agdamis

Will Buxton tweeted: Impeccable sources confirm Alonso will NOT drive for Ferrari in 2014. He is to take a sabbatical. And join the Broadway cast of Spamalot!

If Alonso manages to lose his ride at Ferrari with a contract in hand to 2016, at that point I too will concede that Alonso has royally f'ed up. McLaren would be his only real option with the news that the Mercedes 2014 1.6 turbo unit is killer, Lotus is possible but not really a winning team especially a midst financially trouble. I agree with the Finn that Kimi Alonso in one team would be tough to manage and Bernie would not be happy. Well let's see.

paradisenb

Kimi at Ferrari with Alonso would be a disaster for Ferrari and both drivers. FA would no more let go of clear #1 status than a hungry lion his prey. Kimi, like Mario Andretti said on Sunday, would NEVER pull over and hand DV a position or win. Massa would rather be a lap dog than give up his drive for Ferrari.

DV and Hulkengerg at Ferrari and Kimi at McLaren with Button would be a good solution. Not sue McLaren wants to boot Perez so soon and I sense loyalty to their British driver. Kimi is getting the squeeze.

multi21

McLaren will only have the Mercedes turbo engine for 2014 as they have committed to Honda turbos from 2015 on. I doubt MB will give McLaren the engines that bench dyno the best..... as they haven't this year.

Eifeler

Agreed. With their engine situation, what top shelf driver would want to drive for Mac next year?

500

It felt at the time, last fall, that McLaren had jumped really quickly to sign Perez, who had two fantastic results, although both those results had a lot to do with making a different strategy work using a Sauber that was unusually gentle on the Pirellis. Although I think Perez is a quality driver, I don't think he is star caliber like Lewis is... McLaren always had at least one top-dog driver each season for a long time, however, they find themselves in 2013 with the very solid Jenson, and a decent Perez. Neither of which have the wee bit extra (IMO).

Thus, it makes sense that they may be casting about for ways to get a Kimi or Fernando into their fold, as much of a stretch as it may seem with their current performance. I agree with what others have said, Hulk was probably the driver they should have gone for when Hamilton left...

agdamis

You are correct sir, I forgot that little detail.

TexasRider

Dont you think Mclaren got Perez so he could bring money . He is good driver, but he had money with him.

Same on Alonso with Ferrari . Sure he is fast. One of the best . But without Santander I dont think he stays there .

Kimi is a top driver and at the top of his popularity. RBR could put together the money for him . I have to believe McLaren or Ferrari could, but not to the same extent . What of the Russian billionaires and Lotus BTW ?

Indeed it looks like he getting squeeze .

ltc

Please define "manages" to lose his ride.

2nd apparently isn't good enough for Luca anymore?

9.5 Degrees

I don't know if it's true or not, but the Fernando Alonso facebook page is welcoming Kimi as his 2014 teammate

ltc

Yes, Kimi and Alonso were teammates a few years ago, at least for a couple of hours, then Kimi was released from the team.

TexasRider

We have to KNOW if this is true !!

If it is I am guessing I like Alonso more already. And I should have kept my old 308.

BBC says " Kimi to Ferrari ."

ltc

Its impossible to like Alonso...unless you are a mirror

9.5 Degrees

As it seems more likely that this is going to happen, Alonso will be a great teammate for Kimi. Let's not forget Alonso is a 2 TIME WDC and KIMI only 1. Kimi is easy going and not a hot head like Lewis Hamilton which rubbed Alonso the wrong way. Both Alonso and Kimi have nothing to prove as they know they are both great drivers and no one can take away their championships. Both will compliment each other in different ways.

I still think Alonso is a better driver because he gets more out of the car than kimi can. If the car isn't right, Alonso can drag it by the neck up the order, Kimi cannot. The difference with Kimi is that he will bring home the points necessary to win the constructors that Massa could not do. He will be the a good #2.

multi21

LOL... I don't think you understand the gravitas of what has happened. Alonso went against the family (team) and is persona non grata at Ferrari. Ferrari has always had a clear #1 and #2. It is not normal to have two #1 drivers at Ferrari. There is nothing bigger than the TEAM at Ferrari. Drivers come and go, but the team will always be there. Being in Maranello for 3 days last year, I got a sense of how big this thing really is. It's not just a sports team; peoples jobs, identity and careers in the region depend on Ferrari - not just the F1 team, but the road cars, etc. The better the team does the better their lives are in terms of jobs, bonuses, etc.

You don't realize how much face Luca has lost in bringing back Kimi, the driver he got rid of for Alonso, but he did it for the TEAM. Kimi is the answer for Alonso f'ing up and trying to break his contract and go to RBR. Alonso is the one that will not get the support next year.... Kimi is a Ferrari World Champion.. When you go into the Ferrari Museum, Kimi's portrait, helmet, etc is in a glass case right next to Michael Schumacher and the other 4 drivers that won world titles for Ferrari... immortals for the tifosi! It really is a shrine for racing fans. Alonso is not there and may never be.

In reading one of Michael Schumacher's books, he talks about the enormous pressure he felt coming from Benetton to Ferrari -- pressure to deliver a WDC. He made mistakes along the way, but when he finally won the 1st for Ferrari, the weight of the world was lifted off his shoulders and the others were easier because he got the monkey off his back. I'd imagine the pressure was much the same for Alonso but with each passing year that he does not deliver, it becomes that much more difficult and it finally got to him.

TexasRider

^^^^^

Great post about the subject and about Ferrari .

They put it right out there " The most successful TEAM in the history of F1 . . "

It is pressure at Ferrari. Ask Nikki Lauda and he was the WC for Ferrari .