Alonso: I can choose where I want to go

2014 F1 season

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Fernando Alonso says he is able to choose who he will race for next year and that is having an effect on the driver market.

Earlier today Red Bull confirmed Sebastian Vettel will leave them and be replaced by Daniil Kvyat. Rumours suggest Vettel is lining up a move to Ferrari to take over from Alonso, who could be heading to McLaren.

However speaking to reporters at Suzuka Alonso said he’s “still not decided completely” on what he will do.

“I have a plan in my head,” he said, “I have my mind set for the last two, three months.”

“I have a privileged position because more or less I can choose wherever I want to go in the moment I want to go. I gained that respect in so many years, especially the last five at Ferrari.”

Alonso also indicated the news about Vettel was linked to his plans for the future. “Being the decision maker probably some of the movements that we are seeing now is an implication of what I’m deciding. So let’s wait a little bit and when I clear completely my last doubts I will tell you where I go.”

However Alonso did not rule out the possibility he could take a sabbatical next season.

“There are many possibilities,” he said. “I want to do one thing for many months.”

“I want to win, I want to be world champion. I want to work professionally as I did all my career. I need to be happy. I need many things that if you put together it goes to one direction. And that direction probably moved the market as it is doing now.”

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Keith Collantine
Lifelong motor sport fan Keith set up RaceFans in 2005 - when it was originally called F1 Fanatic. Having previously worked as a motoring...

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180 comments on “Alonso: I can choose where I want to go”

  1. “Choose wherever I want to go in the moment I want to go.”
    Never heard such a bold statement like that before…

    1. and, “I have a privileged position..”
      Not exactly a term of endearment to be included on a job application.

      Maybe Brundle is correct, Alonso has forced himself into a position and now he will have to act. Kind of like climbing out on a limb.

      1. Be patient and wait for jst a lil while… I’ve watch the video clip maybe 5/6 times and so far I haven’t seen ALO being arrogant in front of the camera. Behind what he said is what you and I really don’t know and comprehend. ‘Bold statement’? Well, I don’t think so, considering the context and circumstances. While Alonso and Ferrari haven’t yet announced anything, VET and his team had created this whole news, maybe to unsettle others, this to, you and I do not really know..
        As for Brundle and other pro-British commentators, they never gave Fernando credit even when he clearly deserved. So, do not expect anything more (for Alonso’s fans). I’ve been following F1 for the past 18 years and believe me, one day, this Fernando Alonso will lift the trophy of WDC, one day

      2. Okay, this is just a guess. When Alonso says that he can go anywhere I believe this means one of 2 things. A) He can go to (any) motorsport ie Le Mans, or my second guess is this:
        B) It is rumoured that from next season there will be 8 teams with 3 cars each.
        By now a driver of his calibre should be signed up to a top team.
        Alonso is an intelligent guy so what if this is his thinking?
        He is waiting to the last minute to see if this 3 car rule is passed and started from 2015 – Of course then he really can “choose” to go “anywhere” he wants, ie Mercedes= Hamilton + Rosberg + Alonso?
        This is just a guess but it makes sense…and worst case scenario he can take a sabbatical in Le Mans and then return fresh for 2016?

        just a Guess :)

    2. “Choose wherever I want to go in the moment I want to go, [b] except for Red Bull. [/b]”

      1. @prof-kirk also except for Mercedes

        1. I might put some money on Alonso going to Mercedes. It might be good odds as its a bit out of left field.

          My thinking is, neither Ham or Ros can be enjoying this rivalry much.
          Ham is taking a pay cut, and suggest the team backs Ros more.
          Ros probably wont have major success with Ham in the team.
          From Toto perspective the rivalry is backfired somewhat by the drivers generating negative PR.

          I know its super unlikely, McLaren seems the most likely, but worth a punt ;-)

          1. I heard there is an empty seat at Torro Rosso…

          2. @alanore I disagree. I think both LH and NR are enjoying the rivalry and feel lucky to have the car they do and knowing they each have only one opponent to worry about for the WDC. Also, the team does not back NR more, they are equal. Also the rivalry has not backfired, and the kind of PR this year has been abundant and positive because we are seeing that Mercedes are racers through and through. Wolff would love nothing more than to have this ‘problem’ again next year, shutting out the competition and guaranteeing both Championships for themselves.

          3. I sure hope that it doesn’t all go wrong for Alonso. The Toro Roso seems to be a good car, could use a better engine, and more dough for the team, and a great driver. Alonso is sort of out there, especially if Ron decides to even the score from the past, force Button to take a pay cut, and decide to keep him. Doesn’t seem like their are any other options for 2015, and who knows what 2016 will bring.

      2. He includes the possibility of a sabbatical though. For 2016 he probably could even end up at Mercedes or Red Bull.

    3. ColdFly F1 (@)
      4th October 2014, 9:24

      ‘go’ is the word. That rules out staying at Ferrari!

      1. go back to enstone for 3rd time?

    4. Indeed, it’s really bold, even coming from Alonso. Either he is a fool (and most times off-track he is), or he has just signed.

    5. I think it’s true. The only certainty we had was that Vettel wanted Ferrari, and that McLaren has already hooked a top driver because Santander is back for the past 3 months or so.

    6. Okay, this is just a guess. When Alonso says that he can go anywhere I believe this means one of 2 things. A) He can go to (any) motorsport ie Le Mans, or my second guess is this:
      B) It is rumoured that from next season there will be 8 teams with 3 cars each.
      By now a driver of his calibre should be signed up to a top team.
      Alonso is an intelligent guy so what if this is his thinking?
      He is waiting to the last minute to see if this 3 car rule is passed and started from 2015 – Of course then he really can “choose” to go “anywhere” he wants, ie Mercedes= Hamilton + Rosberg + Alonso?
      This is just a guess but it makes sense…and worst case scenario he can take a sabbatical in Le Mans and then return fresh for 2016?

      just a Guess :)

    7. So, Alonso is going to Williams!…(well maybe):

      https://twitter.com/GeekZilla9000/status/519139963191848960

  2. However Alonso did not rule out the possibility he could take a sabbatical next season.
    “There are many possibilities,” he said. “I want to do one thing for many months.”

    I’m praying that he doesn’t take a sabbatical. A grid without Alonso in 2015 would definitely be missing something, IMO.

    1. LeMans is definitely an option !!!!!! Maybe he’ll join his old friend Mark for one year !!!

    2. WilliamB (@william-brierty)
      4th October 2014, 13:37

      @kingshark – I think it highly unlikely; Honda have enough commercial and technical sway within the team to tell Dennis in the strongest possible terms to drop his grudges and hire the man Honda has been chasing for over a year. The only eventuality in which Alonso would take a sabbatical would be if McLaren chose Vettel not Alonso, but Seb is looking to emulate Schuey by winning in scarlet so that is unlikely and AUTOSPORT report Alonso is in advanced contractual talks with McLaren, otherwise he wouldn’t have been content fall out with Mattiacci.

      1. I’d be very surprised if RD was holding any grudges toward FA after this much time, let alone to need to be told to drop them by Honda.

        I think a sabbatical for FA would be unnecessary and a huge mistake going into year two after a huge learning curve this year of this wholely new era of cars and technology. He’d be way behind the 8-ball for 2016.

        I think FA will most likely go to Mac for 2015, or, slim odds to stay one more year at Ferrari while seeing how Mac/Honda does, with an option to go there for 2016. But that would mean KR would be ousted from Ferrari, which also isn’t beyond the realm. He might not mind being bought out.

        1. WilliamB (@william-brierty)
          4th October 2014, 14:28

          @robbie – For me, a neutral(ish) fan (who thinks Alonso is a broody incarnation of God) with nothing but admiration for both Alonso and Vettel, the best scenario is, unfortunately for Kimi, a Vettel-Alonso line-up at Ferrari; the ultimate snub for Fernando and the ultimate way to improve a damaged reputation for Vettel. Unfortunately though, that isn’t going to happen, because Honda has plenty of cash and has been courting Vettel and Alonso for a year now, and in the space of 24 hours it has emerged both are available for next year, so it will be difficult for neither to end up driving for the Woking team.

          I think Dennis’ memory is certainly long enough to remember the way his former driver attempted to blackmail him when that same driver comes knocking, and whilst Ron’s life has been one of commercial and contractual cloaks, daggers, smoke and mirrors, I think that particular incident was quite profound for Dennis personally. That doesn’t mean a man of his intelligence won’t do the intelligent thing when the best driver in the world comes knocking…

          1. @william-brierty Fair comment. Didn’t RD make rumblings last year about having FA back? The way I see it, and of course I could be wrong, neither FA nor RD had anything to do with Spygate, the actual spying part, other than in the aftermath. RD had nothing to do with Spygate but was involved in whatever circumstances lead to FA feeling the need to spill the beans. So RD will know he wasn’t able to convince FA he was getting equal treatment to LH…ie. had some role to play in ‘forcing FA’s hand,’ so may never have blamed FA entirely, for this profound incident. I’m confident FA never wanted number one status, not that he would have refused it, but certainly was not going to stand for secondary treatment to rookie LH. If, right or wrong, FA was convinced he was getting secondary treatment, RD didn’t do enough to convince him otherwise, in time to prevent the whistle-blowing that he did not see coming.

        2. WilliamB (@william-brierty)
          4th October 2014, 17:24

          @robbie – Largely correct, although it was the promptly sacked (not that that was the reason) Whitmarsh that said “who wouldn’t want Alonso in their car?” last year. Alonso became convinced of secondary treatment after Canada, when Hamilton was allegedly braking 15 meters later into the final chicane on average according to the data (as he told the press following the race). What happened between then and “Spygate” is a touch sketchy, but of course the relationship between Alonso and Dennis deteriorated (although as you say some of that can be attributed to Ron failing to prove that Hamilton was not favoured), the Spanish press started the “British team for a British driver” line and somewhere along the line Alonso found some paper with “Ferrari F2007” written on it and decided to get political.

          During preseason testing the following season when the blackmail story was broken Dennis openly called Alonso an “unpleasant individual” in an interview (can’t find the source on AUTOSPORT, sorry), so whilst I, a third party, or an “armchair expert” as Ron would say, can say he was partly to blame for the whole affair for not adequately reassuring Fernando that there was no foul-play, that doesn’t change the fact that Dennis regarded him as a divisive and arrogant character at the time. It doesn’t mean he wasn’t open mouthed as I was when was teaching the grid how to drive in 2012, it doesn’t mean Dennis thinks Alonso isn’t capable of change (he’s unquestionably not the man he was in 2007) and it doesn’t mean he won’t driving there next year.

      2. Just curious — why exactly has Honda chased specifically Alonso, for years??

        1. WilliamB (@william-brierty)
          4th October 2014, 17:28

          @il-ferrarista – I believe it’s something about being the best racing driver in the world, albeit Honda begrudgingly decided to cast their net wider in the past six months to include Vettel and Hamilton too.

          1. Not only do they get FA, allegedly, but Ferrari loses him too, allegedly. Win, win for Mac/Honda before they’re even out of the gate.

  3. Can it be, Alonso AND Vettel in McLaren-Honda?

    1. 3 car teams. Alonso-Vettel-Raikkonen in Ferrari.

      1. Michael Brown (@)
        4th October 2014, 22:41

        7 world championships and 91 wins between them

        1. So just like Michael Shumacher…

    2. ColdFly F1 (@)
      4th October 2014, 9:25

      @xtwl, Horner already gave that away by saying that Vettel will move to Ferrari.

    3. I am a huge Ferrari fan and for me, i just love to see Ferrari winning. It doesn’t matter who, Schumacher, Barichello, Raikkonen, Massa and the fabulous Fernando Alonso. I wish Ferrari would of restructured years ago and gave Alonso a car to really take a crack at the title. But wow, Alonso and Vettel at McLaren Honda, in a championship winning car? wow again! That could probably be the biggest turnover in recent Formula 1. Its nice to make such scenarios and its nice to think about it like “how would of that been”

      1. +1.

        Vettel is going to Ferrarianyway.

    4. That would be truly epic, but highly unlikely though. Even if there were indicators pointing towards scuh a scenario, I doubt very much that either of them would want to race against each other in the same team.

    5. I think the same, both in McLaren

  4. Wowo! so he is on a look out?

  5. So he is going to Mercedes. What else would anyone choose if he wanted to be world champion as soon as possible?

    1. I wouldn’t rule this out. Hamilton and Vettel for ’15. What about Rosberg?

      1. @72defender Niki Lauda has ruled it out…

        http://www1.skysports.com/f1/news/12472/9502252/niki-lauda-rules-out-move-for-fernando-alonso-and-eyes-new-lewis-hamilton-deal

        I can’t understand all these rumors that Lewis will leave Mercedes. Mercedes seems to be happy with a fast and popular driver, Lewis is happy for driving the class of the field and Lauda is there to back him. I can’t get the rationale of “Lewis will leave and they will hire Fernando”.

        1. Anything that has been “ruled out” is the more likely scenario in the F1 silly season or politics.

      2. Ummm, Rosberg already has a multi-year contract with Merc

  6. Formula-I (@)
    4th October 2014, 8:35

    Really hope him to join McLaren, so thry can have a great drivers. We can also measure him with Jenson. And Magnussen should be sacirficed by McLaren if they want success back

    1. Would like to see Alonso and Button together. Keep Magnussen under contract but send him back to GP2 with a view to coming back into F1 with a midfield team, then ultimately back to McLaren.

  7. See, I don’t think he can. He doesn’t have the Red Bull option, and unless mainstream media has misread the situation he’s not got the stay at home option. Though I’m somewhat skeptical Ferrari would elect to replace Alonso with Vettel voluntarily, unless the relationship was worse than we all realise.

    1. All the reports I’ve seen suggest that Alonso elected to leave and these reports have been running for about 2 weeks now. He wanted to leave as he knew that it will shaken up the driver’s market. And it did.

      He has the Mclaren drive in his pocket (mind you, it’s a shame for a team like Mclaren to look like they are begging a driver to drive for them) and he’s now waiting to see if he can get something at Mercedes. My bet is that he has a choice between a 2016 drive there and a 2015 drive at Mclaren.

      1. Or both @alexx_88: he might insist on having a yearly contract renewal at McLaren, so he has the option to leave if a better opportunity arises. They may have no choice but to appease him on that front.

        1. @vettel1

          I recall the McLaren-Honda “Grand Plan” was to have long term drivers?

          1. Probably, but I think Alonso has the stronger hand in this situation.

      2. @alexx_88
        I’ll never respect Ron again if he hires this guy back into his company.

        It’d be an INSULT!

  8. Vettel signed with Ferrari long time ago. Alonso didnt want to be his team mate. He wanted role of first driver. Didnt accept that team mate. So… He will go to other team. Probably Renault.

    1. “Moving back to Enstone was my best move ever”…….

    2. I seriously doubt that Alonso would run from Vettel, seeing how he struggled with Ricciardo.

      Renault doesn’t have a team.

    3. Alonso nearly wins in 2012 with a vastly inferior car. Trashes Raikkonen in 2014, while Vettel is being handled by Ricciardo, and you think Alonso is scared? A chance to dominate Vettel in the fashion he has Raikkonen would be very much in Alonso’s interest.

      1. @Breno Alonso only made it nearly simply because McLaren made a mess trying to benefit Button over Hamilton and not because of Alonso so called ability lol

        1. What?

        2. Alonso scared of Vettel? Comedic. He is currently ahead of him in the championship, despite his team being 2 spots behind in the WCC.

        3. @concalvez00
          Yes, I remember Whitmarsh’s shenanigans during that period.

          It did cost his job in the end.

    4. Alonso has let it be known he didn’t think the Ferrari was up to his ability for a long time, and Ferrari don’t like criticism. They don’t forget and they serve their revenge as ‘a dish served cold’. They’ve pulled a blinder, and wrong-footed Alonso. Who will take Alonso? Not many – he wants that fast Merc engine and no one has yet spotted he may be casting his eyes on Williams who are on the up, have the Merc engine and he may think he can elbow Massa out. Even if it means taking a year out.

  9. Could someone give me a link, why it is supposed that Honda has troubles with its new power unit?

    1. @slava
      This is F1 man, there are no links, no facts no nothing …. Look at what happened this weekend, a tornado in the driver market. Last year and in the Hungarian GP weekend there were speculations about the Mercedes PU being superior in terms of HP compared to both the Ferrari and the Renault PU’s and it proved to be true. Like Murray Walker says “In F1 anything can happen and it usually does !!!”
      Autosprint which is always a very reliable source tells in this article that the Honda is late on its program by 3 months, the PU is down on power and thirsty on fuel, but the Honda guys are working absolutely flat out to develop it.
      http://autosprint.corrieredellosport.it/2014/09/29/honda-in-ritardo-rischio-alonso/19206/

      1. there are no links, no facts no nothing – well, I comprehend that)) I simply wondered where those rumours came from, as it now has direct relation to Alonso choices.

        1. @slava
          Alonso and his management should have a very good knowledge on Honda’s progress, the man is very smart he will not throw himself into the unknown. He should have received at least 3 offers from RBR (declined) Mclaren and Mercedes. Mercedes seems to be the logical choice but they cannot announce FA while Lewis Hamilton is fighting for the WDC (he is not confirmed yet) and if the negotiation with Mercedes will fail then Mclaren will be his next team.

          1. @tifoso1989
            I can’t see Mercedes being an option for him unless he is offering to drive for free. They won’t want to replace a German driver with Alonso even for the short term (Vettel, perhaps yes) and although a repeat of 2007 may seem unlikely that is too great a risk with an Alonso/Hamilton pairing (I also suspect Alonso would not want to be paired with Hamilton again because of the risk that if he loses a second time round his reputation would be really damaged). Mercedes won’t want to get rid of their star driver either, especially when it is really not clear that Alonso will perform any better than Hamilton, he is considerably older and they might end up kicking out the world champion (and losing the number 1 on their car for next year).

            I think Alonso is giving his mind a treat if he thinks he is the one making the choice when it comes to Mercedes as it would be the only choice for 2015 if it was open to him so if he goes anywhere else then he clearly didn’t have that choice.

  10. Reads like pure bravado to me. In light of Vettel’s announcement, and the virtual certainty that he’s headed for Ferrari, Alonso says, “No one is pushing me out. I can decide where and when I go, I’m the key to the movement in the drivers market.” I don’t mean this as a criticism of Alonso, just that the statement sounds far too defensive.
    By the way, note that he said he can **more or less I can choose wherever I want to go**. That’s not a “bold statement,” it’s an equivocation.

  11. Writing rubbish now, so do look away.
    Reading this got me thinking – it`s the perfect “mind-game.”
    Vettel signing off and looking forward of making things official with Ferrari. But Alonso has “options” and he will wait and wait. And then suddenly decide “I ain`t goin` nowhere b*tches.”

    Of course it is not the case.

    1. haha… that was a good one @jaanusl

    2. ColdFly F1 (@)
      4th October 2014, 9:32

      @jaanusl, would be good.
      Although Ferrari already has a termination contract with Raikkonen – just need to change the date from 2009 to 20114.

      1. Michael Brown (@)
        4th October 2014, 22:43

        They’re keeping him for THAT long?

    3. @jaanusl I that’s rubbish show me something that isn’t, then! :)

    4. @jaanusl Of course this could be the case but you have to wonder why Alonso would do it, he has a good situation at Ferrari and would risk that by bringing in a competitor who we know will not act as a number 2 and is a very good driver (just how he stacks up against Alonso in the same car I suspect we’ll never know).

      And for Ferrari to get rid of Raikkonen for a second time would surely be too much (and a huge embarrassment for them)

    5. I don’t think it’s likely, but it would make me laugh. The driver market appears to be a bit of a staring competition, and Vettel has blinked first…

    6. @januusl Oh I see, so Vettel is forced to take a sabbatical and, who knows, someone else too… and his path for the title is as easy as can be!

  12. Remember the words of Grosjean. Alonso will replace Grosjean at renault. grosjean to sauber probabl kvyat to redbull. sainz jr to toro rosso. vergne difficult to find seat. But the seats of small teams still wide open.

  13. No Alonso, the choice has already been made for you i.e McLaren.

    1. Really? You mean ALO agreed to leave Ferrari having another year without getting any compensation? Do you know anyone that would do that?

      1. I mean Alonso does have much say in the matter. Ferrari, Merc and RB all have confirmed drivers for next year. Which leaves Mclaren as the only viable option.

        1. This is F1, confirmations dont mean anything; even contracts are just paper, being ripped around every corner.

  14. Wow, things are/were worse than we expected. Could it be that ALO was pushed out from Ferrari ??

  15. Don’t be surprised to see Hamilton back at Mclaren and Alonso at Merc…

    1. Hamilton said post qualifying when asked if Alonso was going to Mercedes that he’s staying at Mercedes & both Toto Wolff & Niki Lauda also confirmed that as well as that the current discussions with Lewis put him with them beyond 2016.

      Nico Rosberg also has a new contract with Mercedes & both he, Toto & Niki also confirmed that he’s staying when asked today.

      1. That’s because Lazenby and Herbert put the question wrong and referred only to 2015. In any case, only a couple of weeks ago we had a very confident Christian Horner saying that Vettel is staying put.

        1. And another thing why would Merc want Alo in 2016 as he will be 35 then. Ham is younger will be in his peak years. Alo peak years are over.

        2. @alexx_88 guys get over it. Lewis is there to stay, they “love each other”. Mercedes-Benz is more than an engineering company, it’s a powerful global brand and like it or not Lewis is a media magnet and being a fast driver only makes his case unbeatable.

          Fernando Alonso can be quick and all that jazz but he’s not quicker than Lewis. The trigger here, for Mercedes-Benz brand, is driver’s media appeal and in that chapter Lewis Hamilton is the best you can get in F1.

          1. @jcost: Are you based in UK? I presume that Lewis is much more visible there.

            This is the situation in terms of marketability: http://repucom.net/media/alonso-marketable-formula1-driver

            Lewis is faster on one lap, but he doesn’t have the consistency of Alonso. How many Q3 laps has he bodged this season?

          2. @alexx_88 I’m not in the UK but this the impression I got both at Spa and Interlagos, specially in Brazil. If you go to any media outlet covering F1 you’ll notice what’s “Their fave meal” is, that’s what I called media magnet.

            On consistency side, I don’t really see much difference. The key here is: Mercedes does not have any major reason to dump Lewis for Fernando.

    2. Why would Hamilton volunteer to leave the team that is providing him with a car that is quite literally a second ahead of the field? Those aren’t the kind of advantages you suddenly lose in a period of stable regulations, unless you decide to go revolutionary…

      1. Volunteer? Well MERC offered HAM to Ferrari just some weeks ago… So wait AND see what happens. COULD be anything.

        1. Funny you’re the only one who knows this, you a Alo fan by any chance?

          Hey @keithcollantine have you heard that Ferrari offerd ham 4 weeks ago?

        2. Are MERC not aware of 2007 or what?… :D

  16. I don’t think Alonso is as fast nor consistent as Bottas. Valterri’s consistency in FP2 heavy fuel runs and races stands out from most others. Alonso won the qualifying battle last year 11-8 against Massa, yet Bottas is already at 10-5.
    All this arrogance from Alonso today I think was ignited by Kvyat immediately replacing Seb. Fernando probably wanted the seat. Poor Bianchi, who would’ve been first in line to replace Alonso had Vettel not shown interest.

    1. Formula-I (@)
      4th October 2014, 9:06

      Confidence is diffrent from arrogant

    2. Bianchi was never in that queue. He is rather first in the line to replace Raikkonen.

    3. Bottas faster than Alonso? Seriously?

      Of course FP2 is where you score the points! How do you explain Bottas being outscored by Alonso in a car that’s significantly quicker. Alonso is outperforming the car (again!), whereas Bottas is getting the best out of a very good car. Alonso would have won races this season in a Williams!

      Bottas is quality, but far too early to even compare him with Alonso

      1. There is no way to prove that Alonso is outperforming the car. It’s pretty much a statement which defeats itself. Just because Raikkonen is underperforming doesn’t mean Alonso is “outperforming”.

        Williams have a good car for fast tracks. Even though it’s getting better on slower tracks recently. The Ferrari has been more balanced over a wider range of tracks the whole season.

        1. You actually think Raikkonen went from winning races to struggling to finish in the points during the winter? In all his years, only one teammate every outscored Alonso, and that was way back in Minardi.

  17. Reading 1 of the comments got me thinking, perhaps Alonso’s options are Woking and Enstone (which aren’t exactly options unless Fernando is actually not sure about wanting a competitive car).

  18. In fairness to Alonso, I don’t think there is any team that wouldn’t want him. If this would have happened earlier in the season then a move to Mercedes may have been on – think its a bit late in the day for 2015 now. 2016 possibly – but that may mean taking a year out.

    1. Ferrari doesn’t want him. RB doesn’t want him. Merc doesn’t want him. The only team after Alonso in Mclaren.

      1. and Mclaren seems not really want him

  19. Not sure Alonso to McLaren spells the end for Button. The statements of Button being outperformed by Magnussen are factually incorrect – he has only finished ahead of Button twice (When Button started 7 places behind him in Aus thanks to the weather and finished on his gearbox, and when button got a DNF in singapore).

    Alonso and Button would be a quality partnership and exactly what Honda need. I would put then 2 together for 2 years together with a view to Bottas replacing Button afterwards.

    Magnussen is quick but a lot to learn and F1 has come too soon. Keep him under contract, drop him into GP2, then a season with a lesser F1 team to learn his trade. Then bring him back to McLaren to replace Alonso in 3 years – being a much more complete driver.

    1. The statement from Dennis was not that Button was being outperformed, but that he wasn’t further ahead of a rookie driver. Magnussen will do a whole lot better next season. Button won’t.

  20. Alonso to Williams.

    For:
    A Team with a wealth of history.
    Second quickest car this season.
    Hasn’t driven for them yet.
    Has a cool livery.
    Felipe Massa is well passed his ‘best before date’.

    Against:
    Frank Williams can’t afford Alonso’s price.
    Williams is a low budget team.
    Won’t get a snazzy McLaren P1 to drive around during the off season.

    Alonso to Lotus

    For:
    Mercedes powered engines.
    The same team that helped him win in ’05/’06
    A team that has a relatively recent record for designing very good cars.
    100% efforts and resources are going into the 2015 car (I remember reading this, correct me if I’m wrong)
    Venezuelan funding for 2015 car.

    Against:
    He’s been there, done that.
    Kimi is still waiting to get paid.
    2014 results are not very inspiring.
    Maldonado is your team mate…

    Just thinking out loud here.
    If I were Alonso, I’d choose Williams.

    1. Based on this season yes! But you do have to question how long Williams can sustain it. It took blowing their budget and wholesale rule changes for it to happen this season – that can’t carry on. Alonso’s salary won’t help them financial losses either! I would have loved to have see him in that car this season though.

      Lotus – think he’d rather take a year out!

      1. Agreed, I struggle to see Williams creating an equally competitive car for next season.

        I have faith in the Enstone team, If I were a betting man, I’d bet my unborn child on the 2015 Mercedes powered Lotus to be a very quick car. If I were Romain I’d be scribbling my name down asap.

        I’d be keen to hear what people think about which teams will have competitive cars for next year. I’m sure Alonso’s thinking this question.

        1. There’s never massive changes in the pecking order unless there are major rule changes. Agree Lotus will be quicker with Mercedes but they have multiple other issues to sort out too (reliability and poor aerodynamics to name a couple!).

          Merc aren’t going to disappear, Red Bull will be closer but not sure how far. Can see McLaren improving to maybe 3rd and Williams dropping down a bit. Seen nothing to suggest that Ferrari will suddenly be challenging

    2. That probably thr worst options for Fernando Alonso

      1. Thinking outside the box. :)

        1. Actually yes @prof-kirk but I mean the “real Fernando Alonso” think it will be a bad option. Your idea actually not that bad

    3. Against: Williams have already confirmed that Valtteri Bottas and Felipe Massa will be driving for them next season.

  21. Actually, technically he’s right: He can sign for McLaren, or go home and take an early retirement.

    It’s just that the latter’s a wee bit unfeasible……

    1. Or he can take the sabbatical he mentioned and come back to any team in 2016.

      1. Any team? Not to Ferrari, not to Red Bull…

      2. HAAS wants him

  22. This gets me thinking.

    Can Alonso now decide to stay put at ferrari and force Vettel into a sabbatical

    1. Vettel COULD end without a seat if McLaren retain Button and Magnussen. And low or medium teams unlikely to sign him (expensive prize) but the chance that going to happen only 0.1%

  23. Williams have confirmed drivers for 2015. I don’t suspect they’ll change their minds without Alonso comes with a lot of Santander money.

  24. My guess is Alonso will be in Mercedes in 2016 for sure. Question mark about what is going to happen next season, and this is the reason for not being 100% clear about his future.

    In the mean time, maybe Mercedes (McLaren) are working to move Hamilton to McLaren next year and clear the entrance of Alonso in 2015.

    I think he’s right in telling I can go were I want to go, but not WHEN I want to go.

    1. Agree with that. And that’s actually a really logical fit. Hamilton and Rosberg may put on a brave face in public (under orders from the team) but their relationship is finished. Hamilton is the one that disrupts relationships so makes sense for him to make way – and go back home to McLaren

  25. except the best cars in F1, Mercedes and RB

    1. Come on! Do YOU really think that FA will agree to leave Ferrari (for free) having a year contract without a contract with another (better) team on his pocket?

      1. its ferrari who fired him

  26. Lewisham Milton
    4th October 2014, 10:58

    Last paragraph suggests he’s joining One Direction. He’s refused to rule it out. He may even have not denied refusing to rule it out.

    1. Bwahahahahahah

  27. WHAT I AM sure sure about is that if FA agreed to leave Ferrari (for free) It is because he ALREADY has a contract with a better team (maybe Mercedes). But nobody leaves a team like Ferrari without a plan B. If he did NOT say anything today it is because he can’t WHAT makes me think that it is Hamilton’s seat.

    1. MIND you i feel i’m RANDOMLY getting screamed at ;-)

      1. It is my f… ipad it changes the words randomly and it boring to rewrite every time.

    2. RB and Mercedes already said no.

      What better team is there? Williams?

  28. Is there any chance that we will see Briatore and Alonso doing their tricks again next year?

  29. I’m going to throw a curveball and say Lewis Hamilton does a Lebron James and returns to his original team after tasting victory elsewhere. Would not surprise me in the least to see Alonso in Mercedes next year and Hamilton back at Woking.

  30. Yes Fernando, you CAN choose where you want to go… Except for Mercedes, and Williams, and Red Bull.

    1. One interesting rumour I have seen is that he’s joining Nissan’s LMP1 effort…

      1. He’s said that he still wants to win in F1, so for now that possibility shouldn’t really be considered. I guess that the guy more likely to join Nissan in the WEC is Button, if he’s made to move aside in favor of Alonso.

    2. Do you manage those teams? Or it is just your opinion? I am going to save this discussion to have some fun a couple of months from now.

  31. Mercedes doesn’t seem to be an option to me. Unless perhaps for 2016, but who knows. For now, Merc has shown they don’t need FA to win Championships, and meanwhile both Merc drivers would be crazy to move any time soon. So I really doubt FA is going to Merc, unless he has an option for 2016.

    I think FA’s possibilities are to stay at Ferrari for one more year and see how Mac/Honda performs, with an option to go to them for 2016, while also having an option for Merc for 2016, or, he will go to Mac for next year.

  32. I would be really delighted to see Alonso to Mercedes!

  33. Mercedes: Alonso/Rosberg
    Ferrari: Räikkönen/Vettel
    McLaren: Hamilton/Button
    Toro Rosso: Verstappen/Magnussen

    1. @dh1996 Wow, why McLaren would left their young driver to a rival team and Alonso won’t move to Mercedes and Hamilton definetly don’t want a downgrade. I think its not going to happen because its just silly. but everyone free to give opinion and I respect your

  34. Having watched Fernando’s interview (on Sky), I can’t help but think that he’ll be racing outside of F1 next season. He’s right: he is in the privileged position of being nigh-on the best racing driver in the world, he’ll have lots of money in the bank so he can afford to do anything for a year, and he can get a good seat in his pocket for 2016 and come back to F1 having had a lovely year doing something else.

    The only thing I can think of which is most likely is for him to be driving for Ferrari in WEC GTpro next season. It would be massive thing, but it just chimes with what he’s saying. Roughly quoting, he talks about “being in a privileged position of going wherever I want when I want to go” and “having gained that respect after so many years, especially the last 5 at Ferrari.” He wants to do one thing for many months, he wants to be world champion, he wants to work professionally.

    I watch the interview back with this in mind and it just… fits. And I can’t think of anything else that does. It would be a massive bit of news, but if Alonso fancied going to WEC and having a crack at the GT drivers championship then fair play to him. It could be anything though; power-boating maybe, who knows! But I feel satisfied that he won’t be in F1 next season at least.

    1. @hey I’d be very surprised to see FA leave F1 for a year, and I think it would be a big mistake. This is just year one of a whole new era in F1, and next year, wherever FA goes, should be a better year for all drivers as they and the teams use what they have learned in this inaugural year, to do a much better job next year. So I think leaving F1 would see him way behind everyone else for 2016 in terms of experience in this era. WEC can wait if that is what he wants to do. WEC drivers can do that into their fifties. A move there now would be a huge letdown for his fans.

  35. I strongly believe Alonso has a better option than McLaren on the table, but not for next year.

    So it’s probably McLaren for 2015 or Mercedes for 2016.
    You can read it in his mischievous smile that he has an ace up his sleeve.

    1. Lauda just confirmed they want to extend Hamilton’s contract beyond 2015, and Rosberg has already a contract for 2016.

      So, no.

      1. Alonso has a contract at Ferrari until 2017, and Vettel the same the Red Bull.

        It doesn’t seem to be a problem :)

        1. Think before you speak. Both Alonso and Vettel leave because they want to.

          Neither Hamilton nor Rosberg want to leave, and Mercedes is actually extended their contracta.

          Think before you speak.

          1. ‘Every contract (in F1) has a clause” so the said, so dont be surprise to see Fernando in a competitive car

  36. Crazy thought.
    He takes a sabbatical.
    And he competes with his new cycling team for the whole year.

  37. A pill draw to see who drives where in 2015.

  38. Mark in Florida
    4th October 2014, 15:00

    Alonso could take a sabbatical for a year. It would make good sense from the viewpoint that he could see how the McLaren Honda performed before jumping in. The only glitch in that case would be if Lewis jumped to McLaren. Jenson would probably hang on to his seat for another year if he did that. Even though Alonso is saying he can go wherever he wants his choices are limited by Mercedes having their team under contract and Ferrari now having Vettle and Kimi. An outside choice would be to go to Williams and replace Massa he would have a Mercedes engine without having to put up with Lewis as a teammate.

  39. Yes he has the choice….but not in the top teams. McLaren is the only option. RB, Mercedes and Ferrari are not interested.

  40. Has he actually said he’s leaving Ferrari F1 team at the end of the season?

  41. Of course he has a choice, Mclaren, Toro Rosso or Lotus. Or maybe Williams, with a bit of luck.

    Go Fer!

    I admit I find the situation very funny.

    1. My dream, retire Massa get FA at Williams!!

  42. Captain Caveman
    4th October 2014, 17:44

    Lauda raised a good point earlier today “why have Ferrari not made a statement as of yet”. This I find very interesting as it will be easy to say they have let Alonso go (mutually or not). Then announce vettel is on board etc. my gut feel is that Alonso has the options he wants and is in control….. If not, then why do we find ourselves with a 4 time world champion without a drive (ie not announced). If vettel or Ferrari were the driving force then they would have announced their new partnership first thing in the morning….. So the questions are why not, why Alonso seems very optimistic, why mattiachi is evasive, why Maclaren have not confirmed drivers and in my eyes why Mercedes have not yet renewed contracts with Hamilton. ???????????????

    1. Lauda said today they ARE renewing Hamilton’s contract, the talk is right now for how long, two or three years after 2015.

      1. Captain Caveman
        4th October 2014, 18:23

        I agree with you that lauda stated that the talks have just started….. The question I have is Why has this not been done and dusted by now. What were they waiting for? (Other drivers perhaps :-) ) . If Alonso was going to Honda/Maclaren which I accept is the most likely option according to the media ….. Why would they not announce it today when they had the chance at their home Grand Prix.

        1. Tens of reasons. All of them irrelevant to this discussion since Lauda also opey said they want Hamilton for 2016 and not Alonso. It doesn’t get any clearer than that.

          1. Captain caveman
            4th October 2014, 19:37

            Well time will tell….. My only short term concern is that the race tomorrow goes ahead …..

    2. Until I watched all of the interviews you referred to, it looked like Alonso had had his legs cut out from under him by Vettle and Ferrari. Now I don’t know. Alonso is either a really good actor or he has something up his sleeve. It will sure be interesting to watch this play out. I really thought that everyone would stay where they were at.

  43. Alonso is an emotional, driven person, and Mattiachi is an inexperienced new guy establishing his position in Ferrari which is historically quite an up-themselves organisation. I can easily imagine them combining to screw things up.

    So Ferrari swap their high-maintenance driving saviour for someone slower than Ricciardo, and Nando quits before his deal with McLaren-Honda is quite sewn up.

    Now Honda can pause to ask whether they need to pay Alonso quite as much as he was asking.

    As for Merc – lol. Merc can only look at Alonso falling out with his team again, and be glad they had Hamilton to cope so professionally with Rosberg’s cheating. I suppose there’s an outside chance Nando is waiting to see if Nico will pull another stunt and get thrown out of Mercedes. Into the Suzuka chicane ???

    That would be an epic outcome, profoundly to be wished, to have LH vs FA again. Just wishful thinking tho, surely.

  44. Alonso will go to HAAS F1, and provide a link to the Ferrari partnership.

    1. Well, that was at the back of my mind as well. Spend a year setting up the team and testing (I don’t think there is a ban on testing a car for which there isn’t a current entry, so they could test in 2015 in preparation for 2016), and then race with them in 2016.

  45. Alonso will not be going to Mercedes. In my opinion, they will tie Hamilton down at the end of the season and then see how the relationship between him and Rosberg goes next year. If it breaks down beyond repair, they will look to put Bottas in for 2016 (maybe, at an extremely loooooong stretch, next year if the relationship turns that sour).

    It seems inevitable he is off to McLaren (I still find it astonishing after 2007, but that’s why I love F1 – anything can happen).

    What I’m quite interested in is the sponsorship situation. Will Santander enhance their sponsorship at McLaren to title sponsorship (Alonso and Button would be a dream for them)? Will they remain at Ferrari with Vettel there? Will they pull out altogether after the president’s death and this change in situation? Will Ferrari get a new primary sponsor if Santander leave? Will Infiniti cut their title sponsorship of Red Bull short after Vettel’s departure?

    F1 in 2015 is going to look quite different to F1 in 2014, and I can’t wait!

    1. Okay, this is just a guess. When Alonso says that he can go anywhere I believe this means one of 2 things. A) He can go to (any) motorsport ie Le Mans, or my second guess is this:
      B) It is rumoured that from next season there will be 8 teams with 3 cars each.
      By now a driver of his calibre should be signed up to a top team.
      Alonso is an intelligent guy so what if this is his thinking?
      He is waiting to the last minute to see if this 3 car rule is passed and started from 2015 – Of course then he really can “choose” to go “anywhere” he wants, ie Mercedes= Hamilton + Rosberg + Alonso?
      This is just a guess but it makes sense…and worst case scenario he can take a sabbatical in Le Mans and then return fresh for 2016?

      just a Guess :)

  46. Let’s see. According to Christian Horner, Ferrari made Vettel an offer he couldn’t refuse.

    Most of us were waiting for Alonso’s ‘decision’ but in the end the man seems to have gotten the boot from Ferrari. First he buys his way into Ferrari in hopes of winning the championship, fails at it five times and finally gets replaced. Meanwhile the man who was bought out (Kimi) is brought back for a ridiculous pile of money. Irony.

    Maybe Alonso actually believes in the ‘privilege’ and being able to choose where he wants to go, but really, he just got sacked and probably only has one realistic option: McLaren-Honda. Mercedes will be more than fine with their current lineup. Red Bull and Williams have already confirmed their 2015 drivers.

    1. To many assumptions! He’ s been fired? So Ferrari will be paying a pile of money to get him out? No way, most likely situation is a mutual agreement (or even Alonso’s decission to leave) in that case the question is WHAT contact he already has signed? Merc or McLaren?

    2. “the end the man seems to have gotten the boot from Ferrari.”

      Well spotted!

      That’s he’s currently HOMELESS.
      Ron would be DAMNED to hire this man back!

  47. Okay, this is just a guess. When Alonso says that he can go anywhere I believe this means one of 2 things. A) He can go to (any) motorsport ie Le Mans, or my second guess is this:
    B) It is rumoured that from next season there will be 8 teams with 3 cars each.
    By now a driver of his calibre should be signed up to a top team.
    Alonso is an intelligent guy so what if this is his thinking?
    He is waiting to the last minute to see if this 3 car rule is passed and started from 2015 – Of course then he really can “choose” to go “anywhere” he wants, ie Mercedes= Hamilton + Rosberg + Alonso?
    This is just a guess but it makes sense…and worst case scenario he can take a sabbatical in Le Mans and then return fresh for 2016?

    just a Guess :)

  48. Alonso “can” go to any team he wants . that’s for certain, but which team can pay him, ? if he wants a salary then its McLaren for the big buck$ or Caterham for 100K Euro, :)

  49. Sure, “niño llorón”, you can choose go to Marussia, Caterham, Sauber, or to swim in te mediterranean sea or to race gokarts in your “barrio”.
    But yo can not coose go to drive in Mercedes! or Red Bull! or Williams!
    :)

    1. “the” not “te” and “choose” not “coose”.

  50. So sad that McLaren have got so desperate they’re willing to take back a driver that almost ruined them. Anyway, after what happened in 2007, can you really see Alonso wanting to go to McLaren and partner a Ron Denis favoured young driver again? For that reason, I can see Button getting another year along side Alonso.

  51. Mr. Vettel will drive for Ferrari but nobody knows who he will be driving along. Raikkonen or Alonso…Let’s dig down a bit deeper.Alonso has performed considerably well against Raikkonen. Why would Ferrari boot Alonso and not Raikkonen. Vettel at best can only perform as good as Alonso(he won’t be up to the speed from let go). Ferrari and Vettel was due. Now Ferrari is in the best position. If Alonso stays, it would be Vettel and Alonso. If Alonso leaves they still have Raikkonen. They can’t make an announcement because both their drivers have a contract for next year. Announcing Vettel will join Ferrari means telling the media which driver is getting the boot. It all depends on what Alonso decides. So Alonso saying he has the “privilege” to decide is spot on.

    Possible Outcomes:
    1) Alonso staying in Ferrari along with Vettel, in that scenario Raikkonen’s career is over.
    2) Alonso leaving to Mclaren(that’s his only option). He wants to see what Honda has got before deciding.

  52. One more thing, If Alonso goes to Mclaren. Don’t think he will be demoted.Ferrari only looked good in the hands of Alonso. If you take the results of Raikkonen and Massa and compare them to the results of JB, KM and Perez. You would know Ferrari fared no better than Mclaren.

  53. Either he has a place in Mercedes or will take a sabbatical and drive Le Mans. McLaren is a huge gamble and Ferrari can’t afford to pay both Vettel and Alonso.

  54. I suspect ALO is right – he will be the decision maker. McLaren may well have offered drives to both ALO & VET. ALO might be hesitating about going back to McLaren without #1 status – he was bitten by it last time. Ferrari may also have offered a place to VET, subject to ALO leaving.

    If VET has been promised a drive by whichever of McLaren and Ferrari does not get ALO, he knows he is leaving one way or another. He would probably feel he owes it to tell his current employer.

    If McLaren have only one drive on offer, even if ALO is the preferred candidate, that would leave the Ferrari seat free.

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