bet he may end in Torro Rosso if finally Jean Todt buys them.
James Steventon said on 20th April 2008, 19:05
I think that this has to be the worst kept secret in the paddock, and Alonso is pouring fuel on the fire by making such declarations. Everybody knows that Felipe Massa and Alonso
don’t like each other, and everybody knows that Alonso is using Renault as a ‘stop gap’ to a bigger team.
The situation is also a nice way for Ferrari to get Massa to raise his game, knowing that Alonso is waiting in the wings to take his seat. What more motivation does Massa need than that, knowing he could deny Alonso a Ferrari drive by having a good season.
In my opinion, it is all bluff and counter-bluff. BMW Sauber have also a great package, and are now challenging McLaren and Ferrari for podiums. Do not forget that Nick Heidfeld is no spring chicken, so it is possible that Alonso may be paired there with Robert Kubica.
The one real thing that will go against Alonso is his year at McLaren, and the negative press he recieved. Would somebody like Mario Theissen ( BMW Sauber boss), or Ferrari take him on, knowing of all the baggage that comes with it.
No team would be prepared to risk a sound working enviroment for one that was full of blackmail and tantrums, if certain media establishments are to be believed.
It would seem, and it was my belief at the end of the 2007 season, that Alonso has ‘tarnished’ his image greatly by talking too much to the media.
An F1 team is a closed enviroment, one based on trust and loyalty. One of the most interesting things about last year, was to see Ron Dennis saying one thing in a press conferance, and then Alonso contradicting him in another.
I do believe that Alonso was given a ‘rotten’ deal at McLaren last year, but the manner in which he reacted to it made it look like it was ‘his’ fault. It made him look unprofessional, which he is certainly not, and more to the point, it highlighted his weaknesses.
If Massa has a great season this year, and wins four or five grands prix in the process, and Alonso fails to get on the podium, how silly will Fernando look? I rest my case.
the limit said on 23rd April 2008, 20:57
The best situation for Alonso this year is to just stay where he is and to give nothing away to the media, give them nothing to
speculate with.
He must realise that the events of last year did serious damage to his personal reputation, whether the speculation was true or not, people will remember 2007 for a long time.
Fernando Alonso is still a double world champion, everyone is going to be watching him this year at Renault, eager to see how
he reacts to driving a slow car. They will also be eager to see
how he handles himself away from the car, with the frustration
of knowing that he can’t fight for the championship.
This is the acid test for Alonso, and if he conducts himself well
in this situation, driving for a team that is struggling for form, he may well make himself ‘attractive’ again to other teams.
Ferrari are the obvious choice, and Massa is the obvious driver
to lose his seat, but BMW Sauber are an attractive team too
to a driver in search of a third title.
It would be great for Alonso if he could win a race, or a podium,
with this year’s Renault. Remember Senna at Donnington winning in a sub standard McLaren in 1993. One wet race, a bit of luck on his side, the right frame of mind.
I think he knows this, and will surprise us in seasons to come.
My hunch, is Alonso/Kubica for 2009.