To Celebrate Fernando Alonso's 314th and last Grand Prix start coming up at this weekends Abu Dhabi Grand Prix were he becomes the second driver in history to complete over 314 Grand Prixs. To celebrate this, this post is the top six best Fernando Alonso F1 drives of all time. There were so many races to choose from, if there any races I have missed this is only my opinion folks.
Starting with number 6:
Number 6: 2001 Japanese Grand Prix
Story: In a very underpowered Minardi, Fernando Alonso was the third-youngest driver ever to start a Formula 1 race when he made his debut for Minardi in 2001. During the final round of the season at Suzuka, where he out-qualified both Arrows drivers and the Prost of Tomáš Enge to start in eighteenth place. He went on to he finished in eleventh place, ahead of likes of Heinz-Harald Frentzen in the Prost, the BAR of Olivier Panis, the two Arrows and his team-mate Alex Yoong, even Minardi team manager Paul Stoddart, described his race as "53 laps of qualifying". Now that's an impressive season with the worse car on the grid that season.
Number 5: 2005 San Marino Grand Prix
Story: Alonso started second on the grid behind Kimi Räikkönen in the McLaren, by lap 9 Räikkönen retired with driveshaft problems giving Alonso. It wasn't plain-sailing for Alonso, with Michael Schumacher doing an overtaking master-class starting from thirteenth place, with thirteen laps to go Schumacher was in second place catching upto Alonso. It was went to an overtaking master-class from Schumacher to a defensive master-class from Alonso maintained his composure and prevent the reigning world champion from passing to win the San Marino Grand Prix, show signs Alonso can be world champion that season.
Number 4: 2013 Spanish Grand Prix
Story: Alonso started in fifth place, usually at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya you need to be on the front row to win at Spain. But, not Alonso, at the start he overtake both Kimi Räikkönen and Lewis Hamilton at the start at Turn 3, overtake Sebastian Vettel at the first pits stops. By lap 12 Alonso overtake Nico Rosberg for the lead of the race, Alonso was unchallenged for the rest of the race to win the Spanish Grand Prix for Alonso thirty-second win and last Grand Prix in Alonso F1 career.
Number 3: 2010 Italian Grand Prix
Story: On pole at Monza for Alonso's first race as a Ferrari driver in Italy, But, Jenson Button used his audacious strategy of running an unusually large rear wing on his McLaren to grab the lead, with Alonso trying to overtake Button lap after lap, by lap 36 Alonso overtake Button at the pit stops, by lap 38 Alonso took the lead, despite Button tried to overtake Alonso him again, it was Alonso to win the Italian Grand Prix.
Number 2: 2007 European Grand Prix (Nurburgring)
Story: Alonso started second on the grid behind Kimi Räikkönen in the Ferrari, it was dry to wet to dry to wet race, other words one chaotic race. It was race between Fernando Alonso and Felipe Massa with Massa leading when the rain return at the end of lap 52, by lap 56 Alonso came into its own and he passed Massa in dramatic fashion around the outside at turn five to win the European Grand Prix at the Nurburgring.
Number 1: 2012 European Grand Prix (Valencia)
Story: Alonso started in eleventh place after a bad qualifying. In a hot and dry European Grand Prix, he had nothing to lose and everything to gain in this race show us an overtaking master-class, by the first lap Alonso was eighth, overtaking the likes of Michael Schumacher and Mark Webber. By lap 27 the safety car appeared, which lead Alonso overtake Lewis Hamilton in the pits, when the safety car went in Alonso overtake Romain Grosjean to take second behind Sebastian Vettel. By lap 33 Alonso took the lead when Vettel's Alternator broke, giving Fernando Alonso a race win at home.
To give the 2012 European Grand Prix the best Fernando Alonso his greatest drive in Formula 1. Happy 314th Grand Prix to one of the sports greatest ambassador Fernando Alonso.
It was announce yesterday (22/11/18) that McLaren driver Stoffel Vandoorne will be Mercedes's development driver during the 2019 season.
Vandoorne will be the teams test driver and will focus on car development in the simulator, and will now move across to Mercedes, in providing support to Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas. Alongside his Formula E racing programme with the HWA(Mercedes) team that he sign a few weeks ago.
Vandoorne made his Grand Prix debut in F1 in 2017 with McLaren, after many seasons as one of their junior drivers. But having struggled to deliver consistent form, Vandoorne being replaced by Lando Norris for next season at McLaren after two seasons at the team.
It's been confirmed on Thursday (23/11/18) on the eve of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, that former BMW Sauber and Renault driver Robert Kubica will race with the Williams F1 Team for the 2019 Formula 1 season, completing a remarkable comeback eight years after a rally accident that nearly killed him.
The former Grand Prix winner suffered a partially severed right arm among many other injuries in the crash and still has partial movement in that limb.
Kubica has been a test driver this season with the team, after losing out to the drive this season to Sergey Sirotkin.
Kubica was also understood to have had a firm offer from Ferrari to take up a development role with the Italian team for 2019. Instead opted to race next season with Williams.
Kubica will partner 2017 GP3 Series Champion, Formula 2 Championship leader and current Mercedes reserve driver George Russell at Williams next season. While, Sirotkin is out of a drive after a poor season with the team, while Lance Stroll is more than likely off to Force India next season.
Overall, happy to see Robert Kubica back racing in Formula 1 next season. It was strongly rumoured from the start of this week that Kubica already signed a deal to drive at Williams next season.
Predictions for this weekends Formula 1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix at Yas Marina Circuit outside of Abu Dhabi for the final round of the 2018 Formula 1 season.
So predictions for the race itself, for the win, I predict that, Valtteri Bottas for the win in the Mercedes, Lewis Hamilton second in the other Mercedes, and Max Verstappen third in the Red Bull. Don't forget Daniel Ricciardo, the Ferrari drivers, the Force India drivers, and the Renault drivers as well for a podium place.
Review of Round Ten of the 2018 World Touring Car Cup season was the Guia Race of Macau, at Guia Circuit, Macau, South-East of China.
In the first race, Audi Sport Leopard Lukoil Team WRT driver Jean-Karl Vernay took the race win in his Audi RS3 LMS TCR. Second was M Racing YMR driver Yvan Muller in his Hyundai i30 N TCR, he was five tenths of a second behind Vernay in the end. While third place was Sébastien Loeb Racing driver Robert Huff in his Volkswagen Golf GTI TCR, he was eight tenths of a second behind Vernay in the end.
Meanwhile in the second race, Audi Sport Team Comtoyou driver Frédéric Vervisch took the race win in his Audi RS3 LMS TCR. Second was ALL-INKL.COM Münnich Motorsport driver Timo Scheider in his Honda Civic Type R TCR (FK8), he was seventeen tenths of a second behind Vervisch in the end. While third place was M Racing YMR driver Yvan Muller in his Hyundai i30 N TCR, he was two seconds behind Vervisch in the end.
Finally in the third race, ALL-INKL.COM Münnich Motorsport driver Esteban Guerrieri took the race win in his Honda Civic Type R TCR (FK8). Second was Sébastien Loeb Racing driver Robert Huff in his Volkswagen Golf GTI TCR, he was two and half seconds behind Guerrieri in the end. While third place was BRC Racing Team driver Norbert Michelisz in his Hyundai i30 N TCR, he was three and half seconds behind Guerrieri in the end.
Meanwhile BRC Racing Team driver Gabriele Tarquini finished tenth place in his Hyundai i30 N TCR, he was eight seconds behind Guerrieri in the end. That was enough for Gabriele Tarquini to win the WTCR Drivers' Champion and becoming 2018 WTCR Drivers' Champion to beat Yvan Muller by three points. Contractions to Gabriele Tarquini for winning this years title.
And so this years champions in WTCR, WTCR Drivers' Champion: Gabriele Tarquini. And WTCR Teams' Championship: M Racing-YMR.
Review of Round Five of the 2018/19 FIA World Endurance Championship at Shanghai International Circuit on the outskirts of Shanghai, China.
The Toyota Gazoo Racing team won the race overall and the LMP1 class too of Mike Conway, Kamui Kobayashi and José María López in their Toyota TS050 Hybrid, Toyota 2.4 L Turbo V6. While, second place was the other Toyota Gazoo Racing to complete a Toyota one-two finish, with the team of Sébastien Buemi, Kazuki Nakajima and Fernando Alonso in their Toyota TS050 Hybrid, Toyota 2.4 L Turbo V6; they were two seconds behind the leaders at the end of the race. Meanwhile, third place was the SMP Racing of Mikhail Aleshin, Vitaly Petrov and Jenson Button in their BR Engineering BR1, AER P60B 2.4 L Turbo V6; they were a lap behind the leaders at the end of the race.
While in GTE Pro class, was won by Aston Martin Racing team of Marco Sørensen and Nicki Thiim won in their Aston Martin Vantage AMR. They finish in seventh place overall and they were four laps behind the leaders at the end of the race.
In LMP2 class (all cars using the Gibson 4.2 L V8 engine), Jackie Chan DC Racing team of Ho-Pin Tung, Gabriel Aubry and Stéphane Richelmi in their Oreca 07 won LMP2 class. They finish in eighth place overall and they were four laps behind the leaders at the end of the race.
While in GTE Am class, was won by Dempsey-Proton Racing team of Matt Campbell, Christian Ried and Julien Andlauer in their Porsche 911 RSR. They finish in twenty-first place overall and they were five laps behind the leaders at the end of the race.
Highlights of the 6 Hours of Shanghai below, enjoy.
Next Stop 1000 Miles of Sebring in seventeen weeks time for round six of the FIA World Endurance Championship.
Review of round nineteen and the final round of the 2018 MotoGP season at Circuit Ricardo Tormo, Valencia for the Valencia GP.
In the MotoGP race (V-twin, V4, or Inline-four 1000cc four stroke class), that was won by Ducati Team rider Andrea Dovizioso on his works Ducati Desmosedici GP18.
Second place was Team Suzuki Ecstar rider Álex Rins on his works Suzuki GSX-RR, he was three seconds behind Dovizioso at the end.
While, third was Red Bull KTM Factory Racing rider Pol Espargaró on his works KTM RC16, he was seven seconds behind Dovizioso at the end.
In the Moto2 race (Inline-four 600 cc four-stroke class), that race was won by Red Bull KTM Ajo rider Miguel Oliveira on the KTM.
Second was Swiss Innovative Investors rider Iker Lecuona on the KTM, he was thirteen seconds behind Oliveira at the end. While, third was EG 0,0 Marc VDS rider Álex Márquez on the Kalex, he was twenty-two seconds behind Oliveira at the end.
While in the Moto3 race (single-cylinder 250 cc four-stroke class), that race was won by Red Bull KTM Ajo rider Can Öncü in his KTM. Second was Del Conca Gresini Racing Moto3 and current Moto3 Champion rider Jorge Martín on the Honda, he was four seconds behind Öncü at the end of the race. While, third was CIP - Green Power rider John McPhee on the KTM, he was over six seconds behind Öncü at the end of the race.
And so who won what in which class, MotoGP Champion: Marc Márquez, MotoGP Manufacturers' Champion: Honda, MotoGP Teams' Champion: Repsol Honda Team. Moto2 Champion: Francesco Bagnaia, Moto2 Manufacturers' Champion: Kalex, Moto2 Teams' Champion: Red Bull KTM Ajo. Moto3 Champion: Jorge Martín, Moto3 Manufacturers' Champion: Honda and Moto3 Teams' Champion: Del Conca Gresini Moto3.
