Fernando Alonso announces his retirement.

[TheGkbrk]

It makes no difference - he's a bit player these days. And who can forget crashgate...?

When Vettel or Hamilton retire it'll be a bigger issue as they will doubtless go near/at the top, not, like Alonso, at the bottom.

Vettel needs more to gain the reputation and respect Alonso has gained.
Crashgate is cleared for Fernando years ago.

[marvin78]

I think, that is a matter of perspective. From a neutral point of view, I can say that nothing is cleared. It still is a big thing.

[bosyber]

I think it has been cleared as far as it will while Alonso is active in racing. That said, I feel that most impartial people, and of course those who are anti-Alonso, see it as very unlikely he did not know a thing about it, and would not have had an idea that something was up. Him saying that he fully deserves that trophy, well, I guess he's a good story teller, even to himself. I do think without the crash he might have gotten a podium, he and the car went well that weekend, which makes it all the more sad.

[Just_a_fan]

I think he knew about the crash plan. He knew about the stuff at McLaren and even tried to blackmail Ron Dennis with it. Much like Schuie will have known all about Benetton's "honestly, it's switched off" launch control system (and quite possibly the fuel filter shenanigans and the cleverly pre-worn plank that led to a DSQ) in 1994.

[Sevach]

Yes. That's true come to think of it! McLaren always had a race winner in the seat as far back as I can remember. I have a feeling they will take a punt at Kimi... or gasp.. Maldonado.. On a serious note I can't believe Mclaren has come down to such lows myself.

Off the top of my head you would have to go back to when Senna signed with Williams.

[bosyber]

Well, I think in Schumacher's case, all the evidence is he was very, very involved in everything, so there can be little doubt he was aware of it all. With Alonso I don't know that as solidly, but he's a perfectionist too, and seems quite aware of everything in the team (not to say, political), so yes, very likely he knew a lot, though perhaps not all the details.

[Sevach]

Even Alonso's choice of team in Indycar is... "peculiar".
I'm sure Roger Penske would've welcomed him and go back to 4 cars.

Instead he chooses a single car team, that isn't super competitive, with a Chevy engine and support from Andretti (who has his own team using Honda).

[Jolle]

It is funny that after his last 2 years being part of outside f1 teams where team work is fundamental there are still people speculating about how difficult would be to work with Alo. I think the F1 is full of hypocrisy that it is killing the sport. Horner looks like a dick head one week after and Massa like a big mouth he is, just to continue to get attention. If the F1 really believes he is a great driver and deserve a winning car, it should be given independently of the character of the driver as wins will come, but in this political correctness world is just not possible, since when business is related to confy pants. Shumi wasn't a teddy bear but his perfectionism and character gave him 7 WC to him and Ferrari . Now F1 has lost a legend and will suffer from it because the the racing will be just the challenge of the same drivers who are at the top teams and are scare to be facing other great drivers with the same tools. The old days of Senna - Prost on same team are all gone. This sport is dying year after year.
It will continue to find more gimmicks to able more racing but they don't want to give the change to a natural raw racing character.

political correctness? Schumacher was tough as nails but inside the team as honest as you could get them. Being high demanding is a trade of a great champion. That Alonso his championships came together with Briatore says enough i think. I think Alonso, at all his other teams, never trusted them. Don't blame all of the F1 teams that they couldn't handle Alonso's brilliance. The more logical conclusion would be that Alonso, although brilliant on track, wasn't so off track....

[zac510]

I read Alonso's latest comments on motorsport.com - he is claiming that he can predict the first 15 positions of a race with 1 or 2 differences. I've heard him say this kind of thing before a few months ago. Aside from it being a huge confirmation bias on his part - to justify his decision to retire - I wish someone in the media would take him to task on it. Get him to write the first 15 positions of the race on Friday, put it in an envelope.

[strad]

can't you predict with a fair amount of certainty at least the first 8? perhaps not the exact order but the teams?

[Steven]

I read Alonso's latest comments on motorsport.com - he is claiming that he can predict the first 15 positions of a race with 1 or 2 differences. I've heard him say this kind of thing before a few months ago. Aside from it being a huge confirmation bias on his part - to justify his decision to retire - I wish someone in the media would take him to task on it. Get him to write the first 15 positions of the race on Friday, put it in an envelope.

He obviously meant that the teams have such advanced simulation technology that they can more or less predict all positions if the weather is stable, and ignoring DNFs and accidents. From ALO's point of view, the top 4 to 6 is fixed, he doesn't really care how they rank there. The point is that for his position, things are reasonably predictable.

Basically, he said nothing surprising. The technical nature of F1 is such that performance margins are big enough to be able to make predictions. And when computers can predict the outcome, people are eventually also able to do so, and if not, they will at least feel like if the races have become predictable.

And that is exactly the problem of F1: Too much concentration of money > concentration of workforce > concentration of performance > big performance gaps > difficulty for any car/team out of the big 3 to stir things up.

[Just_a_fan]

In fairness Steven, that's not a new/recent problem. Think back to the early 2000s and it was "Schumacher to win, who's second?". Before that we had periods of Williams or McLaren dominance, sometimes a combination of the two but you'd never put your money on a Larrousse, Minardi, Leyton House, Arrows or even Lotus winning a race, let alone a title.

Periods of singular or double/triple team dominance are normal in F1. And money will always play a significant role in that dominance.

[Steven]

In fairness Steven, that's not a new/recent problem. Think back to the early 2000s and it was "Schumacher to win, who's second?". Before that we had periods of Williams or McLaren dominance, sometimes a combination of the two but you'd never put your money on a Larrousse, Minardi, Leyton House, Arrows or even Lotus winning a race, let alone a title.

Periods of singular or double/triple team dominance are normal in F1. And money will always play a significant role in that dominance.

Agreed, but I'm all for more bias towards engineering ingenuity and drive skill and away from the pure money bias. And a shift to this is considered necessary for a long time, but long overdue.

In any case, I'm saddened by Alonso's departure. Hope he finds some joy back in other categories.

[Big Tea]

But what is he complaining about? that it is the same guys winning all the time, or that he is not one of them?
You can bet if he was in Mercedes or Ferrari he would be quite happy with it (and understandably, it would go for everyone too)

[Redragon]

But what is he complaining about? that it is the same guys winning all the time, or that he is not one of them?
You can bet if he was in Mercedes or Ferrari he would be quite happy with it (and understandably, it would go for everyone too)

I think is both , but the fact that not team today is ready to take risks on putting two great drivers on same team because it might be problematic it says it all. And that's why this sport is dying year after year. No more two great drivers with same tools. No more raw natural speed and talent but instead more and more gimmicks drs, 5 types of tyres, etc... because the lack of racing