Alonso Suggests F1 Return Possible in 2020/21

[Paul Jeffrey]

Fernando Alonso shocks F1 by announcing 2018 will be his last season, but keeps the door open to a possible return should McLaren regain race winning form...

The last few seasons have been ones of disappointment and failed promise for Fernando Alonso, the double World Champion languishing far too low down the order thanks to the performance of his troubled McLaren team compared to the results his talent deserves, leaving few people surprised that the now 37-year-old Spaniard has decided to walk away from a sport he has been competing in for 17 consecutive seasons.

However, with Alonso still chasing that elusive triple crown and seemingly fed up of life at the rear of the F1 field, the current McLaren driver remains keen to point out this isn't a retirement from Grand Prix racing, and should his McLaren team regain some form in the next season or two, Alonso is more than willing to assess a possible comeback with the British squad:

"My heart is with the team forever," said Alonso during his announcement earlier today. "I know they (McLaren) will come back stronger and better in the future and it could be the right moment for me to be back in the series; that would make me really happy.

"I have built so many great relationships with many fantastic people at McLaren, and they have given me the opportunity to broaden my horizons and race in other categories. I feel I am a more complete driver now than ever."
​

The most recent former World Champion to return to Formula One successfully following more than a year break from the series was Niki Lauda, the Austrian having retired from Grand Prix racing at the end of the 1979 season only to return to McLaren of all teams in 1982, going on to use his skill and experience to secure his third World Championship success in the 1984 season.

However more recent returning drivers have fared much less impressively, even the legendary skill of Michael Schumacher wouldn't be enough to make up for his time away from the sport when the German returned to Grand Prix racing for the 2010 season, spending three years with the Mercedes team before eventually calling time on an impressive career with just a single Pole Position at Monaco the highlight for his troubles.

No doubt Alonso will be looking at opportunities to race IndyCar next year, potentially alongside a second season in the World Endurance Championship, as he continues his recent quest to add Indy500 victory to an impressive career achievements, and in doing so take the much coveted motorsport 'Triple Crown'.

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Do you think Alonso will return to Grand Prix racing in future? If so, do you think he can maintain the speed he has shown in recent years? Let us know in the comments section below!​

 

[Will Mazeo]

Well he is not wrong, the best moment for a team to shine is when new regs arrive. If he'll have a seat available that's another history.

 

[Nico]

Translation: "I don't want to build a winning team myself, but rather get it from above."

Alonso and his silly statements, he will never change. Nobody in modern F1 will ever need a 40 year old "triple crown" winner, either be a winning team or not. You can argue that his misery may be caused by the lack of competitive teams in our current era of F1, but he also contributed A LOT to the fact that none of the ACTUAL winning teams want him at all. He dug his own grave with his unfortunate words, which is sad considering how talented he is at the wheel.

 

[paracletus]

Alonso WILL be back.

• Already knows that indy is far from F1
  
• 2020 is all change, and McLaren might be good to go with yester-years engines again

 

[IMrIMike]

Translation: "I don't want to build a winning team myself, but rather get it from above."

Alonso and his silly statements, he will never change. Nobody in modern F1 will ever need a 40 year old "triple crown" winner, either be a winning team or not. You can argue that his misery may be caused by the lack of competitive teams in our current era of F1, but he also contributed A LOT to the fact that none of the ACTUAL winning teams want him at all. He dug his own grave with his unfortunate words, which is sad considering how talented he is at the wheel.

This. He made a mess at Mclaren back in the day and at Ferrari. Recent interviews with Massa and Horner confirm that he´s difficult to work with. And I wouldnt be surprised if Mclaren picks it up with whoever will replace him/(them?). We´ll never know the details but seems like with all that driving talent comes a lot of pressure and drama wherever he goes. A shame really.

 

[Tbear]

Don't I remember doing all this just a few moments ago?

Is it Silly Season in F1 already?

 

[Thang Nguyen]

Alonso will be back in 2020/21, definitely.

 

[LEDzZzEPP]

A good driver who won the championship when drove the best car (by far) of the grid
Then he miss a couple of good opportunities to be champion in Ferrari, & dont know why...he becomes in the MOST overrated driver of the past years in the F1

Alonso leaves the F1......ok

 

[Rodent]

I think much like Jenson Button he will keep harping that line for a while and then find out life as a racing driver is just better outside the F1 circus. I would like to see him do a full season in Indycar or IMSA personally, either way I'm sure we'll see him at Daytona 24h and Indy 500. Who knows, Spa 24h and Bathurst 12h? Make that triple crown a five pronged one.

 

[Tberg]

Good driver, a whiner though. Always blames the car or the other driver. At least Grosjean makes fun of himself afterwards

But, I'll miss him in F1, he's one of the drivers that makes F1 worth watching. Hopefully we'll see some fun with the seats now becoming available:
Kimi, Alonso, Daniel...
Not the most boring sillyseason so far

 

[Deleted member 387850]

I'm glad to see I'm not the only person who hasn't bought into the Alonso hype. There's much more to being a great driver than just great driving, and how you conduct yourself off the track is as important as how you conduct yourself on the track. There is also more to landing the right drive at the right time than just pure luck, and some would say you make your own luck. Obviously he is hugely talented, and his race results in no way reflect what he should be capable off, but I guess we'll never know. One thing is for sure - no one believes in Fernando's abilities more than Fernando himself!

 

[wombat999]

Another reason for ignoring the EffWun farce next season.

 

[François Strat]

He better not come back...

 

[timson72]

He won't be back,remember when Hakkinen said he was taking a couple of years off. Plus all the competitive seats will be full with young stars.

 

[formidable]

It was Prost, not Lauda

 

[formidable]

A good driver who won the championship when drove the best car (by far) of the grid
Then he miss a couple of good opportunities to be champion in Ferrari, & dont know why...he becomes in the MOST overrated driver of the past years in the F1

Alonso leaves the F1......ok

in 2005, the best car It was the MP4-20. But reliability issues... In 2006, the R26 It was tío close to the F248. So, the best car by far...

 

[ATSSHD]

Alonso WILL be back.

• Already knows that indy is far from F1
  
• 2020 is all change, and McLaren might be good to go with yester-years engines again

View attachment 264795

More like 2021

 

[BP]

It was Prost, not Lauda

Nope, check your stats again. Prost only took the 1992 season off. Lauda was out for 1980 and 1981. Schumacher never won another WDC after his return; Lauda did, therefore he had the most recent successful return.

The most recent former World Champion to return to Formula One successfully following more than a year break from the series was Niki Lauda, the Austrian having retired from Grand Prix racing at the end of the 1979 season only to return to McLaren of all teams in 1982, going on to use his skill and experience to secure his third World Championship success in the 1984 season.

 

[BP]

in 2005, the best car It was the MP4-20. But reliability issues...

If it can’t make it to the finish line consistently without issues, then it’s not the best car.

 

[Andrew Harper]

This was interesting news. Kind of expected in some ways but still a surprise in others.

From what we are reading, McLaren will be setting up an Indycar team for 2019. Whether that will have technical input from Andretti racing will be interesting to see but i assume so.

I heard an interview with the boss of Carlin earlier in the year and he was in nothing but praise for Indycar. You literally buy the entire package and you are ready to go racing, simplified decryption of course but it does make it possible to have orange cars on the Indycar grid next year.

Fernando has found the joys of not just winning but being at the sharp end (he sounded like he really enjoyed the Rolex 24 even though they had no chance of winning overall) the other thing I found curious was his willingness to help the junior drivers in the team and he seemed to love that role.

So I admire his decision and also knowing when he's had enough of F1 (for the time being! )

Any talented driver who ends up in F1 and suffers from a bad car is tough to deal with but Alonso has had many years of it now so I can understand his decision.

As others have mentioned above, I can't see him coming back to F1. If he goes well in Indycar and has an enjoyable time in IMSA he has no reason to. He's reached that point where he wants to enjoy his racing and Indycar, IMSA and WEC will provide that for him.

F1 is no longer about the "private" teams. It's about the big manufacturers like Mercedes, Ferrari, and Renault. So even with the reg changes I can't see there being much change. Unless McLaren start working on the next gen car as soon as possible and do a Brawn.

As for the 2019 Rolex 24, yes he would probably need to get himself into a DPi. United Autosports have already stated they have no interest in competing in the new class structure next year so he would have to find another way if he does want to try again.