When the news broke in 2014 that McLaren would be recreating its iconic engine partnership with Honda, there was the expectation that, in time at least, it would again enjoy the kind of success it experienced in the late 1980s. The woeful past three years have proved that not to be the case but it would be wrong to say that no good has come of the collaboration.
The key to it all is that Fernando Alonso was one of those who believed in the potential of McLaren- Honda. Ferrari was falling fractionally short of the title year after year and Alonso preferred to suffer through the rebirth of the partnership in the immediate future and eventually be in a position to take the championship than being consigned to be perennially second in a prancing horse.
Now it’s abundantly clear that he made the wrong choice, and three years of engine failures, retirements and trundling around at the back has left McLaren in a difficult position. They had managed to secure the man who is widely believed to the best driver on the grid but had no way to exploit his talent.
Alonso was its greatest asset and Zac Brown couldn’t risk him walking. The agreement they came to was that Alonso would be allowed to compete in the 2017 Indianapolis 500. And he would be allowed to miss the Monaco Grand Prix for it. It was revolutionary. Bernie Ecclestone would never have allowed it. How could Alonso disrespect the so-called pinnacle of motorsport in this way? It was the biggest story of the year.
Now it has been announced that Alonso will participate in the World Endurance Championship ‘superseason’ with Toyota. He will be competing at least 26 times in 2018 including a run of five consecutive weekends culminating in Le Mans during the summer.
Of course in years gone by this was the norm. In the 1960s and 70s drivers would frequently participate in non- championship events, endurance races and pop over to the US for the Indianapolis 500. Drivers would even combine Formula 1 and 2 campaigns. Every weekend was an opportunity to race and do what they love. How better to prepare for an event than to keep in practice, driving as much as possible?
The F1 calendar has grown exponentially since those days. In 1960 there were only 10 F1 races whereas the 2018 calendar features a record-equalling 21. It’s also true that the press and sponsor commitments on the modern F1 driver are huge. It has been said that to take on a second campaign must mean a driver’s heart isn’t in F1, and to an extent that is undeniable. You wouldn’t have caught Nico Rosberg or Lewis Hamilton nipping over to Le Mans in the midst of their tight 2016 title battle. It would be a distraction at a time when they have their eyes set on one goal and one goal only. But for those 18 or so drivers that aren’t engaged in a title battle the challenge of one-off extra races and the media attention that comes with them could be a good thing.
When Bernie Ecclestone was in charge he aimed to keep F1 as the pinnacle of motorsport and to crush any opposition from other series. After Nico Hulkenberg competed in Le Mans in 2015 – becoming the first active F1 driver to win in 24 years – Ecclestone ensured that the 2016 running would clash with an F1 race to stop other drivers getting ideas.
But it’s 2018 so exit Bernie and enter Liberty Media. It has shown to have a much more relaxed attitude to drivers competing outside of the series. The wind of change is blowing through F1 and is bringing with it opportunities to have goals in the wider world of motorsport. Other series clearly relish the chance to wheel out an F1 driver, with the WEC moving the 2018 Fuji round in order for Alonso to be able to attend without missing an F1 race. This controversial move shows just how big a deal Alonso is to the WEC, with the race now scheduled to clash with Petit Le Mans and leaving many of the other endurance drivers with a tough decision to make.
Alonso fever was rife at last year’s Indy 500 and again at Daytona in January. It introduced fans of the Spaniard to motorsport outside F1, benefiting series and sponsors alike. The live stream of Alonso’s first Indycar test alone received two million views. Having an F1 driver, especially one of Alonso’s magnitude, sat on your grid is the publicity coup dreams are made of. It’s easy to see the appeal for series organisers, promoters and teams. And beyond that, it allows fans to see the cross-discipline talent of their heroes and keeps drivers doing what they love.
Carlos Sainz Jr’s albeit ceremonial participation in Rallye Monte Carlo, Brendon Hartley continuing his WEC commitments with Porsche during his first part-season with Toro Rosso, Pierre Gasly prioritising Super Formula when his racing commitments clashed- the past year has been littered with examples of drivers competing outside F1 beyond Alonso’s exploits.
The McLaren- Honda mess has deprived fans of the opportunity to see the team battling up at the front where it belongs. It’s been a long, hard three years. It hasn’t been enjoyable to watch, but the chance to see Alonso try his hand at a multitude of prestigious events has been very enjoyable indeed. Out of the ashes of the most disastrous of marriages, an opportunity has arisen to relive one the joys of motorsport past.
