The world of Formula One is all a flutter regarding reports that Fernando Alonso put off a move from Renault to Ferrari out of loyalty to the Renault Team. This is one rumor you really have to question.
Let me start off by saying I am a Fernando Alonso fan. I think he is the most talented driver on the circuit with Sebastian Vettel coming a close second. Alonso’s ability to drive is unquestioned and his duel with Michael Schumacher a few years back was legendary.
Perhaps just as important is Alonso’s ability to develop a car. Is there anyone better? The Renault was laughably bad at the beginning of the 2008 year. It was almost at the level of the ever embarrassing Hondas. By the end of the year, the car had evolved to the point that Alonso had two wins. Admittedly, one was a weather affair, but the other was not and there was no denying that he was running up front consistently. That is an amazing leap in performance from the beginning to the end of the season.
Do I believe Alonso put off a move to Ferrari out of loyalty to Renault? Not a chance. This is Formula One. Ferrari is the dominant team of Formula One over the last 10 years. More importantly, it is the dominant brand of Formula One. A championship in another car is nice, but achieving a Driver’s Championship in a Ferrari makes you an instant hero to millions. It is also incredibly lucrative as one Mr. Schumacher can attest.
Given all of this, is it likely Alonso suddenly developed a noble concept of loyalty? No. First, there is no loyalty in Formula One. If a driver has a bad year, he is out. The only exception is a World Champ, and even then you can bet Ferrari would’ve moved Kimi if it had an inexpensive way of doing so!
For whatever reason, Ferrari has seemed hesitant to bring Alonso aboard as the primary driver. The management of the team may have tired of the one dominant personality approach that occurred with Schumacher, which make Kimi Riakkonen a perfect choice to be the lead driver. When Kimi lost interest in 2008, Felipe Massa picked up the burden nicely, but few can really argue that he can be a dominant force in F1. One just has to look at his performance in the rain to know that simply is not so.
Will Alonso end up at Ferrari eventually? The answer probably depends on Kimi Raikkonen. Should he become a dominant driver again in 2009, the answer is probably going to be no. If Kimi continues to flounder, then Alonso could be in Ferrari red as soon as 2010. One thing we can all be sure of is the fact loyalty to Renault will have nothing to do with anything!