2 Top Drivers at Ferrari Next Year?

"DasWauto" (DasWauto)
09/11/2013 at 11:35 • Filed to: Formula 1

Do you really think this is going to fly? Would Kimi accept a role as a second driver? No. Can Alonso deal with a competitive teammate? No. Can Ferrari operate without favouring one driver? IMO, no. So what's going to happen? What about Alonso leaving the team?

Now, this is pure speculation on my part but we have not yet heard Alonso speak about his new teammate (I just checked his Twitter) and it wouldn't be the first time Ferrari have bought out one of their drivers. The last one? Oh, right, Kimi...

Now, of course I know Ferrari loves Alonso. He's their man and has been for 3 years now but Fernando is growing increasingly disgruntled with the team's performance, or lack thereof. He has been driving brilliantly in what has not been the fastest car for 3 years. He came very close to the title in 2010 and 2012, only to be foiled by the speed of Vettel and RBR. So Fernando has a reason to leave, but...

Where would he go? IIRC, RBR, McLaren and Mercedes all have their cars filled for next year (correct me if I'm wrong) so that leaves us with? Lotus, [essentially] the team Alonso won two championships with. Is this a feasible option? Do Lotus have the resources to have a sufficiently competitive car next year?

Barring the tossup that the changes in the regulations are going to provide next year, I think they do. I think that if Alonso does indeed leave Ferrari, he could end up at Lotus.

DISCUSSION (15)

Z_Stig > DasWauto
09/11/2013 at 11:47

Now I know Lotus couldn't afford Kimi, but I think Alonso brings more financial backing with his Santander sponsorship, so maybe he does go to Lotus.

Gosh, Kimi going back to Ferrari, maybe Alonso going back to Renault (Lotus), and could Massa end up back at Sauber?

Klaus Schmoll > DasWauto
09/11/2013 at 11:51

I can't see them both driving for the same team either. But the thought alone! So much drama. So many hissy fits. It would be better than any soap opera.

Converse > DasWauto
09/11/2013 at 11:54

Racer ran an article (originally published on Autosport's website) with Alonso saying he was supportive of whichever teammate the Ferrari chose to race alongside him in 2014.

Alonso is not going anywhere. Lotus doesn't have the budget or technical prowess to challenge for the title. Ferrari does.

McLaren is not at the top of their game at the moment. Ferrari is on their way back up.

Red Bull is really the only option for Alonso to challenge for the title, but I don't think it was ever really an option.

Rows His Own > DasWauto
09/11/2013 at 12:07

God, Alonso is so ugly. And I just want to punch his whiny ass in the face every time they show him on TV or Jalopnik features an article about him. No homo obviously.

Bob Loblaw Made Me Make a Phoney Phone Call to Edward Rooney > DasWauto
09/11/2013 at 12:07

Going to be absolutely fine, Ferrari wins WDC in 2014. Kimi does not stay for the full 3 years, though.

Icemanmaybeirunoutofthetalents > DasWauto
09/11/2013 at 12:11

Lotus (Renault) had factory backing, Allison, Flavio and a big-ass budget in '05 and '06 when Alonso won. Now, they're struggling to pay Kimi's salary. No way in hell is Alonso going back there now. Unless Renault buy out Lotus (which some say is in the works but in '15 or '16).

I don't think Alonso will be pleased with Kimi coming back but I think he is intelligent enough to realise that he hasn't been able to beat Vettel alone and can use Kimi to fight for the title. Ferrari I'm sure though that if they have two good drivers, they can get the WCC next year if they get a half-decent car (Allison, Fry, Byrne - Heck yeah!).

Agrajag > DasWauto
09/11/2013 at 12:11

How ever this turns out, the end result is going to be an unhappy Alonso.

Icemanmaybeirunoutofthetalents > DasWauto
09/11/2013 at 12:12

DasWauto > Bob Loblaw Made Me Make a Phoney Phone Call to Edward Rooney
09/11/2013 at 12:17

Alonso and Hamilton did not work and I think McLaren is a better environment for such a situation than Ferrari is. Then again, they managed to make it work with Hamilton and Button. Though I think this is because Button does not have the ego that Alonso or Hamilton have/had (I believe Lewis has matured significantly since then).

Who knows? Maybe Kimi's lower key personality won't clash with Alonso so much and it'll work out. I guess we'll find out.

Bob Loblaw Made Me Make a Phoney Phone Call to Edward Rooney > DasWauto
09/11/2013 at 12:30

People keep bringing that situation at McLaren up, but I don't think it's particularly relevant. It was 6 years ago, for starters, and it was at a fairly tumultuous point in McLaren's timeline; tensions were high across the team (outside of the driver conflict), not just with the drivers. Alonso and Hamilton were both young, fast, and brash; I think Alonso's temparament is markedly different from that today.

Add in the second part of your statement concerning Kimi's propensity for being rather low-key, and I don't think the ingredients for conflict (that don't exist in every other team on the grid) are there. Kimi won't be baited into a soundbyte war with Alonso, and I don't think Alonso is all that interested in that anyway. Ferrari know what they are getting in Kimi and it would be absolutely moronic for them to expect that he'll assimilate into their political structure in the very least. If they attempt/expect him to do so, I don't think Kimi will think twice about leaving at the end of whichever season it happens in; he'll just be gone.

ncasolowork2 > DasWauto
09/11/2013 at 13:11

Last time Ferrari was successful was when they had 2 #1s in Massa and Raikkonen.

McLarry > DasWauto
09/11/2013 at 13:42

I think it'll be fine...Certainly not enough to make him leave . Fernando isn't exactly in a position to play the prima donna, especially with somebody like Kimi around who could easily take away his '#1' status. I see this move as nothing but good for Ferrari.

DasWauto > McLarry
09/11/2013 at 13:58

It'll be interesting, that's for sure. I was just pondering out loud.

DasWauto > ncasolowork2
09/11/2013 at 14:04

I would argue that Massa was never a #1 driver, despite how close he got to the title in 2008.

ncasolowork2 > DasWauto
09/11/2013 at 14:06

And you would be wrong. Ferrari really didn't favor Kimi or Massa in 2008. It is possible to adapt to the circumstances you're presented with. However, in F1 I think that all teams operate better with a defined #1 and #2.