F1 Opinion: A feeling of déjà vu
When they come to write the complete history of F1, they are sure to include a significant footnote, though not a whole chapter, on one particular driver. It will tell of a young man who hit the F1 circus in a flurry of excitement, winning the F1 title early on in his career. But his inability to work well with others, compounded by being beaten by a young and inexperienced British upstart, resulted in his contract being terminated prematurely.
No, not a summary of Fernando Alonso’s career so far, but a description of Jacques Villeneuve’s time in F1 from 1996 until 2003.
The similarities are striking. Though Alonso’s ability is not disputed, shortfalls in other part of the package will concern potential employers. So what happened next to Villeneuve? Following an enforced sabbatical, he spent a couple of seasons struggling with uncompetitive cars and quicker, younger team mates, before being squeezed out of F1 altogether.
Being a former world champion does not guarantee you a top drive (even Damon Hill, the reigning world champion in 1997, was forced to defend his title for the midfield Arrows team). With Red Bull already having ruled Alonso out and Renault insisting on a long-term commitment (once bitten, twice shy after he deserted them once before), Alonso’s options are looking ever more limited.
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