Eurosport - Sat, 06 Sep 20:13:00 2008
Fernando Alonso is the best driver in Formula One and Honda still hope to sign him for 2009, team principal Ross Brawn has.
"We are just waiting," he said at the Belgian Grand Prix.
"My view is that he's the best driver in Formula One at the moment and we're happy to wait and hope that he makes a positive decision for us."
Renault's double world champion has been linked strongly to
Ferrari but the Formula One leaders have both their drivers signed up to 2010 and have said they will honour those contracts.
The 27-year-old Spaniard, who returned to Renault from McLaren this year, said this week that he would decide soon on what to do, but excluded making any announcement at next weekend's Italian Grand Prix.
Renault are fifth in the constructors' standings and have not won since Alonso's last title with them in 2006.
Honda are faring even worse. Their last win was with Briton Jenson Button in Hungary two years ago and they are eighth overall with just 14 points from 12 races this season.
However they have a big budget and are pinning their hopes on coming back strongly in 2009, when the rules change significantly.
"The reason I think he's the best driver in Formula One is balance of experience and ability," said Brawn, who joined Honda from Ferrari last year.
"To me there are three very quick drivers who have established themselves so far in Formula One," said Brawn, who did not list either of his team's two current ones, Brazilian Rubens Barrichello and Button.
"There's (McLaren's) Lewis (Hamilton), there's (Ferrari's) Kimi (Raikkonen) and Fernando. And (Ferrari's) Felipe (Massa) is coming up very quickly and closely behind."
"If you look at those three drivers for a team in our position, where we have a strong rebuilding process going on, then we need a driver with strong development capacity, experience and absolute speed," said Brawn. "For me, Fernando has all of those things.
"So that's why I think he's the best driver in Formula One, because he has a combination of those things.
"Lewis is clearly very quick, a super guy but doesn't have the experience yet. Kimi doesn't have the reputation of being a person who can develop a car strongly but is very quick."
Comment 38 - 57 of 57
mga you aint telling me that muppet on face book is francis s? Come on now.
The donkey is better looking than that muppet.
Why don't Honda stop looking at other drivers and give their current drivers a car that can win races. Both of them have proved they are good drivers if they are given a decent car
DONT FORGET SCHUMACHER DELIBERATELY SHUNTED WILLIAMS -------HILL
OFF THE TRACK TO PREVENT HIM FINISHING
Alonson, please stop crying, you make a boat load of money for driving a fast car. JUST WIN!! And if you dont then pick your head up and congratulate the man who did. You have it in you to be the best. GO to BMW. The hell with HONDA.
Don't kid yourselves, Alonso is waiting for his Ferrari ride!
I would hate to see Alonso sign with Honda. He would no doubt get boatloads of money, but runs the risk of kissing his career goodby. I'm not a huge fan of his after the Mclaren dabacle, but he is still supremely talented and we the fans deserve to seem him in a top flite car.
Well said Mike S, there is a lot of Anti-Hamilton bile on all of these threads that criticise without any fact or level-headedness. I've never made a secret of the fact I am anti-Ferrari and I dislike Schumacher, I remember wishing Schumacher's Ferrari would fall apart on many occassions. I think Ferrari are the most dubious cheats on the grid, who constantly bend/flout the rules without punishment, and Schumacher was one of the dirtiest drivers in F1 ever and the worst cheat of modern time. However, I don't want to see the Scarlet Go-Karts disappear from the grid. Like Mclaren and Williams, they are the big names of F1. And I respect the fact that Schumacher was very talented when he wasn't "parking" his car at Monaco or into the side of Hill. Alonso however isn't in their league in terms of the respect he demanded last year from Mclaren, the team are more important to the sport than he is. And you don't beat your team mate in the pit garage before the race by demanding he drives slower than you, you do it on the track by driving faster than him (and everyone else if you can). And if he drives faster than you, you accept it, congratulate him and (if he's a rookie) try like hell to beat him next time out. What Alonso did was act like a spoilt child who'd been told he couldn't have a GI Joe, radio controlled car, Playstation, AND a new bike for Christmas. He turned up at Mclaren greedy for success and respect, without realising you have to EARN both. And when he was challenged for them both, he picked up his ball and went home, but not before throwing eggs at the home of the boy who upset him first and falsely tattling on him to the neighbours for leaving dog @#$% on their doorstep. He used to be considered as potentially the next Schumacher, instead he's turning into the Naomi Campbell of motorsport with a history of hissy-fits
What loalty Brawn is shownig to the poor souls driving his S**T cars. Why on earth would Alonso drive a Honda. Jensen& Rubens should get out if they can. Let Brawn drive the @#$% himself.
Unlucky Kimi, WTG Hamilton. Now Kimi must back Massa for the title fight. Now it gets intresting....
To the wire I say and more wheel to wheel racing. That was awesome ! and how racing should be.
yahoocat is gay. alonso is the best driver out there and he didn't lose every race to a rookie. ever heard of favouritism?...ron dennis thinks hamilton is gods gift to formula one. unfortunately, he is not. isabel_coady !
This comment has no relevence ! Aside of the fact he is the first black man in F1, the youngest rookie to ever win a F1 race and in his first year took so many wins, seconds. and points. And the fact he is cheery respectful and respondent to the F1 enviroment. In anyway asked. ( And no one called him gods gift ! ). But respect were respect is due.
Example being I detest the red team, and their constant @#$% and whining ( and underhand tatics ), However all respect to Massa for lifting his game. If he wins the championship this year.. he will have earnt it !
Ever heard of sportsmanship ? playing the team game for the benefit of the team ? thus earning respect and credence, Being a f1 champion counts for nothing in a new season with a new team, you have to start again find your feet and work your wy through the issues not show off throwing your toys out the pram and pubically denouncing the very people that paid him what he sure wasnt worth.
Hamilton akin to Kubica, Vettel, Rosberg, Are the new wave a new way to hone develop and drive a F1 car at its maximum, this scares the old school and either they talk on the track or they lose the plot,. Makes no odds Hamiltons personal relationship with Ron Dennis, Fernando wanted it straight away that wasnt ever gonna happen, And looking back through his career ( Hamiltons ) there has never been this issue before nor now with Kolvo, So this suggests it was all Fernando and his own doing and downfall.
I think the issue is now evidently clear in that people ( us as fans of our driver/s) allow our emotions to rule the arguement, so lets drop the emotions and forget the asshat comments from fidiots, Heres the thing that strikes me repeatidly in said comments, There seems to be this inane jealously regarding Hamilton, I find this somewhat perculiar, in that Because Hamilton has the backing of his team, has the support of the mechanics and is supported by a devout father, he supplies his team all thats asked of him. So to you that makes him a spolit brat, Im sorry but thats a inaccurate statement, for this reason, If we all Ran a F1 Team we would want to ensure foremost our prestige and financial forecast was in a postion to provide developement of said team/car and in turn allow us to hire the best of the best ( providing they fit the team and its image ), Hamilton has been hand reared crafted and molded for Mclaren, if we were Ron Dennis we would do the same, hence the need for the young drivers development program that allows young drivers to come through the early stages to the top F1, Hamilton proved his mantle and worth last year against a formidable World Champion, Fernando didnt handle the pressure and used the old style " Im number one he shudnt be allowed this and that...as he is showing me up ! ). Fernando and those that have criticised Hamilton need to understand and accept but one fact... you dont demand you earn ! Fernando failed and thus started games bigger then his ego, this cost him respect by his peers and those younger then him. For shame that you would want to admire gloat support a driver that seeked to bring down F1 over night by a selfish streak and all because he couldnt have his own way. And like I said, its a shame because on his day Fernando is a super smooth super fast driver ! He should have just simply got his head down concentrated and fought on the track.
On another point. Kimi... Should he stay or should he go now ... go now ?
Alonso,please work hard.
starting soon ---- best wishes---good luck for my darling Alonso to follow my leader round & round
Alonso please BMW is the best car you can drive now.....
I have also reported 30 for abuse, we don't want this on a site which is great for discussing our favourite sport.
look up GLORY STEALER and you will find alonsos name in big bold letters
yahoocat is gay. alonso is the best driver out there and he didn't lose every race to a rookie. ever heard of favouritism?...ron dennis thinks hamilton is gods gift to formula one. unfortunately, he is not.
Mclaren not showing Alonso the respect he deserves, are you joking, he spat his dummy out because he was getting beat every race by a rookie in the same car. I wouldn't have him in a team to wash the cars never mind drive them, total @#$%
Alonso is the best driver on the market & I think that all the teams are watchin his every step, Honda wouldnt be a bad move as Renault arent relly putting it on pole, he has great development skills & could move Honda right up the grip, I personnaly think BMW is the best place for him, they are knocking on the door of Ferrari & Mclaren and with a little more experienced ( and winning ) knowledge Alonso could be the man for the seat.
yannifun i 100% agree with you =message 27=
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