Fernando Alonso didn’t mask his true feelings during qualifying and the race in Belgium. And amid suggestions that he retired the car from the race, he approaches a crossroads as his self imposed deadline of September to review his participation in F1 approaches.
In fact he has given himself some wriggle room, but now that the places at the top teams are being confirmed with Kimi Raikkonen on for another year and Sebastian Vettel for another three at Ferrari, it’s expected that Mercedes will wrap up an extension with Valtteri Bottas for 2018.
Sources suggest that deal is likely to mirror Raikkonen’s giving both teams the opportunity to secure either Max Verstappen or Daniel Ricciardo at the end of 2018. Ferrari also has Charles Leclerc on a pathway, which will continue with a stint at Sauber next season. If the team cannot secure a deal with either Red Bull driver, it may well promote Leclerc in 2019 if his F1 form is anything like his F2 fireworks.
The dynamic at McLaren is that Alonso is keen for the team to take Renault engines in 2018. Looking at the grid now with two Renault powered Red Bulls fifth and sixth and Nico Hulkenberg’s works Renault 7th at most races, a Renault powered McLaren would be fighting for podiums as Ricciardo managed on Sunday and with the gap continually closing on power units, they would be in the game in 2018; so goes the logic.
In order to do that, McLaren would have to accept a significant loss of income from Honda and the burden of Alonso’s salary. If they are to separate, McLaren would like some settlement money from Honda, but Honda doesn’t see why it should pay that. The shareholders at McLaren, the Bahrainis and Mansour Ojjeh would have to fund the shortfall, which would be approaching $100m a season and would not want to do that for long.
But the switch could energise McLaren and make them attractive to sponsors again, which would start to reduce the net spend for the shareholders.
The risk for McLaren is that, having led them to Renault engines, Alonso might leave anyway at the end of 2018.
The possible saving grace for McLaren is that at some point soon, the new F1 management are going to produce their white paper on cost control and it is likely to call for a $150m cost cap (not including drivers, power units in the first instance, marketing and other reserved items) with a three year glidepath.
So there is a horizon there to work with, once the programme is implemented.
One avenue for Honda is to work with Toro Rosso in 2018, which would give Red Bull a chance to evaluate Honda’s progress with a view to becoming a works outfit in 2019, as it must get on with securing a works engine deal soon.
That may or may not come to anything.
But Alonso has to act and his body language and actual language speaks volumes at the moment about what he doesn’t want to happen.
What do you think of Alonso’s situation? Which way will it all go? Leave your comment in the section below
Source :https://www.jamesallenonf1.com
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