Disagreement among GP experts: Must this popular driver vacate his F1 cockpit?

The fact that Fernando Alonso is one of the fastest racing drivers in the world is clearly evident from the proud Asturian’s track record. He has won two consecutive Formula 1 World Championships, was crowned champion of the World Endurance Championship once, and has won the prestigious 24 Hours of Le Mans twice. He has also taken on other challenges, such as the Indy 500 and the Dakar Rally.

The Spaniard remains in top form, even if he cannot demonstrate this with top results in his significantly outclassed Aston Martin race car. Nevertheless, Martin Brundle concludes that Aston Martin should put its faith in the younger generation rather than the veteran champion. He explained on ‘Sky Sports F1’: “I love the current Formula 1; you’ve got 20-year-old Kimi Antonelli, and you can measure him against greats like Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton, who are over 40. And it’s great to have such a wide range of age groups on the grid.”

No place for the veteran?

“That’s certainly not going to go down too well, but if I were running Aston Martin, I’d rebuild the team from scratch. I’d focus on the future. Adrian Newey works tirelessly at the drawing board. I’d be inclined to choose a driver pairing in their mid-20s – to build up the team from the driver side as well,” added the Briton.

When 2016 World Champion Nico Rosberg, who was commentating alongside him, emphasised: “That’s big news – Martin reckons we should sack Fernando Alonso,” Brundle protested: “I knew you’d put it that way. You’re right, that’s actually what I said. But I don’t mean it that way, because I also emphasised that we’d very much like to have him on board. But if I were the team, I’d choose a new driver pairing to be prepared for the next phase.”

Nico Rosberg is certain: Aston Martin is well-positioned with its driver line-up

“I don’t agree with that,” replied Rosberg. “Because if you compare Fernando with his team-mate Lance Stroll, you come to the conclusion that he’s still driving really well. He dominates in every single session. And we mustn’t forget that Lance can finish in the top six with a good car. He’s a decent driver. I therefore think he’s a perfectly acceptable benchmark.”

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“Aston Martin’s problem is rather that they can’t field a young superstar alongside Fernando, because Lance is apparently a permanent fixture there. That’s the dilemma they’re in, so to speak,” explained the German, referring to the fact that the Aston Martin team is owned by Lance Stroll’s father, Lawrence. “But I think, at the moment, they’re well-positioned with these two drivers to take the team forward.”