Alonso Threatens to Quit F1

December 3, 2008 2:52 PM
Filed Under: F1

Fernando Alonso has said he will consider leaving formula one if the sport enforces standard engines from 2010.

The FIA proposal has been highly controversial, particularly among F1's car manufacturers, who have hinted the move might be reason enough to withdraw from the grid.

Former double world champion Alonso, who drives for Renault, agrees with their logic.

"If they approve a single engine, that would be the last straw. It would be time to start thinking about retirement," the 27-year-old said at a team sponsor event in Spain.

Alonso said standardising parts like engines would be another "backwards step" for formula one.

He said the last V10 engines with nearly 1000 horse power, before the sport reverted to the current V8s, were "exciting for the drivers -- auto racing at its limit.

"We've gone from a glimpse of the future to cars without electronic aids and no grip (and) which are a visual image of the past."

 

Source: GMM
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Comments

He is a poor loser. Sour grape. F1 would be better without him.

by American-Rules | December 3, 2008 3:14 PM
Alonso has a point, even F1 teams including Scuderia Ferrari said they would pull out of F1 if the FIA standardises the F1 engines.

by AG4 | December 3, 2008 3:44 PM
Yeah sure! he was the reason of M.S. retirement. You propably think that NASCAR is better than f1 (what`s the point driving on circle anyway).

by s2k_turbo | December 3, 2008 4:10 PM
A poor loser, yes, but a really hot one... LOL

by politz | December 3, 2008 3:30 PM
are you gay.... or are u a really hot female who loves cars lol. cuz if your the second one... u've made my day :) :)

by carcrazy1234 | December 7, 2008 3:31 AM
Anyway, the standard engine thing is pretty stupid

by politz | December 3, 2008 3:32 PM
goodbye then, don't let the door hit you on the way out. Who this guy think he is Michael schumacher. Dude, your a no body. So get over it.

by dmanero | December 3, 2008 3:38 PM
frist, he is not a loser,i bellieve you are just gealous... second, he wants to make the sport more exciting without electronics ,same engines,limited shapes....... that way there will be differance between drivers and that way he'll glow....

by bassam | December 3, 2008 3:45 PM
loser ? A double world champion?! I dont know in what world you live. The standard engine means the end of F1. Do you remember that Ferrari have the samen opinion !? They also threaten to quit F1

by y0ukz | December 3, 2008 3:47 PM
I think all the Alonso bashing was based on the headline "Alonso Threatens to Quit F1"

He is not trying to threaten anyone...

All he said was he would consider leaving formula one if the sport enforces standard engines from 2010.

by AG4 | December 3, 2008 3:53 PM
ok, american-rules, but consider: would F1 be better with standartised engines? i'm not a fernando fan, i used to be before, however he has a point - F1 should be a race between different teams with different chassis, different engines etc. the way things are going now, soon we'll be watching F1 races in which funny and totally standartised looking cars race with 4cyl. engines, and other crap of that sort.

by hitar_potar | December 3, 2008 3:48 PM
what a pain in the back side! im sorry, i used to be the guys biggest fan! but the point is he cant hack the new rules. sure it was fine when all he had to do was point the car in the right direction round the track and keep his right foot down, but, now the gadgetry is gone, he is lost. if you cant stand the heat, GET OUT OF THE KITCHEN!!!

by siimon | December 3, 2008 3:53 PM
Though I have never been a fan of Alonso, I must say he has a point. Formula 1 has always been about automotive technology to the extreme and, lately, Bernie and the boys have found a way to pull their reins on this discipline. First, with the grooved tires, then the switch from V10s to V8s, then limiting the rotating speed of the V8s (yes, 20,000 rpm made the engines sound like blow dryers but, regardless of sound, they were impressive), then the single engine rule, the removal of traction/launch control (which I believe was an idea that could go either way) and now they're reneging on the grooved tires but further limiting downforce? If you ask me, I believe there must be some serious rethinking about the direction of the sport because it does sound like they are taking steps in the wrong direction. Standardized engines would be another way to limit the technological advancement that should be inherent in F1 and would raise more disinterest in the sport. I know Bernie Ecclestone is now focussing on his upcoming divorce but, if he and the FIA want to be around for a while longer, Bernie should concentrate on putting some engineering freedom back into F1.

My dream:

Three engine choices: V10s, "Screamer" V8s, and Turbo I-6s with liquid cooling permitted and active engine management (tune on-the-fly). Also, allow for hybrid drive units and no limit on the implementation of KERS. Tires: Multi-compound Slick Tires & Wet Traction Control: Optional Aerodynamics: Active aerodynamics and Cooling systems.

These are all innovations we are beginning to see on the road today, and I believe there must be a venue where we will be able to see just how far this technology can go. What better place to showcase this stuff then at the highest level of motorsports?

by Vision7 | December 3, 2008 3:57 PM
This is how lewis hamilton will be in a few years. Washed up no body with just one championship

by plasma_cluster | December 3, 2008 4:03 PM
imagine naturally aspirated V12 f1 cars with not limits on revs, traction, downforce, tires or control - basically, imagine a race between the very best of what each auto maker can come up with. that'd be a seriously good spectator sport - 1500hp v12's revving past 20k would sound interesting =P

by Lucifa | December 3, 2008 4:23 PM
or if you REALLY wanted to go to town, no limits on cylinders/induction method/hp. absolutely ridiculous, but you've got to admit, it'd be wicked to watch =P

by Lucifa | December 3, 2008 4:25 PM
Maybe F1 should go green and make the Prius engine standard.

LOL

by politz | December 3, 2008 4:44 PM
This is just a plain BS. Umm...let's just enforce standard track too! ummm no...it's won't be enough, let's enforce standard drivers!!!

EPIC FAIL!

by iseng | December 3, 2008 4:49 PM
F1 has gone from prestige to prius... this is a joke.

I stand behind Alonso on this one 100%. It really is "the last straw".

by joshg_5 | December 3, 2008 4:50 PM
PS, it's as far as the FIA could go towards communism without making making a grand prix in N. Korea and Russia.

This way there's absolutely no incentive for mechanical advancement. All they can do now is add those ridiculous wings all over the damn car...

F1?

by joshg_5 | December 3, 2008 4:54 PM
F1 better off without him? And who are we going to replace him with exactly? Montoya?

Like him or hate him, he's a 2 time world champion. As such, his take on F1 and where it's going means something.

by kooper | December 3, 2008 6:09 PM
Aww, how sad... he should race the Smart car championship.

Go Hammy!

by Tuner_Mad | December 3, 2008 6:38 PM
"Poor loser" - Are you a dimwit? Two time world champion and arguably one of (if not the best) drivers in F1 today. His consistency and talent is awesome. I'm far from a Renault supporter though. Don't make stupid claims.

I fully agree with him. F1 isn't about standardizing the cars, there's other series' like Nascar where drivers overtake a couple million times each race for that. F1 is about technology, simple as that. Standardizing the engines would kill the very concept of Formula 1.

by 911fnatic | December 3, 2008 7:44 PM
Anyone who calls him a loser are just losers themselves or worse. (He is the best f1 driver at this current time if FACTS speak for themselves). So if he is a loser being double world champion then all the people who posted comments like that are just pure losers in both respects.

by auto3motion | December 3, 2008 9:13 PM
'cost cutting' is a joke - do we find english premier league enforcing salary caps? or budget limits? no. there's a pool of marketing money in every sport - teams work within those limits and budget accordingly. the truth is that bernie's jumping on the 'green' bandwagon, the 'financially responsible' bandwagon etc. only consolation is that he can't go to solar power - not in Singapore anyway... who wants to see a 'ferrari' with an engine built by the most financially responsible bidder? A1 anyone??

by astroturf777 | December 3, 2008 9:57 PM
The current F1 is becoming a joke. The epitome of motor sport.... erm wait a sec.... think we better stick to regulations.... How can we consider F1 to be the fastest the most advanced and the vanguard of progress with all this bullshit about competition? Competiton in F1 in the past has been always about the raw unadulterated essence of competition. The death defying skill and drive to win using all you have to. A better car, better engine, better technology and all the tiny tricks you can pull out of physics. Right now its a farce managed by a useless old bugger who has no real passion for the sport. I do not like Alonso personally as a person but he is factually one hell of a driver. He has passion for the sport, a fiery on at that and he does all he cans to win. That is the spirit of F1. The reason why F1 tech doesnt flow down to road cars is because regulations make them unsuitable. Take the engine for example, in order to squeeze so much power out of a small engine the tolerances are so tight that it can't start without being pre-heated. Its also so bloody expensive and can't run more then a few races. Look at the races of old where the old turbo engines existed. They squeezed huge amounts of power out of them. More then the current F1 cars and those engines where just modified blocks of normal car engines. The weren't reliable but they were undoubtly cheap. The provided the required power and they were light. Further more their technology filtered down to road cars or can filter down to road cars for that matter. Alonso may be a tempermental character but he has guts and he has passion for the spirit of F1. In that, he has my support and my respect.

by Aluraeo | December 4, 2008 9:02 AM
SHUT THE F*CK UP

by shaahinMT | December 5, 2008 12:10 AM
to "American-Rules"

by shaahinMT | December 5, 2008 12:11 AM
Not only him, but Ferrari plans to withdraw aswell if they use standardise engines

by kevoluetion | December 5, 2008 8:23 AM
are you gay.... or are u a really hot female who loves cars lol. cuz if your the second one... u've made my day :)

by carcrazy1234 | December 7, 2008 3:30 AM

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