Fernando Alonso Will Continue to Drive for McLaren in 2018

[GTPNewsWire]

This is the discussion thread for a recent post on GTPlanet:

Fernando Alonso Will Continue to Drive for McLaren in 2018

This article was published by Michael Leary (@Terronium-12) on October 20th, 2017 in the Formula One category.

 

[BigJimmy]

I can see why he is staying. He gets the fantastic life of a globe trotting F1 star, but without all the dangers of driving fast around a race track. Win win!!

 

[Parker]

I can see why he is staying. He gets the fantastic life of a globe trotting F1 star, but without all the dangers of driving fast around a race track. Win win!!

I don't know about that.

 

[Robin]

I think this announcement is finally Alonso giving up the ghost, especially the long term bit, it's a real shame. Like a horse that's been put out to pasture. He's just going to enjoy the money and the taking part but not really be 'in it'.

 

[IforceV8]

I think this announcement is finally Alonso giving up the ghost, especially the long term bit, it's a real shame. Like a horse that's been put out to pasture. He's just going to enjoy the money and the taking part but not really be 'in it'.

McLaren are in talks with the FIA/ACO about the future of LMP1 and it makes sense for him to stay with them until that is resolved. And where would he go in F1 in 2018? There are no seats at the front of the grid and the Renault engine is competitive in a strong chassis as Red Bull have shown.

 

[Robin]

McLaren are in talks with the FIA/ACO about the future of LMP1 and it makes sense for him to stay with them until that is resolved. And where would he go in F1 in 2018? There are no seats at the front of the grid and the Renault engine is competitive in a strong chassis as Red Bull have shown.

There might have been a chance with Williams which is at least somewhat up there. I also thought he may have considered Indycar.

 

[Terronium-12]

I think this announcement is finally Alonso giving up the ghost, especially the long term bit, it's a real shame. Like a horse that's been put out to pasture. He's just going to enjoy the money and the taking part but not really be 'in it'.

I'm of the opposite opinion actually, and this is something that completely slipped my mind whilst writing this up: I think Alonso is well aware of his unfortunate luck of the draw scenarios when it comes to team-hopping. He left Ferrari and look at them now. Granted, their season is quickly unfolding but they're in that position and let's be honest, Vettel and Alonso on the same time would be all kinds of fireworks.

I think him sticking with McLaren is the smartest thing he could have done. Not because there were no other options (in F1) available to him, but using the past as reference it seems the second he would have departed, McLaren would have become an immediate title contender seemingly overnight.

 

[EngieDiesel]

There might have been a chance with Williams which is at least somewhat up there. I also thought he may have considered Indycar.

Maybe, but Alonso has said more than a couple times in the past that his beef was strictly with Honda and not McLaren, and that he would have no problem with staying if it was clear that Honda was being shown the door. So it's unlikely he would have committed to leaving unless it was 100% clear around late summer that Honda was not going anywhere.

As far as Indycar goes, given how much he publicly railed against Honda I think he would only have a chance of getting onto a Chevy team, and I'm not sure how many of them are actually looking to add another car for next year.

 

[IforceV8]

^ yeah that. If Ganassi or Andretti were a Chevy team then it might have been his future, but the only real option now is Penske and they are full of drivers at the moment.

 

[[Nor]MclarenF1]

There might have been a chance with Williams which is at least somewhat up there. I also thought he may have considered Indycar.

Williams would have been a dead end for sure. They have the mighty Mercedes engine, but struggles at the lower end of the midfield. It's obvious they have a rather weak chassis.

The McLaren with the Renault engine will probably be on par with the red bulls. McLaren already have the chassis and aero pretty sorted, they just need power.

 

[Robin]

Williams would have been a dead end for sure. They have the mighty Mercedes engine, but struggles at the lower end of the midfield. It's obvious they have a rather weak chassis.

The McLaren with the Renault engine will probably be on par with the red bulls. McLaren already have the chassis and aero pretty sorted, they just need power.

I would say the ability for McLaren and Williams to rocket back up the grid next season is pretty equal. Yes Williams aren't in a great place right now but they do have a tendancy to yoyo with development prowess.

McLaren are heavily relying on the marriage of the Renault engine to their chassis plus it's not been a particularly reliable unit. Plus it will be their first stab at it whereas Williams is pretty well versed in plonking in a Merc engine by now.