Could Fernando Alonso join Williams for the 2018 Formula 1 season?

[CurdaNeta]

Antonio G our #3 driver will listen to and obey doing right by #1 Seb. Driving for Ferrari is his ultimate dream! Ricciardo or even Leclerc will not be Rubenized by Ferrari IMO. I agree with you for sure , Max is not the right choice.

But LeClerc could be our #2 learning with Seb until he retires and then he can become #1 (If he is good enough)

[Brembo]

But LeClerc could be our #2 learning with Seb until he retires and then he can become #1 (If he is good enough)

Learning with Seb as a #2 driver is what I don't believe Leclerc is open to. He will want to race to win , not out there to get Seb the win or the podium. Ricciardi for sure believes he's #1 material. I believe Antonio G sees Ferrari as " Home to him!" #2 driver spot @ Ferrari is heaven to him.

[Silent Bob]

I'm pretty sure they will let him race to win. If he's fast enough to win & beat Seb, I don't think Ferrari will hold him back unless it's late in the season and the title depends on it. The only drivers that get Rubenized are the ones that can't win regularly and prove to be consistently slower than their team mates. In my humble opinion, most #1 drivers have earned that moniker by being the best in their team. But.... good #2 drivers are essential to a team, and Rubens was one of the best.

[KimiBot]

Some Renault boss said that Alonso is not option for them, because he does not want to see frustrated Alonso in their car.

[IulianFerrari]

Some Renault boss said that Alonso is not option for them, because he does not want to see frustrated Alonso in their car.

Alonso always has something to beach about at any team. Give him the Mercedes in their most dominant car/year, and he will have something bad to say about it. Its stuff like this that brought him where he is today

[Stormy]

Alonso is better off competing in Indy than with Williams in F1 to be honest. However, the money is better in F1 because if he really makes a switch to Williams he'll get a huge salary out of Stroll's daddy pocket.

[jgonzalesm6]

Alonso is better off competing in Indy than with Williams in F1 to be honest. However, the money is better in F1 because if he really makes a switch to Williams he'll get a huge salary out of Stroll's daddy pocket.

It looks like Mclaren will get a Renault deal. Better than Honda's sorry excuses these past 3yrs. Renaults PU is not up to snuff with Mercedes or Ferrari but is should prove

more reliable than Honda. Alonso will stay with Mclaren IMO.

[Stormy]

It looks like Mclaren will get a Renault deal. Better than Honda's sorry excuses these past 3yrs. Renaults PU is not up to snuff with Mercedes or Ferrari but is should prove

more reliable than Honda. Alonso will stay with Mclaren IMO.

Horner might have a thing or two to say about that If he talks too much RB might end up with a Honda engine though.

[Brembo]

Alonso always has something to beach about at any team. Give him the Mercedes in their most dominant car/year, and he will have something bad to say about it. Its stuff like this that brought him where he is today

Alonso with 05, 06 F1 WDCs, a drive with Indy Car if he wants it and a few $$million in the bank and still with a F1 ride, that's not a bad place to be today. The worst place I can remember Alonso being was at Monaco quali when Schumy delberately stopped his car on the track to stop Alonso from pole!

[Lesky]

Alonso with 05, 06 F1 WDCs, a drive with Indy Car if he wants it and a few $$million in the bank and still with a F1 ride, that's not a bad place to be today. The worst place I can remember Alonso being was at Monaco quali when Schumy delberately stopped his car on the track to stop Alonso from pole!

Yeah, seeing you are an Alonso fan over Ferrari I get your point. Or more a Schumacher hater than Ferrari fan. I dont know which it is....probably both.

And worst of all - you hate Schumacher because of team orders and what they did to Rubens. But hail Alonso despite what team orders favouring Alonso did to Massa.

Hypocrisy at its worst. Its beyond absurd. But I reckon your Schumacher hate is so strong logic does not apply to you.
---
You´ve been bashing Schumacher constantly since joining the boards and with Michaels current condition, I wish you could stop as its painful enough for some of us, but I guess you just can not contain yourself from it :(

[Brembo]

Hey! You forgot Austria 2002! What a driver does while racing is open for discussion here. Off track should be of limits. That's where hatred or dislike of a driver comes in. An example would be talking bad about how a driver dresses or who they associate with in their private life off track. A good example is how Lewis and Seb get along so well after the race. No hard feelings. Just check out the overwhelming well wishing here for Lewis breaking the pole record. True F1 fans besides Ferrari! Lesky, your logic just don't apply here. Go Kimi ! Go Seb! Ferrari's still in it!

[sreenivaschinne]

Belgian Grand Prix paddock gossip that Williams is chasing Fernando Alonso has reignited a 2018 Formula 1 silly season that appeared to be turning into a damp squib.

With Kimi Raikkonen retained by Ferrari, Sebastian Vettel expected to stay on too in what may well be a single-season deal and Mercedes likely to keep Valtteri Bottas, the main remaining intrigue was over Renault's interest in Robert Kubica.

But as F1 regrouped at Spa, the sensational possibility of Alonso moving to Williams emerged - first reported in respected German publication Auto Motor und Sport.

Alonso has made clear he only wants to stay in F1 if he has competitive machinery.

But with Ferrari, Mercedes and Red Bull not seeming interested, it appeared his choice was between sticking it out with McLaren-Honda or quitting to race in another series.

While Alonso has no doubts about McLaren's infrastructure and budget, the Honda engine is the main sticking point.

With hopes of Ferrari or Mercedes customer engines having faded, Alonso is counting on the slim chance of a McLaren-Renault deal or consultant Ilmor turning Honda's form around.

Asked about McLaren's Honda or Renault decision, Alonso cryptically replied: "I don't think there is a tough choice."

He declined to elaborate on whether he meant it was obvious what McLaren must do or whether Renault's reluctance to expand to a fourth supply meant McLaren had no choice but Honda.

Pushed on whether the engine decision was the deal-breaker for his 2018 plans, Alonso said: "Not really. It's the performance what will dictate what I will do and the conditions of next year."

One way Alonso could guarantee getting the best engine in F1 would be to jump ship from McLaren and join Mercedes customer Williams.

Securing Alonso would be a sensational coup for Williams.

It would lift the team's reputation massively, give it a big performance boost and would be a dream for sponsors such as title backer Martini.

The real question is whether such a move is attractive enough for Alonso. Williams does not appear capable of offering Alonso the third world championship or even race wins in the short term.

Its last victory was Pastor Maldonado's shock Spanish GP one-off five years ago and it is only fifth in the constructors' championship, a huge 60 points off fourth-placed Force India - a team few would link Alonso to.

But Williams has made more progress over the last 12 months than its results suggest.

Without a failed shock absorber, Felipe Massa could have won in Azerbaijan.

Paddy Lowe has arrived from Mercedes and begun making changes to the infrastructure.

This will take time, but Lowe knows exactly what resources and commitment are needed to win championships.

Lance Stroll's father Lawrence is more than open to digging deep into his pocket to help fast-track Williams's progress.

This year Massa has often been fighting for the best-of-the-rest honours behind Mercedes, Ferrari and Red Bull, despite having gone into the winter expecting to retire.

Alonso knows the edge he had on Massa when they were together at Ferrari, so he would not need long to work out what he could be doing with the Williams based on Massa's form.

Equally it wouldn't be lost on Alonso that there is a big gap currently between Williams and the top teams - a gap that even his brilliant driving would not be able to overcome if the team does not make progress. Is it a gulf too big to overcome in just a single season?

The F1 paddock is in a holding pattern for 2019, when the driver market will really explode as the likes of Max Verstappen potentially become available.

Alonso will definitely want to be a free agent then, so he could feel there is little to lose in a single-season gamble for 2018.

Few doubt that a few years ago - especially in 2014 - Alonso would have been able to win races for Williams.

The real question now is does he believe such a scenario could return for next year, or is he still better off sticking it out at McLaren and having faith that it makes the right call on engines?

https://www.autosport.com/f1/news/13...liams-for-2018

I am Alonso Fan, no matter what team he drove for. But i feel his chances are drenched and drained out! he cannot go to Merc or Ferrari or Redbull. Assuming he waits with Mclaren, there wont be any change next year as well. I think it could be even more worst.

Best possible thing he could do is leave F1, many may say he still has the skills to be champion which i believe so, but if we keep heart out and think! he cannot win again in this situation. Forget about championship, not even a race win. - This is hard to digest for me as well.

He is blamed for his decisions, but the true mistake is driving the car beyond its capabilities. This is what happened at ferrari from 2010 to 2014. If he could have shown same performances like massa and kimi, the situation would have been far better. I am not a whole expert, but this is what i felt to write.

Mclaren will never give him any good opportunities to win, as the smoke has stopped and we could see fire between Mclaren and Honda.

I have a doubt, if anyone has good knowledge about these my questions, please share them.

1. Alonso has not driven far superior car in his career, except for one year 2007.
2. based on above point, does he has the technical skills to set up car or give feed back on car performance?
3. If he has those skills, why was his marriage with Ferrari failed even after 5yrs?
4. i suspect, that he does not have that much skills, what ever car he gets he will drive and drive with will and passion.

Cheers :)

[aroutis]

Hey! You forgot Austria 2002! What a driver does while racing is open for discussion here. Off track should be of limits. That's where hatred or dislike of a driver comes in. An example would be talking bad about how a driver dresses or who they associate with in their private life off track. A good example is how Lewis and Seb get along so well after the race. No hard feelings. Just check out the overwhelming well wishing here for Lewis breaking the pole record. True F1 fans besides Ferrari! Lesky, your logic just don't apply here. Go Kimi ! Go Seb! Ferrari's still in it!

Austria 2002 has nothing to do with Schumacher and everything to do with Team Principal. However in your head, again it has something to do with Schumacher, cause it just has to, because Michael Schumacher is the source of all evil in your world.

[Stormsearcher]

Alonso shud stay with McLaren. They will find a way. They will be in better shape than Renault or Williams next season. But seeing as how he is the worst at picking the right moves, he might shift to another team, Mclaren will find the missing link and stoffel will take WDC next year.

[vecchiasignora]

at age of 36, going to 37 next year. he is nearing retirement. The reason he never coming back to ferrari, its because he will work the kimi role to vettel ( be a second driver).

[Rishu]

at age of 36, going to 37 next year. he is nearing retirement. The reason he never coming back to ferrari, its because he will work the kimi role to vettel ( be a second driver).

To me it looks like Ferrari are more keen on keeping Vettel happy rather than going for WCC

[IulianFerrari]

To me it looks like Ferrari are more keen on keeping Vettel happy rather than going for WCC

It does make some sense if you look at it from a different perspective. If Mercedes win the development race, then we will finish 3rd and 4th in the WDC, so WCC would be out of the question. Elsewhere It's true that Kimi could have done better at the start of the year, but WCC seems hard to obtain even with those points. Mercedes are dominant in more tracks than we are, so 1-2 are more likely for them to happen. Whereas if you put all your strenght in one driver, give him full support, he might just hang in there and get a surprise win, because in my opinion, if Vettel wins the WDC it will be a surprise at this point.

[aroutis]

To me it looks like Ferrari are more keen on keeping Vettel happy rather than going for WCC

I don' t see how that is.
Vettel / Alonso is not a pair that could possibly win Ferrari a WCC.

The ego on these two is too big and there would be too much conflict.
In order to win a WCC you need a very strong car and two drivers that can both deliver but at the same time one that has a clear #1 in order to get the WDC and one that has a #2 and support the WDC race and at the same time strong enough to get #2 places in a constant basis.

This is how it was done with Irvine, this is how it was done with RB, this is how it was done with Alonso and his team mates.

Can you seriously tell me that it could be done with Alonso and Vettel?

[Rishu]

I don' t see how that is.
Vettel / Alonso is not a pair that could possibly win Ferrari a WCC.

The ego on these two is too big and there would be too much conflict.
In order to win a WCC you need a very strong car and two drivers that can both deliver but at the same time one that has a clear #1 in order to get the WDC and one that has a #2 and support the WDC race and at the same time strong enough to get #2 places in a constant basis.

This is how it was done with Irvine, this is how it was done with RB, this is how it was done with Alonso and his team mates.

Can you seriously tell me that it could be done with Alonso and Vettel?

Who said Alonso should be in second Ferrari seat?

[aroutis]

Who said Alonso should be in second Ferrari seat?

Maybe I misunderstand, what do you mean by :

To me it looks like Ferrari are more keen on keeping Vettel happy rather than going for WCC

commenting after:

at age of 36, going to 37 next year. he is nearing retirement. The reason he never coming back to ferrari, its because he will work the kimi role to vettel ( be a second driver).

?

[Rishu]

I could be wrong here but like I said Vettel wants Kimi because he doesn't want challenge within the team. Why do we need a 'wing man' here? I know that's how Ferrari have been working in the past with Michael, Fernando but times have changed now, competition is close if not better, we have to have best in every department in order to secure both titles. If it really was about one year contract, give that young kid Lecrec a one year contract. It's not that difficult anymore to jump in F1 cars theses days, Max & Ocon being good examples

[Silent Bob]

I could be wrong here but like I said Vettel wants Kimi because he doesn't want challenge within the team. Why do we need a 'wing man' here? I know that's how Ferrari have been working in the past with Michael, Fernando but times have changed now, competition is close if not better, we have to have best in every department in order to secure both titles. If it really was about one year contract, give that young kid Lecrec a one year contract. It's not that difficult anymore to jump in F1 cars theses days, Max & Ocon being good examples

I don't even think it's Vettel's decision. I think the team has decided that Vettel is the best driver out there for them and they want someone in the other car to support him. This allows the team to keep it's harmony because it seems Seb and Kimi get along well. 2 primadonnas in 1 team hasn't ever worked well... Senna, Prost...Alonso, Hamilton... Hamilton, Rosberg etc

[jgonzalesm6]

I don't even think it's Vettel's decision. I think the team has decided that Vettel is the best driver out there for them and they want someone in the other car to support him. This allows the team to keep it's harmony because it seems Seb and Kimi get along well. 2 primadonnas in 1 team hasn't ever worked well... Senna, Prost...Alonso, Hamilton... Hamilton, Rosberg etc

Vettel & Webber....multi 21???....Webber "gentlemanly" bowed out as he new who was Horners favorite and he was'nt going to be a #2 driver.

[Rishu]

I don't even think it's Vettel's decision. I think the team has decided that Vettel is the best driver out there for them and they want someone in the other car to support him. This allows the team to keep it's harmony because it seems Seb and Kimi get along well. 2 primadonnas in 1 team hasn't ever worked well... Senna, Prost...Alonso, Hamilton... Hamilton, Rosberg etc

I have read & heard from multiple sources within the paddock that once Kimi was announced for 2018, Vettel was expected to sign multi year deal, this clearly shows Vettel made a request. You're right it's not his decision but team's but like I said earlier, it seems more of a pleasing your star driver rather than gunning for constructors title.

[Fireblade]

Vettel & Webber....multi 21???....Webber "gentlemanly" bowed out as he new who was Horners favorite and he was'nt going to be a #2 driver.

It's hilarious the way people keep acting as if "multi 21" showed that Vettel was the favored driver at Red Bull ... when the team order in question was an attempt by the team to give Webber the win! That's a very peculiar way for RB to signal their preference for their (at the time) 3xWDC.

[jgonzalesm6]

It's hilarious the way people keep acting as if "multi 21" showed that Vettel was the favored driver at Red Bull ... when the team order in question was an attempt by the team to give Webber the win! That's a very peculiar way for RB to signal their preference for their (at the time) 3xWDC.

yup....but even before then they had their on track bouts....at times you can see Webber throwing the finger at Vettel when Vettel passed him.

[FerrariSteve]

I think there are no options for him, except retirement.
Such a shame of f1, talent getting wasted at back end of the field.

Yes, I've never been an Alonso fan, but even I can see the guy is one of the top drivers in F1 and his talents are utterly going to waste right now in that heap of junk.
I would have loved to seen him alongside rapperboy at Merc, but Toto doesn't have the guts to sign anyone that might threaten goldenboy.

[Greig]

Yes, I've never been an Alonso fan, but even I can see the guy is one of the top drivers in F1 and his talents are utterly going to waste right now in that heap of junk.
I would have loved to seen him alongside rapperboy at Merc, but Toto doesn't have the guts to sign anyone that might threaten goldenboy.

Apart from Nico? but again not sure how you can slate Merc when Ferrari operate much the same way....

[killer]

It's hilarious the way people keep acting as if "multi 21" showed that Vettel was the favored driver at Red Bull ... when the team order in question was an attempt by the team to give Webber the win! That's a very peculiar way for RB to signal their preference for their (at the time) 3xWDC.

It actually does. The numbers 2 and 1 give it away.

[Rishu]

It actually does. The numbers 2 and 1 give it away.

That was their car numbers that year I believe. Vettel was 1 because he was defending champion