[Driver] Alonso to Renault in 2021

[S griffin]

So this is his third stint with Renault then. It’s great to have him back, let’s hope Renault move further up the grid

[Knowlesy]

Originally Posted by bjohnsonsmith

Was there any indication Renault were on the slide? Looking at both Alono's results and the team's results for 2005 and 6, they were similar. The team's performance in 2005 was slightly worse, as Fisichella had 5 retirements as opposed to 2 in 2006.

He signed for McLaren at the end of 2005, so at that stage performance was not visibly on the slide and, like you say, 2006 was very successful (albeit a much closer fight for the title than 2005).

But long term it was always going to be the case that Renault wouldn't stay on top. They don't spend as much money as other manufacturers, Briatore always hated going a penny over budget and eventually the big spenders McLaren and Ferrari would topple them. If they needed to spend twice what Renault did to get on top then they would have done.

The other thing to remember is the performance of McLaren in 2005. They actually won the most races overall and had the faster car for a great portion of the year, though tbf Renault unleashed all their performance in the final race at China and beat McLaren handily suggesting they were holding back quite a lot whilst they wrapped up the driver's title.

Alonso was certainly proven correct. Indeed it is something of a myth that he has always chosen the wrong teams, he only really did so when he had no other options on the table.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Originally Posted by Knowlesy

He signed for McLaren at the end of 2005, so at that stage performance was not visibly on the slide and, like you say, 2006 was very successful (albeit a much closer fight for the title than 2005).

But long term it was always going to be the case that Renault wouldn't stay on top. They don't spend as much money as other manufacturers, Briatore always hated going a penny over budget and eventually the big spenders McLaren and Ferrari would topple them. If they needed to spend twice what Renault did to get on top then they would have done.

The other thing to remember is the performance of McLaren in 2005. They actually won the most races overall and had the faster car for a great portion of the year, though tbf Renault unleashed all their performance in the final race at China and beat McLaren handily suggesting they were holding back quite a lot whilst they wrapped up the driver's title.

Alonso was certainly proven correct. Indeed it is something of a myth that he has always chosen the wrong teams, he only really did so when he had no other options on the table.

I didn't know he signed for McLaren at the end of 2005. McLaren won 10 races, to Renault's 7, though Renault won the WCC with 191 points to McLaren's 132. I don't subscribe either to the idea he chose the wrong teams.

This period of F1 is a bit sketchy for me, as I'd stopped watching after Austria 2002. I got bored of the Schumacher/Ferrari dominance and when Barrichello moved over to give Schumacher the win, that did it for me. I didn't get back into F1 until 2008, only following it from a far.

[Greem]

Best tell Bernd Maylander to get some practice in for next year, then...

[V8 Fireworks]

Originally Posted by Knowlesy

He certainly did that with the McLaren move, apart from one small problem...

Why wasn't Alonso more accommodating of Hamilton as lead driver (instead of blocking Hamilton in the pits and other things that made Dennis cross), so that Alonso could have stuck around at McLaren for longer?

Originally Posted by GingerPixel

Ever since I was a young boy I have dreamed of driving a Renault... and then not driving one... and then sort of retiring but not really... and then driving one again

If you search the classifieds carefully, you too can drive a lovely Fuego or Vel Satis one day!

[S griffin]

Originally Posted by V8 Fireworks

Why wasn't Alonso more accommodating of Hamilton as lead driver (instead of blocking Hamilton in the pits and other things that made Dennis cross), so that Alonso could have stuck around at McLaren for longer?

Because he had too much pride for that. He wanted to win the title, although maybe some of the things he did went too far

[chillibowl]

2007 was a crazy season. i was relatively new to the forum then but some of those threads were insane.

thinking back, i believe i started out very much on Alonso's side. he had just been given a massive retainer (maybe the largest ever?) and coming off back to back titles...i couldnt understand why Mclaren would even consider treating their drivers as equal (like alternating who was given the optimal qualify order - weird quali rules then right?).

after a couple of years of disappointing Kimi with poor reliability, i was very much anti Ron and Mclaren at that point and for me that narrative fed right into spygate.

just absolutely crazy days in the forums back then!

[Knowlesy]

I have tried to delete 2007 from my memory, which is a shame as it had some seriously tasty ingredients.

Can't remember which side I took. I was probably really idiotic and contrarian about it.

It certainly set Alonso on a weird path, that year. The reason he is scrabbling around for drives today is directly linked to the goings on of that year in some ways. Back then I think many of us assumed he would be the dominant force for a while and the one going for Schumacher's records. He was young and he was well on the way but fourteen years have passed and the stats have barely budged.

This is all a bit off topic. But then maybe it isn't, because it is what Alonso is really: reminiscence, regret and what might have been.

[greentrumpet]

Very much this^^^
I feel Alonso has been the author of his own (and sadly a few others) misfortunes.

[Casper]

Originally Posted by Richard Casto

I think you missed the news on the prior page. This thread picked up again because it was revealed he WILL be driving for Renault in 2021. No more speculation.

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/f...eturn/4827735/

Richard

Thanks for that, my mistake. OK, he is back into a mediocre team that has fulfilled very few promises they have made or perhaps none but I don't keep score. His chances of consistent podium finishes would seem to be limited at best which is exactly what he has consistently said but people change their minds when millions are thrown at the problem and I predict this will be another Alonso decision that will end up in tears but time will tell.

I stand by my hope that he never appears on any podium, I don't like him but he is an extrordinarily talented driver. I will in fact cheer when he has races with no success as I think it is Karma for past events. I wear my heart on my sleeve when it comes to Alonso and have no intention of discussing it further here, just saying it as I see it so I won't respond to posts on this point.

[Casper]

Originally Posted by Richard Casto

I think you missed the news on the prior page. This thread picked up again because it was revealed he WILL be driving for Renault in 2021. No more speculation.

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/f...eturn/4827735/

Richard

To be pedantic that is not the return announcement at all, just the anticipation of it. My post preceded the formal announcement by a fair bit.

[Richard C]

Originally Posted by Casper

To be pedantic that is not the return announcement at all, just the anticipation of it. My post preceded the formal announcement by a fair bit.

And to continue to be pedantic, I purposefully used language ("revealed") that did not indicate it had been "formally announced". But it was all but confirmed at that point as everyone was reporting it by then. Maybe it's all semantics.

And my comment about being late to the game wasn't a jab, but rather just wanted you to be on the same page as everyone else. There has been so much speculation that this would happen, that the posts after the news broke had much of the same flavor of the prior speculative posts.

Cheers

Richard

[Casper]

Originally Posted by Richard Casto

And to continue to be pedantic, I purposefully used language ("revealed") that did not indicate it had been "formally announced". But it was all but confirmed at that point as everyone was reporting it by then. Maybe it's all semantics.

And my comment about being late to the game wasn't a jab, but rather just wanted you to be on the same page as everyone else. There has been so much speculation that this would happen, that the posts after the news broke had much of the same flavor of the prior speculative posts.

Cheers

Richard

A difference in interpretation, "revealed" to me meant it had been officially announced but I did not look at the link so my fault and just a misunderstanding of biblical proportions that will cause the world to tilt off its axis.

[Born Racer]

Well, I've removed the question mark from the thread title anyway.

[chunterer]

Originally Posted by Born Racer

Well, I've removed the question mark from the thread title anyway.

👍😂😂

[S griffin]

With Ocon staying it will be interesting to see how he goes next to Fred. He might learn a lot from him. Nice mix of youth and experience there

[Casper]

Originally Posted by S griffin

With Ocon staying it will be interesting to see how he goes next to Fred. He might learn a lot from him. Nice mix of youth and experience there

I think those two will get on very well......for at least one race.

[GT6]

Originally Posted by Casper

I think those two will get on very well......for at least one race.

Is that the whole race or just the start

[V8 Fireworks]

Originally Posted by Casper

OK, he is back into a mediocre team that has fulfilled very few promises they have made or perhaps none

The power unit is up to the second best now, so that's very positive. Handling of the RS20 is not *AS* terrible as the RS19, so that's positive too.

[peebee2]

Originally Posted by V8 Fireworks

The power unit is up to the second best now, so that's very positive. Handling of the RS20 is not *AS* terrible as the RS19, so that's positive too.

How is it better than the Honda?

[Casper]

Originally Posted by V8 Fireworks

The power unit is up to the second best now, so that's very positive. Handling of the RS20 is not *AS* terrible as the RS19, so that's positive too.

Waking up in the morning is also a positive. Renault's improvement is best bench marked by Ricciardo's quick decision to leave, nothing more neds to be said.

[GT6]

Originally Posted by V8 Fireworks

The power unit is up to the second best now, so that's very positive. Handling of the RS20 is not *AS* terrible as the RS19, so that's positive too.

How is that measured? not sure i would agree with that statement.

[V8 Fireworks]

Originally Posted by peebee2

How is it better than the Honda?

The Renault seems to have a fraction more power than the Honda. The Mercedes the clear leader, of course, and Ferrari clearly behind.

[Casper]

Originally Posted by V8 Fireworks

The Renault seems to have a fraction more power than the Honda. The Mercedes the clear leader, of course, and Ferrari clearly behind.

I am glad you are absolutely positive about the power advantage.

[GT6]

Not sure Honda or red Bull would agree with that to be honest.