How Formula 1 failed Alonso
Few would dispute that Fernando Alonso is an all-time F1 great, yet he's also one of the most divisive characters ever to have raced. So as he prepares to turn his back on the sport (for now), should he be blamed for the failure to achieve the level of the success his talent surely merits? Or has the sport let him down?
Motorsport.com's Prime content
The best content from Motorsport.com Prime, our subscription service. Subscribe here to get access to all the features.
After all these years, even though he hasn't driven a front-running car for some time, Fernando Alonso remains at the epicentre of Formula 1. Not just as a gold standard, and one of only two drivers by which all the others are judged, but also as the sport's most charismatic and fascinating character - notwithstanding Lewis Hamilton's celebrity friends and greater social media following.
Yet in a few races, Alonso will be gone.
Why? Because he can't get into a competitive car. The same question again: why? It's not because of his age, and there is no suggestion that he is past his prime. Alonso turned 37 in July, but as McLaren CEO, Zak Brown, puts it: "his competitiveness is undimmed."
Share Or Save This Story
Shanghai F1 grass fire mystery remains; emergency team on standby
F1 live: Follow the Chinese GP Sprint race as it happens
2024 F1 Chinese GP sprint qualifying results: Lando Norris takes pole
The Haas F1 updates that have bucked a sprint race trend
The short-term pain that hides a very real Williams improvement
How a Shanghai to Sheffield journey paved the way for China’s F1 hero
Why F1 2026 worst-case fears could be key to new rules success
How the F1 driver market situation sits for each team with 2025 openings
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
