Fernando Alonso arguably has more raw talent behind the wheel of a Formula One car than any other driver on the grid — but performing well on track is only half the battle in F1.
U.K.-based FairFX recently posted a video, in which Sky Sports F1 commentator David Croft said he thinks Alonso is the smartest pilot in the sport, but the Spaniard’s lack of smarts off track has kept him from realizing his full potential. Croft also noted that Lewis Hamilton conversely makes some of the smartest off-track decisions of any F1 driver, and the record books reflect that.
Alonso’s intellect and racecraft were the catalysts to his success early in his career, but he since has repeatedly been in the wrong places at the wrong times. He spent four non-competitive years at Scuderia Ferrari, which returned to form when he headed to McLaren-Honda, and has spent three years wasting away there.
Some might call that bad luck, but when Croft compares Alonso and Hamilton’s career decisions, it becomes clear that the problem is more complex than that.
Although we agree that Alonso currently could have as many, if not more F1 world championships as Sebastian Vettel, his ill-timed moves have had some positive impact on the world of motorsports. After all, if he hadn’t been with McLaren in 2017, who knows when/if we ever would have seen another current F1 driver attempt the Indianapolis 500.
Thumbnail photo via Honda Racing
