Fernando Alonso has parted ways with F1, as he looks to pursue his other motorsport dreams.
The Spaniard was getting increasingly frustrated in that McLaren car which at first was marred by reliability issues(due to Honda)and even when Renault came on board, McLaren did not quite have the performance to challenge the top 3 teams.
A champion of Alonso’s stature wanted a change and he decided that it was time to move on to other forms of motorsport, where he could taste victory again.
Alonso not being in F1 would definitely be a massive loss to the sport, but former Renault F1 boss Flavio Briatore feels that the loss is going to be a massive one for the sport.
He compared Alonso’s loss to that of Cristiano Ronaldo leaving Real Madrid, and the shambles that Madrid find themselves in this season.
“F1 without Alonso is like Real Madrid without Cristiano Ronaldo” Briatore said.
“He is one of the few recognisable stars. If you see these guys from here and take off their overalls, I only recognize Lewis, Vettel, Raikkonen and that’s it.
“Alonso needs a period of relaxation. He had three very frustrating years in which he behaved impeccably, the performance of the McLaren was ridiculous and he still fought for positions that did not correspond.” he added.
Alonso had not given up on the idea of returning to F1, but Briatore feels that the opportunities are limited.
Briatore feels that Alonso will return only if he has a realistic chance of winning as otherwise he has done all that he could in F1.
“There are only two teams: Mercedes or Ferrari, there are no other choices. The other choice is to finish fourth, fifth or sixth,” he said.
“I think with the talent he has, you put him in the right car and he could still be the strongest driver along with Hamilton.
“Some day the teams will realise that to win the constructors’ championship you need two strong drivers in the team. We will see what happens in a few months or a year.” he concluded.
