James Hinchcliffe (IndyCar Race Winner and Analyst): Judging a racing driver’s talents is more durable than another sort of athlete utilizing quantitative knowledge. There are such a lot of components past the motive force’s management that it makes direct evaluation fairly difficult. What number of wins or titles one has usually doesn’t inform the complete story.
I’ve all the time thought the truest measure of a driver is how their fellow drivers price them. If you happen to had been to ballot not simply the F1 paddock, however skilled motorsports globally, Alonso’s identify would come up on many ‘high’ lists, mine included. His automobile management, race craft, relentless work ethic, versatility throughout a number of disciplines and at instances savage need to win make him somebody many admire and respect.
From the early days at Minardi, to the giant-killing efforts of his 2005 and 2006 titles, to just about bringing a championship again to Ferrari, I’ve loved watching his mastery of motorsport in F1 and past. And no success stands out to me as a lot as his 2005 triumph at Imola in a Herculean battle with Michael Schumacher.
As he approaches this milestone four-hundredth Grand Prix, one thinks not solely of his successes, but in addition of his close to misses and ill-timed arrival at groups, and hopes that the brand new and improved Newey-penned Aston Martin can ship him the lengthy awaited – and far deserved – third world title.
