Sebastian Vettel has hinted he could follow Fernando Alonso to race elsewhere outside of Formula 1 in the future.
Alonso bowed out of F1 after today’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. He will race in the World Endurance Championship next year and return to the Indianapolis 500.Vettel, Alonso and race winner Lewis Hamilton celebrated by performing doughnuts at the end of the race.
“Obviously Lewis won the race, it’s Lewis’s year so I think even if it’s tough, you need to accept that,” said Vettel.
“I was trying to gesticulate inside the car well done to him. I was asking him ‘let’s do some doughnuts together’. I’m not sure he understood because, in turn eight, I nearly ran him off the road!
“But then on the finish line I think we had the same thought and it was nice when Fernando joined as well, his last race, especially when it’s been a tough time for him.”
Vettel paid tribute to Alonso, who he beat to the championship in the final rounds of both the 2010 and 2012 championships, and suggested the pair may cross paths again.
“I think no one was ever in doubt of his talent and skills. It will be interesting to see what he’s up to in the next years.
“Maybe one or more of us will join him in whatever he does in the future, we’ll see. We’re all getting a bit older. But for now I think we’re quite happy here so he can go ahead and try first.”
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Jere (@jerejj)
25th November 2018, 17:45
Alonso did some practice for his endeavors of next year.
David BR (@david-br)
25th November 2018, 17:45
The three of them interviewed together unscripted after the race was great (sadly missed the collective doughnuts). A genuine iconic Formula 1 moment with the three best drivers of recent teams marking Alonso’s departure and the young wannabe (Verstappen) slightly off camera.
Todfod (@todfod)
25th November 2018, 18:12
@david-br
It was a great moment to see the formation of Alonso in the centre with Hamilton and Vettel on the flanks, followed by some synchronized doughnuts.
The three legends of modern day f1 for the last time on a piece of track together. You could feel that Vettel and Hamilton genuinely were going to miss one of their fiercest rivals.
Panagiotis Papatheodorou (@panagiotism-papatheodorou)
25th November 2018, 18:46
Agreed mate. I have been watching those drivers all of my life and it is one of the most beautiful moments I have lived in F1. If you think about it, one has beaten the other at some point in their careers (Lewis has beaten Nando in 2007, Seb in 2017 & 2018, although reliability decided 2017 to some extent), (Vettel has beaten Nando in 2010 & 2012). It has been an honour to see Alonso race.
Shimks (@shimks)
30th November 2018, 8:46
@david-br, it was my favourite ending to any season, I think. So emotional to have to say goodbye to Alonso.
Here are the doughnuts for you:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4oFQkex9Dg
David BR (@david-br)
30th November 2018, 18:35
thanks @shimks!
Sham (@sham)
25th November 2018, 18:05
The formation of the three of them round the last few turns was great to see, followed by the start line fun.
Sometimes they surprise me by being genuinely nice people.
Phylyp (@phylyp)
25th November 2018, 18:51
@sham – fully agreed. It’s nice when these guys can put all the rubbish games behind them, even if its for just a few minutes, and fully entertain us fans. I’d think that between the three of them, they’ve cover most – if not all – fans of F1.
Esploratore (@esploratore)
28th November 2018, 0:27
There’s always verstappen uncovered!
Mach1 (@mach1)
25th November 2018, 20:37
Was anyone else a bit sad and nostalgic to see a McLaren doing doughnuts with a Ferrari and A Merc.
For a second I could pretend to myself it finished third…..
Euro Brun (@eurobrun)
25th November 2018, 22:12
Harsh that Max wasn’t allowed to join in! Lol
Jim Clark
26th November 2018, 4:12
F1 champions only.
Phylyp (@phylyp)
26th November 2018, 9:25
With a working car, hence Kimi’s exclusion :-)
MacLeod (@macleod)
26th November 2018, 9:56
i think Max was already in the pit waiting for the rest…
John
25th November 2018, 20:42
Touching and great to see Alonso honored at the end but it did little to soothe me – I am emotionally gutted. I can’t help but think of the excitement he would have delivered over the past 4 years and the coming years for that matter if not for McLaren’s demise and the flawed nature of F1. It could – indeed it should be so much better.
On one hand I didn’t want to see him leave because he is still as good as anyone out there. On the other hand I don’t want to see him getting lapped or fighting for a top ten due to others failures. Three competitive teams and the rest fodder.
I’ve been a ardent F1 follower since 1991 and the inequality in machinery has always bothered me but this time it’s different – they are losing one of the all time greats while still in his prime. I hope F1 will find a way to get teams competitive so that more than 2 or 3 drivers will have a chance to win. But it doesn’t seem likely to happen as the deep pocket teams rule in this game.
I tell myself it’ all for the best – Alonso will no longer have to anguish nor will I. In any case, I’ve had enough of F1 but have enjoyed this site over the years:)
Todfod (@todfod)
26th November 2018, 4:22
Feel the same man. It was difficult to see Alonso retire from the sport with unfinished business. Unfinished business that went of for over a decade.
As an Alonso fan, it’s been difficult to see him come close but not close enough during the Ferrari years, followed by an incredible painful period with McLaren. Although I’ll miss him on the grid, I’m glad he’s moved on. He deserves to be fighting for wins not struggling to get out of Q1. It just put the heartbreak of this sport in perspective.. that no matter how good you are and how well you perform, it’s about being in the right place at the right time.
I’ve been watching F1 since 1996, and I must say it’s been an honour to watch him race. I didn’t feel any driver retirement was as impactful as this one (including MSC). This sport will definitely not be the same without him.
Esploratore (@esploratore)
28th November 2018, 0:33
I think schumacher’s retirement was more impactful, the end of an era, while despite alonso not having a decent car there were still verstappen, hamilton, vettel, ricciardo, rosberg, in recent years.
But then again, I was a schumacher fan, you are an alonso fan, so that probably says something about which retirement was more impactful, but schumacher was incredibly popular, and he’s only found an equal in hamilton.
Having said this alonso did a great job all career and it’s a shame he so rarely had a competitive car, I mean, a year or 2 dragging uncompetitive machinery in places they don’t belong to can be interesting, I remember early on in 2009 that several world champions, hamilton, alonso and raikkonen were giving it all fighting for places between 15th and 10th in some races, was kind of fun, no matter how low the prize they do the max!
But for alonso it was just too long time with uncompetitive cars, I think ferrari should’ve taken him back, would’ve fared much better than vettel.
Asanator (@asanator)
26th November 2018, 11:53
@John
Ummmm 6 drivers had the chance to win this year, 5 of which did! F1 is not losing “one of the all time greats” because of inequality of machinery, but because of Alonso’s own personality failings and McLaren doing whatever they can to appease him rather than getting on with the job of building a decent F1 car.
It is still sad to see him go though.
Esploratore (@esploratore)
28th November 2018, 0:34
Even bottas would have a win in normal circumstances btw, so by all means all 6 could’ve won a race if they wanted (refuse team orders).
Foggy (@)
26th November 2018, 0:11
It was a very nice touch to the end of the race, the season and Fernando’s F1 career.
I am over 70 years old and have been following F1/Grand Prix racing since I was about 10 years old and I like a lot of other fans I have seen some great drivers come and go, but I have never been that upset about them leaving as there has always been some fresh and exciting young talent to take their place, and it is the same with Fernando, but what has been sad though is to watch him languishing down the bottom of the grid and try as hard as he did he was never going to achieve much success in such a poor car. In a way it is good to see him leave and I wish him success in his future endeavors.
NewVerstappenFan (@jureo)
26th November 2018, 6:47
Vettel should go for triple crown, as should Hamilton.
Them boys are pretty talented, I wouldn’t put it out of their reach.
I’d bet Lewis would win Indy 500 in 1 out of 3 attempts.
Meanwhile 24h of Le Mans is now a done deal if you are in correct team, as Alonso proved.
Darran
26th November 2018, 15:34
As much as i love hulk the dream is that Renault engine comes on leaps and bounds then Nando joins a competitive Renault or McLaren team in 2020 and we can get a decent title fight at last. As for Nando its sad to watch the driver of the generation like Schumacher in 2006 walk away with plenty in the tank.
Esploratore (@esploratore)
28th November 2018, 0:36
Yes, not as sad cause I was a schumacher fan, but indeed I feel like he’d have won the following 2 years and could’ve retired when 39, decline starts at 35 but gets worse at 40.
Alonso as well may not have the car but was still very competitive and would’ve been for a couple more years.