Interesting indeed (didn't think it would happen). The thing I can see everyone getting pissed at is liberty subsidising his wages and not subsidising their 'star' drivers wages. Not sure Alonso alone brings enough of an audience that it pays liberty to pick up the bill but what do I know!
It shows Renaults intent IMO that they do think they should be challenging come 2022. With his Indy attempts it could be useful US market share plus he has a following worldwide. His return will make some waves. Agree tho its a bit of a piss take Liberty subsidising his wages ragardless of what he brings.
I would suspect Liberty may have said to Renault they would help on the proviso that they stay in F1 for a bit longer
I tend to agree that the "Liberty to foot bill" bit comes with the clause that Renault stays in the sport for a bit. Especially with Ferrari crying about the budget cap again, threatening to go to Indy, and with some claiming that losing Vettel will cost F1 90 Mill, I could see Liberty making sucha deal.
I hope the budget cap comes and Ferrari do start carrying out their plan. If the budgets get capped at $145million that leaves Ferrari with $450million to spend elsewhere, they could run Indycar and develop a LeMans prototype comfortably within that budget, twice over. It's 25 years since the the 333SP LMP1 car made it's debut and that thing was amazing, it kept winning races right up until Audi R8 came along. Ferrari need to make wider appearances than just F1 and GT3 anyway.
With some of the rule changes coming to LeMans and some if the cars being talked about coming from that, LeMans is looking very exiting. I would love to see what Ferrari could do there
Bottas linked to Vacant Renault seat https://www.gpfans.com/amp/article.php?id=52698 That would be a good move. Place your bets Russell, Ocon or Vettel for Merc then? Would love to see Russell in that seat
Ocon has a foot in the door at Merc., I'd have thought... or is that too much like nepotism (albeit not pedantically correct)?
Ocon is under contract with Renault until at least the end of next year. I reckon Wolf wants Bottas, or Russell if he can't have Bottas. Mercedes want Vettel because nationalism, they desperately want another German driver. If Bottas goes I hope Merc get Russell, they need their 'next' star driver and they aren't going to find it Vettel. Whether Russell is that driver or not remains to be seen, but he deserves a shot at least, he was far too good in the juniors to waste away at Williams.
Ive never been a fan of Vettel as a driver, as a person off track he seems really cool though. Vettel paired with Hamilton is an utter disaster in every way.
