https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/59540/-d ... done-.html
https://www.planetf1.com/news/fernando- ... o-renault/
They have a new CEO though. Cant recal his name now
Makes you wonder why McLaren didn't give him the seat if his salary is being subsidized by Liberty and he still has close enough ties to drive for them at Indy.
I suspect they still remember the 'GP2 engine" calls and wonder what remarks they would be associated with.ringo wrote: โ15 May 2020, 21:06I think Renault NEED Alonso for next year.
Relative to the other midfield teams they have ended up losing the most. Mclaren got Ricciardo and a Mercedes engine.
Torro Rosso got more redbull parts. Racing Point a pink mercedes etc.
Alonso is maybe the blessing in disguise for them, he can definitely allow them to be best of the rest if the car is well balanced and the engine is reliable; it doesn't even have to be a driveable engine it just needs to have comparable power.
Vettel said the same as Alonso, that he doesn't want to race for a buildup team, so despite having an offer from Renault, he'll either go to Mercedes or go home.McL-H wrote: โ15 May 2020, 23:03It is not going to happen. Alonso has said numerous times that he will not go back to F1 to fight for P10, P6, P4. He will only come back if he has a chance at victories. Renault canโt give him that. Not at this time. If heโd wanted to come back to F1 to fight in the midfield, he had been announced at McLaren for 2021 instead of Ricciardo.
I donโt know, but what about Vettel going to Renault? He became WC 4 times with a Renault engine. There might be nostalgia there. Otherwise I think that Vandoorne would be a good choice.
He is too proud for that. Squabbling for eighth place while Leclerc smiles at the blue flags on the dash.McL-H wrote: โ15 May 2020, 23:03It is not going to happen. Alonso has said numerous times that he will not go back to F1 to fight for P10, P6, P4. He will only come back if he has a chance at victories. Renault canโt give him that. Not at this time. If heโd wanted to come back to F1 to fight in the midfield, he had been announced at McLaren for 2021 instead of Ricciardo.
I donโt know, but what about Vettel going to Renault? He became WC 4 times with a Renault engine. There might be nostalgia there. Otherwise I think that Vandoorne would be a good choice.
Kubica is as slow as molasses and complains too much. He simply doesn't have the speed nor leadership qualities that Renault needs. Williams was glad to be rid of him.Manoah2u wrote: โ16 May 2020, 00:22Vettel said the same as Alonso, that he doesn't want to race for a buildup team, so despite having an offer from Renault, he'll either go to Mercedes or go home.McL-H wrote: โ15 May 2020, 23:03It is not going to happen. Alonso has said numerous times that he will not go back to F1 to fight for P10, P6, P4. He will only come back if he has a chance at victories. Renault canโt give him that. Not at this time. If heโd wanted to come back to F1 to fight in the midfield, he had been announced at McLaren for 2021 instead of Ricciardo.
I donโt know, but what about Vettel going to Renault? He became WC 4 times with a Renault engine. There might be nostalgia there. Otherwise I think that Vandoorne would be a good choice.
And yes, that's the same for Nando. He won't drive for a team that isn't podium capable, or perhaps even better said, he only would drive for a team that can instantly give him a P1 finishing car. So it's all fun and games for the people claiming a few Twitter posts with young Alonso are some secret code that Alonso will drive for Renault in 2021, it's not gonna happen. And since Ferrari is now fully occupied, RedBull don't have room for Alonso since they've got Honda power (the same reason Alonso doesn't get certain drives in Indy), and Mclaren neither was succesfull nor is going to have a winning car in 2021 despite having a Mercedes engine, the ONLY seat remotely interested for Alonso would be one at Mercedes. And since Hamilton is not going anywhere now that Ferrari is closed, that can only be that of Bottas, and whilst Toto has been outspoken of his interest in contracting Vettel (thus to replace Bottas), then there is simply not a seat available @ Mercedes, and then that's not even mentioning the fact Mercedes has made it clear they won't combine Hamilton to Alonso OR will sign Alonso EVER because of the Spygate incident. Which quite frankly means that the only reason Alonso drove @ Mclaren recently was because there was a Honda engine and now a Renault, but with Mercedes power in 2021, that also equals NO ALONSO.
So we're back where we started: despite Renault having a seat available, which could be occupied by either Vettel or Alonso, BOTH drivers WILL NOT drive for a team that is not podium capable, so that means neither will end up there.
I expect Bottas to be contracted there for 2021, which makes sense, but offcourse that will mean his seat @ Mercedes will be given to someone else. Vettel perhaps, or perhaps Russell. Bottas makes sense even though I personally don't rate him that high at all, certainly not better than Ricciardo, but definately better than Hulk. Either way, I think that his value is not actually in his speed potential - I think they've got Ocon for that - but rather in his experience, feedback and knowledge @ Mercedes. So Bottas imo makes a lot of sense especially alongside Ocon.
The thing is, who else would replace Ricciardo in 2021 @ Renault? Gasly is french and has some quickness, but to be honest really doesn't bring so much to the table at all, and Renault isn't just looking for a driver, they want a pairing that can get them podiums and wins if they get the material capable, they don't want a question mark, even if he is french. Grosjean would be funny to see return to Renault but quite frankly he needs to go, he's long overdue, is very unpredictable and unstable, and to be honest, unmotivated. He may have some experience, but i don't even think his experience is usable for Renault at this point. Kimi won't go back, nor is the right person to drive there. Kubica would be very interesting, but then Kubica is contracted @ Alfa Romeo and Renault has passed upon him before and though I'd like to hope and think otherwise, probably for a reason, so i don't see why that would suddenly be any different.
I remember Petrov complaining about Kubica before too, that he didnt share anything, so i also doubt that he'd be hired for those services to Ocon either.
Mercedes already lost Ocon to Renault, I doubt Russell will go there but it would be an interesting pair.
Perez didn't really fare well alongside Ocon but in the end it's really not that it would hamper his presence there,
and apart from Bottas, I really can't see anybody fitting to fill Daniels seat but for Sergio Perez. (Obviously still maintaining Vettel won't go there).
So for 2021,
I believe the second Renault F1 seat will go to either Bottas or Perez.
A bit harsh on him regarding the first, and though i don't fully agree, i think it's hard to deny even for fans ( I think i am one of those to a degree ) that he definately isn't even a shadow of his former self.PlatinumZealot wrote: โ16 May 2020, 00:32Kubica is as slow as molasses and complains too much. He simply doesn't have the speed nor leadership qualities that Renault needs. Williams was glad to be rid of him.