Briatore: Alonso Should Have Won 'Six or Eight' F1 Championships
Former boss Flavio Briatore claims Fernando Alonso's immense talent should have yielded six or eight F1 titles, not just his two from 2005-06. The statement highlights a career defined by both brilliance and agonizing near-misses.
Flavio Briatore, Fernando Alonso's former team principal at Renault, believes the two-time world champion's immense talent warranted a legacy of six or eight F1 titles. Speaking on a DAZN show, Briatore stated that Alonso 'always made the difference' and deserved a championship haul far greater than the two he won in 2005 and 2006. The comment reignites the long-standing debate about what might have been for one of F1's most gifted drivers, whose career has been marked by several heartbreaking near-misses.
Why it matters:
Briatore's statement underscores the 'what if' narrative that has defined Alonso's career, placing him among the 'unfulfilled geniuses' in motorsport history. It highlights how a driver's legacy can be shaped by circumstances beyond their control, such as car performance and sheer luck. For a driver still competing at a high level, it serves as a powerful reminder of the fine margins between glory and heartbreak in Formula 1.
The details:
Alonso's two championships with Renault ended the Schumacher-Ferrari dominance, but a series of unfortunate circumstances followed, preventing him from adding to his tally.
- 2007 McLaren: Lost the championship by a single point to Kimi Räikkönen in a dramatic season finale that also involved teammate Lewis Hamilton.
- Ferrari Near-Misses: Came agonizingly close to the title in both 2010 and 2012 with Ferrari, famously losing the 2010 crown in the final race of the season after a strategic error.
- Post-2014 Struggles: His subsequent stints with the second McLaren era, Alpine, and his current tenure at Aston Martin have showcased his raw speed but have been in machinery incapable of challenging for the championship.
Looking Ahead:
As Alonso prepares for his 23rd season in F1, the question remains whether he will ever get another shot at a title. While Aston Martin is making progress, bridging the gap to the top remains a monumental task. Regardless of future results, Briatore's comments solidify Alonso's status as a generational talent whose career is a testament to both supreme skill and the unforgiving nature of motorsport's pinnacle.