Fernando Alonso is arguably one of the greatest drivers to grace the sport. He has been racing in Formula 1 for around two decades, and has gained a reputation as a driver who gets the best out of the machinery. After 32 wins and two world championships, he is still carrying on strongly at the age of 40.

The Spaniard, however, had a brief spell of retirement. He bid adieu after 2018, before returning in 2021. At that time, there was a difference of opinion among fans on whether he is one of the greatest drivers in F1. And Nico Rosberg and Bernie Ecclestone chipped in with their thoughts in an interview the same year.

Nico Rosberg and Bernie Ecclestone reveal their take on Fernando Alonso

Rosberg said, “I have the view that if he take him as a pure driver, he’s one of the greatest of all time. But it takes more than that to be a great of Formula 1 driver.”

“And what also comes into it is being a good team player, having good social skills, getting yourself in the right places all the time, getting the great cars to drive; so that you can win races and championships. And that has been his biggest weakness.”

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Ecclestone, meanwhile, agreed with the German. He also revealed Alonso was wrongly advised and his conduct off the track was a problem.

He added, “I think what you said is right, as a driver, if you leave him when he’s in the car, sure he is (one of the greatest). But in other areas he’s been he’s acting or had to act, he’s not been the greatest. Maybe sort of had the wrong advice and sent him up the wrong road.”

Is Flavio Briatore Teasing a Re-Union With Fernando Alonso at Alpine F1?

Rosberg was quick to chip in about Flavio Briatore, Alonso’s team principal at Renault, “Bad manager…just kidding.”

Bernie, however, immediately defended his friend, saying, “I don’t think Flavio was his manager. Maybe Flavio was really bad for him, quite the opposite.”

The relationship between Flavio Briatore and Alonso

Flavio Briatore was the one who spotted Alonso back in 1999. He played a major role in securing the Spaniard a seat in F1 with Minardi and made him the Renault test driver in 2002.

The following season, Alonso replaced Jenson Button with the French team and success followed. He won two championships with them in 2005 and 2006. However, he made a move to rival McLaren in the following season.

They were also both involved in the infamous 2007 ‘Spygate’ espionage and reports suggest Alonso shared the documents with Briatore before going to McLaren’s Ron Dennis. After just a year with the Woking team, he moved back with Renault under the Italian’s wing.

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Briatore was given a ban after a race-fixing incident involving Alonso and Piquet Jr. Piquet intentionally crashed in the 2008 Singapore GP to give his teammate the victory. As a result, he was banned until 2010, but he never returned to F1 after the ‘crashgate’ scandal.