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Greedy Fernando Alonso’s Disastrous $39 Million Move Slammed for Ruining a Career Destined for Greatness: “Could Have Gone a Different Route”

Published Mar 24, 2023 | 6:00 AM EDT

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Getting older doesn’t necessarily make you wise. So was the case with Fernando Alonso when he was in his mid-30s and moved to McLaren after a five-year-long stint with Ferrari. Many experts mark that as the turning point in the Spaniard’s career; despite all his greatness and prowess, he could only win the driver’s championship twice. His glittering career, however, after his departure from Formula 1 in 2019, has been revived, thanks to a wise decision.

Fernando Alonso signed for McLaren and banked $39 million in 2015, a career move that was heavily influenced by money. This also meant that he was the highest-earning driver on the grid! What happened next is something we are familiar with. Now, to stay in Formula 1, the driver took a hefty pay cut because he believes in the project. So, one can only imagine if the Spaniard hadn’t gone for the money during his prime years, how more successful he’d have been in his career.

via Reuters

Commenting upon the revival of his career with the 100th F1 podium and the overall career of Alonso, Eddie Jordan, as quoted by OLBG, said, “I actually blame him for not winning four, six or maybe even eight-time world champion, he should have picked his teams better. In his 30s, Alonso went for the money when he could have gone a different route. Now he’s come back to the understanding that he has a team around him that has enough to make the car finish well, but he won’t beat the Red Bulls. I believe he will win races this year.”

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Fernando Alonso’s greed turned the trajectory of his career, as he was left scrambling for points in the middle of his career. Nonetheless, the old one eventually became wise.

Suggested target for Fernando Alonso

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The mighty Red Bulls have been untouchable so far this season. Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez have delivered as the team asked them to, with Fernando Alonso racing behind at his best. But, to climb higher, Eddie Jordan suggests that Alonso must have faith in his car, as he has shown, and go more frequently to see Sergio Perez.

via Reuters

He said, “If I was Alonso, I’d be targeting Perez and seeing how to get into his space and head. It was a very good start from Alonso, but Perez made a great move and pulled away, despite the fact Alonso was desperate to hold onto the DRS. Alonso got whipped by an unbelievable Red Bull car…”

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Aston Martin will have a hard time keeping up with Red Bull. With Fernando Alonso chasing closely behind, Red Bull, too, will be eager to make the developments faster than they’d initially planned.

Written by:

Manan Goel

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Manan Goel is a Formula 1 author at EssentiallySports. As a literature student at Delhi University, he had been a geek for fiction and a nerd for sports. He claims Sebastian Vettel was his first love after seeing him at the Indian Grand Prix, and he has been a fan of the sport and Red Bull ever since.
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Edited by:

Varunkumaar Chelladurai