Alonso: Do or Die - Should he have returned to Formula One?

Fernando Alonso is one of the most experienced drivers on the grid this year, alongside Lewis Hamilton, Kimi Räikkönen and Sebastian Vettel. He has had thirty two wins and ninety seven pole positions whilst reaching his second world title in 2006 with Renault with one hundred and thirty four points overall, becoming the youngest driver with two world titles until Sebastian Vettel broke this record in 2011. His debut race was in Australia in 2001 where he placed twelfth in front of Giancarlo Fisichella, above average for a rookie in their first race, highlighting how he was a racer with a spark for pure talent. However, in previous races this season he did not seem to have the speed to even catch up with his teammate Esteban Ocon, who has placed in front of Alonso in every Sunday race this year. For a two-time world champion with so much talent, this is very unusual. It could be that the Alpine is just not suited to Alonso's skills, or are his tires finally cooling down?

Fernando Alonso at a press conference after qualifying in Baku 2021

Alonso started his Formula One career in 2001 where he was pushed by other experienced drivers like Michael Schumacher and David Coulthard to be the best he could be. Much like Yuki Tsunoda this season, he shone well amongst the crowd as a rookie, proving that he was certainly a force to be reckoned with on the grid and that his talent was clear from the moment the lights went out. In 2006 he stated "You never even try to dream of it because it's always more than what you expected“ after his championship win for Renault which humbly displays his passion for racing as a young driver and the electricity he created when he was on the track.

However, in his 2018 season at McLaren with his former teammate Stoffel Vandoorne, he fought persistently for his place in the top ten, acquiring eight non-finishes throughout the entire season, many of which were consistent with only two or three finishes in between. Clearly he's starting to lose his spark amongst the drivers of today as his performances have been becoming weaker and weaker; this poses the question to us: should he continue racing, or retire and make way for the younger, newer drivers who could be the future of Formula One?

Alonso racing around the Hungaroring at top speeds in 2005

Let's all admit it, Alonso was amazing in the days he won races and showed off his extraordinary talent because he was used to the technology that surrounded him. There were no halos, there was no DRS until 2011 and the engines were weaker because of the less advanced technology in the early 2000s. Unlike today, where our younger and more modern drivers like Max Verstappen and Lando Norris have grown up with and engaged with this newer technology throughout the whole of their racing careers. The confidence boost is clearly there amongst the fresher faces because they have learned to deal with the challenges that come with being a Formula One driver whilst Alonso has had to adjust to the rapidly changing automation and machinery. It is clear now that although Alonso had an incredible understanding and relationship with his cars in the early days of his racing career, the more recent drivers and technology are taking centre stage which the older generations have not yet grasped. Therefore, some may say that Fernando Alonso should most definitely step aside and make way for the hotter, newer tires in the motorsport world.

However, fans may say otherwise, arguing that although Alonso is of an earlier generation, his skill and talent still remains, it is just his car that he has not adjusted to yet. Of course we are only a few races into the 2021 season and a lot can happen in a short space of time, so Alonso definitely has the potential to have a comeback, even if it's a small one.

Although the Alpine is new to the 2021 season, the engine is still that of a Renault, so if he still has the heat that so many fans say he possesses, why is he not winning races if he has the same branded engine that won him two championships in 2005 and 2006? The car itself has some weaknesses that the opening race in Bahrain did expose, like over-heating brakes and a lack of pace and aerodynamics for them to keep up with Mercedes, Red Bull and McLaren. Despite this, a world champion driver should be able to overcome these challenges and work with the car's strengths to at least get a good place in most of the races, so surely this is some evidence that Alonso's place in Formula One is starting to run thin.

Alonso waiting for the Monaco Sunday race to start in his Alpine A521

It's not a surprise that there was some outcry over Alonso returning as there are many drivers in Formula 2 waiting to have their turn in the hot seat, however, we will have to wait and see if Alonso can improve his standing in the championship before we judge; for all we know, he might pull a top three out the bag next race. Equally though, it is obvious to see that Alonso's time might be coming to an end and we could be welcoming new faces onto the grid very soon.