I must confess, I’m a late bloomer fan of Fernando Alonso. He dethroned Michael Schumacher, won 2x F1 Championships, raced for Renault, McLaren and Ferrari! When he joined Toyota for the WEC, I immediately jumped on board! He won the WEC Title, 2x 24 Hours of Le Mans, and tried Dakar Rally in a Toyota! So far he is the most complete driver in our time and I do hope he achieves the Triple Crown
My fav Fred moment was after he was out of one GP the camera picked him up lounging in a deckchair trackside watching the action.
I honestly don't think Fernando is anywhere near as good a driver as he gets credit for. He's been dining out on his early F1 success for waaaaaaaaay too long. Senna, and Schuey, and Lewis are all far better drivers. I'd say Mika and Kimi are better too. And my fav driver of all time, Mansell (bet you couldn't guess!) remains the only driver to have held the F1 and Indycar titles concurrently. He won the Indycar title in his rookie year, before that year's F1 title had been decided. A champion in two formulas simultaneously, that's impressive!
Let's not forget the Jacques Villeneuve is a F1 WDC and has won the Indy 500.... random fact. But did you guys know that JV was a TAG Heuer ambassador?
They’re all great drivers no doubt. All of them F1 World Champions. What Alonso is doing now is something drivers in the 60’s and 70’s were doing. Same period as the Golden Age of Motorsports and probably of Heuer (TAG Heuer) It’s just that different disciplines in motorsports also needs different driving/mentals skills to achieve in such a high level of competition so it is hard to compare. You could argue that Alonso was quite lucky he joined Toyota in the right time for the WEC. He was already in a competitive car, winning also other famous endurance races (1000 Miles of Sebring, 24H of Daytona, Spa etc) and also taking a stint in Dakar Rally. It’s just that nobody in these era is doing what he is doing so it gives alot of impression and credibility for him. Remember F1 maybe the pinnacle and a popular global motorsport but is not the most popular in some countries depending on how you look at it. So yes, if a driver like Mansell, Villeneuve, Clark, Rindt, Andretti, Fittipaldi who won TOP competitive races in other disciplines other than being F1 Champions, then I hold them with higher regard
To be honest, I rather take all this 'Greatest' driver stuff with a pinch of salt. If you look at the last ten F1 drivers champions: Hamilton, Rosberg, Vettel, Button, Raikkonen, Alonso, Schumacher, Hakkinen, Villeneuve and Hill. At least four of those could be said to be average drivers in a dominating car, so what does winning the title prove apart from you had the best car? And what does winning multiple WDCs prove other than you were in the best car for a period of years?
True.... which I guess is why people pine for the old days when you had (for example) Mansell and Prost at Ferrari, Piquet and Mansell at Williams, Senna and Prost at McLaren, etc...
Or that your team-mate was bound by a contract (as a driver number 2) and by team orders, as in the case of Irvine, Barrichello, and Massa, when they were just Schumacher slaves at Ferrari
I do think though that the WDC has now got to the point where you have to have at least a ten year career to even stand a chance of being considered great. Vettel bored everyone senseless by winning four in a row, but he's still not even at the top of the tree. It's like, say Max wins the WDC it will be 'great, now do it 7-8-9 more times'. Like Rosberg, it was kind of 'pat on the head' 'Well done little Nico' now run along.
I know what you mean sir. Initially, I wasn’t really a fan, if you will just look at his Formula 1 record / history but since he joined TOYOTA, made strides in endurance and other forms of TOP Motorsports, I’m now a super fan But between him and Kimi. Ice “cool” is still my pick
Just finished watching the last episode (5) of this mini docu-series of Fernando! All in all I’m very impressed Alonso’s exploits in his two year non-Formula 1 challenges are truly unique and unheard of today. It surely has its moments of ups and downs And I’m all the more inspired by his determination & competitive mentality. Winning the WEC super season (juggling F1 & WEC both in 2018), taking the top podium of 24H Le Mans twice, failing to qualify in Indy500, winning 24H Daytona, and the roller coaster experience of Dakar Rally. Really kept him very busy but gained a wealth of experience as a complete driver in the modern era. I liked the last episode the most since it shows behind the scenes footage of Dakar Rally. I never knew what goes on in between stages of Dakar, the world’s MOST challenging & demanding Rally. Also saw Fernando’s unwavering courage & persistence in finishing Dakar despite two huge drawbacks (broken wheel axle & tumbling down the dunes). He finished 13th Over-All with Dakar legend Marc Coma as co-driver. His good friend & rally legend Carlos Sainz Sr taking the top podium for the 3rd time! His highest achievement is a 2nd place in one of the 12 stages. But his 13th place Over-All is the highest place for a rookie in Dakar Rally to date And that’s already a great achievement! I recommend motorsport fans to watch this cause it might inspire you to do your best, in whatever several fields they maybe! Cheers!
I think he's an excellent driver- and a terrible team person. - His actions at McLaren in 2007 were disgraceful- blackmailed the team with info that he got from Pedro unless he was looked after ahead of Lewis - Singapore 2008 was another disgrace. Just don't believe that he didn't know something - Left Ferrari under a cloud - Took huge $ from McLaren a second time around and held the team over the ledge. Succeeded in getting Honda axed and then left anyway Always hard to know the inside story, but there is so much smoke that there's fire somewhere. Not worth the risk.
I have to agree on those points raised sir DC. Other than being an excellent, talented, fierce and competitive driver, there is always something more than Alonso. It’s probably his calculating/scheming nature that turns most people off. There is something of an ulterior motive in how he deals things. It’s probably the “businessman” person in him. Like I said, I was a late bloomer fan of Fernando, especially when he jumped and took the opportunity to drive in WEC & LeMans with Toyota (which equals my passion with TAG Heuer) I just look at his dedication, love for driving and his versatility in engaging himself in other forms of motorposrts that still merits an applause. And being a former TH ambassador (like Kimi) there will always be a part of him with TAG Heuer