Formula 1 world champions rarely leave on top, or on their own terms. Nico Rosberg’s mic-drop retirement after snatching the 2016 title was a rare exception; many more have exited the paddock for the last time with their speed faded, beaten by a younger generation, or worse. Fernando Alonso’s speed is unbowed. He has seen off highly-rated younger rivals placed in his own team. The double world champion is leaving because he is frustrated with how predictable the sport has been in recent years. Speaking for the first time since announcing his decision to retire at the end of the season, Alonso gave media an insight into his decision ahead of this weekend’s WEC Silverstone 6 Hour.
“Right now, the action on-track is not the one that I dreamed of when I joined Formula 1 when I was in different series, or the action on-track that I experienced in other years,” Alonso told crash.net. “When I was in 2003, 2004, 2008, 2009, 2011, I was not winning any single race in those years. It was difficult to predict what could happen now in Spa or Monza. “Now we can write down what is going to happen at Spa or Monza. We can put the first 15 positions with maybe one or two mistakes. How predictable everything became is tough. We came to Barcelona, we test the first day in winter testing, and you know what you will do until November in Abu Dhabi.” Alonso has maintained his reputation as one of the best drivers on the grid despite his achievements receding deeper into history.
The last of his two world championships came 12 years ago. His last win came five years ago. His last trip to the podium? That was four years ago this month. But Alonso affirmed that his decision to leave is not a knee-jerk reaction to being unable to get himself into a car capable of regularly challenging at the front of the field. “Most of my announcement went to sadness or a sad moment, or frustration over the last couple of years for the lack of results,” he said. “I’ve been racing for 18 years in Formula 1, I’ve won two (titles) — so arguably, 16 years of my life, I was frustrated. It was not the case, and it’s not the case now. “I stopped because the action on-track in my opinion I feel is very poor. In fact, what we talk about more in Formula 1 is off-track. We talk about polemics, we talk about radio messages, we talk about all these things.
“When we talk so many times about these things, it’s a bad sign. It’s because the on-track action was very poor that weekend. “That’s what I feel in Formula 1 now, and I think there are other series that maybe offer better action, more joy, and I think more happiness.” “I have other, bigger challenges than those Formula 1 can offer right now.”
On paper, it’s hard to disagree with Alonso’s assertions. Although the sport has supplied many spectacular moment in the past five seasons, and the championship has shown clear signs of evolution under new owners Liberty Media, the grid has spent the last five seasons in a form of stasis. Mercedes has won every drivers’ and constructors’ title since 2014. Since 2015, Ferrari has been its nearest challenger. Red Bull has occasionally been in contention, when not hampered by its engine situation. Then a big gap to the rest of the field, none of whom have won a race since prior to the hybrid era.
