Is Fernando Alonso planning to quit Formula One?

Fernando Alonso pushes his car back to the paddock at Qualifying yesterday

In recent years, Formula One has been plagued by accusations – from enthusiasts, spectators, organisers, teams and drivers alike – that it has become ‘boring’. It seems two-time World Champion Fernando Alonso is in agreement with this.

"I love motorsport, all categories, and F1 is not as exciting as it was in the past - at least to me." Fernando Alonso

The Spaniard has grown disillusioned, it seems, with the way the sport is being run. According to Alonso, the excessive rules in the sport today have ‘stifled’ drivers, making it impossible to actually race.

The FIA, motorsport's governing body, recently introduced a major clampdown on testing, which will massively impact riders and teams alike.

"..with no testing, with these tyres, with these limitations, with the calendar for example of next year, there is the temptation for other categories, that is true,” Alonso told the BBC in an interview yesterday.

Italian tyre manufacturer Pirelli are the sole providers of tyres to Formula One teams, and are long-known to be favoured by F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone. Alonso also takes issue with this, saying the sport is no longer competitive. French tyre makers Michelin intend to enter the fray, however, and have submitted a bid to manufacture tyres for Formula 1 this year. Considering, however, that the decisions are taken by Ecclestone himself, it is unsure how much of a chance Michelin stand in entering Formula One.

he FIA have also seriously limited design and innovation with the new rules that will come into effect in 2017, which has made many unhappy – among them current and former F1 drivers.

Several former F1 drivers compete in other racing categories – among them Robert Kubica, Mark Webber and Force India driver Nico Hulkenberg, who competes in the WEC simultaneously with Formula 1. Alonso says he may move to one of these categories, that the “temptation is there.”

Alonso is contracted to drive with his current team, McLaren-Honda, till the conclusion of the 2017 season, and despite the repeated problems the team has had, he says he is ‘enjoying’ his stint.

Both Alonso and teammate Jenson Button did poorly at Qualifying yesterday; while Button was eliminated in Q2, Alonso’s car stalled on the track, following which the driver pushed his own vehicle back to the paddock.