They say no news is bad news and in F1 this applies aptly. If no one is talking about you then you are doing something wrong. In every F1 gossip and news column today, the name of Fernando Alonso is coming up. What is this obsession with Alonso?
Could it be that there is something everyone else is seeing that Ferrari can’t see? Or could it be just another hype to force a good driver make a move to another team? Whatever the case you cannot deny that Alonso is one of the greatest drivers this decade has seen so far.
The Opposite Seeing the Goods
In May, an innocent remark loaded with significance from Mercedes boss Dieter Zetsche seemed to instigate a flurry of comments from everyone. Dieter referred to Alonso as perhaps the best F1 driver. Now, when you start receiving accolades from your enemies on the track you know there is something good in you.
The Rumor Mill
First things first; without rumors, any sport would be as boring as chewing on cardboard. It would be fair to say that apart from the Hamilton vs. Rosberg battles, no one has received as much focus as Alonso. It is called the ‘silly season’ and you can bet that what is rumored almost certainly comes to pass.
In September alone, a span of five days saw this great driver being linked to four different teams. If that is not a sign of a world-beating driver, what is? From McLaren to the now reported switch with Red Bull’s Vettel everything seems to be revolving around Alonso.
With changes at Ferrari occasioned by the departure of Luca di Montezemolo from the helm after 23 years, it is obvious that aftershocks are coming. Whatever the people at FIAT want to do, it is obvious they have to give Alonso a faster car or the Tifosi - that passionate fan base of Ferrari - will continue to boo in desperation.
Looking Back at the Brilliance of Alonso
But rumors and gossip never won a race. It all burns down to hard work and you can say this season Alonso has had to work with a slow and unreliable car. Some of the qualities that make him a great driver include phenomenal consistency when given the right car.
Alonso works through every lap and in a BBC interview he was not coy to agree about his consistency. What’s more, though he does not quite agree he is also a fast driver and has an advantage over others. He is consistent in all conditions, so come rain at Suzuka or the burning sun at Bahrain, he is good to go.
Could it be that there is something everyone else is seeing that Ferrari can’t see? Or could it be just another hype to force a good driver make a move to another team? Whatever the case you cannot deny that Alonso is one of the greatest drivers this decade has seen so far.
The Opposite Seeing the Goods
In May, an innocent remark loaded with significance from Mercedes boss Dieter Zetsche seemed to instigate a flurry of comments from everyone. Dieter referred to Alonso as perhaps the best F1 driver. Now, when you start receiving accolades from your enemies on the track you know there is something good in you.
The Rumor Mill
First things first; without rumors, any sport would be as boring as chewing on cardboard. It would be fair to say that apart from the Hamilton vs. Rosberg battles, no one has received as much focus as Alonso. It is called the ‘silly season’ and you can bet that what is rumored almost certainly comes to pass.
In September alone, a span of five days saw this great driver being linked to four different teams. If that is not a sign of a world-beating driver, what is? From McLaren to the now reported switch with Red Bull’s Vettel everything seems to be revolving around Alonso.
With changes at Ferrari occasioned by the departure of Luca di Montezemolo from the helm after 23 years, it is obvious that aftershocks are coming. Whatever the people at FIAT want to do, it is obvious they have to give Alonso a faster car or the Tifosi - that passionate fan base of Ferrari - will continue to boo in desperation.
Looking Back at the Brilliance of Alonso
But rumors and gossip never won a race. It all burns down to hard work and you can say this season Alonso has had to work with a slow and unreliable car. Some of the qualities that make him a great driver include phenomenal consistency when given the right car.
Alonso works through every lap and in a BBC interview he was not coy to agree about his consistency. What’s more, though he does not quite agree he is also a fast driver and has an advantage over others. He is consistent in all conditions, so come rain at Suzuka or the burning sun at Bahrain, he is good to go.
What else gives Alonso some claim to glory in F1? You have to consider some of his victories and statistics on his 13 year career to get a feel of this greatness. At 33 years, he is already past what many would call the prime racing age. However:
- He has 32 career victories and this places him as the 5th all-time winner.
- Another factor is his creativity and ability to get the most out of any machine. Since 2007, Alonso has not been blessed with the fastest car yet has won races except in the 2009 season. You just have to look at the latest 2014 Hungarian Grand Prix where with soft tires he came in second. The 2012 season is also a case in study when Alonso almost clinched the Drivers’ Championship with a slower car than Vettel.
- Classic victories: A cursory glance at how he wins his races tells you the Mercedes boss was right. Starting with his first win at the Hungarian Grand Prix in 2003, the 2005 San Marino GP, 2007 European GP among others.