Hey Alvaro, how's it going?
Hi Jack, everything is going well.
Looking forward to F1 this year?
I am delighted by the enthusiasm about the society which led us to have such a strong start to the term. I’m excited to see what the future holds for the society and to see Alonso back in an F1 car this season.
How'd you get into F1?
F1 has been something I liked since I was little. My dad is a hardcore F1 fan so the races would always be playing on the TV on Sundays. He would tell me all about the news or developments happening at the time in F1 although I was like 4 and probably didn’t understand half the stuff, but it seems like something stuck because I have been a fan ever since.
What was your top moment as a fan?
It’s hard choosing just one moment. There are so many! Although I was gutted that Alonso didn’t win it, I'm going to go with the 2012 season in general. The fact that there were 4 drivers fighting for the championship made it the most interesting season I have seen. It gave us moments like Alonso's start in Valencia and Kimi’s famous line “Leave me alone, I know what I'm doing”.
Do you think we'll see Alonso in Indycar again at any point? And do you want to see him there?
I think we will and I certainly would love to see him win the Indy 500 and claim the triple crown. He has had bad luck with his attempts so far but I doubt that will discourage him from trying again in the future.
Not sure how good relations are with him and Mclaren still though. Didn't someone else offer him a seat for Indy last year?
From what I have read Zak Brown said he would still like to have Alonso for Indy 2021 if his Renault contract allows it. He got an offer from Andretti last year but the deal did not go through, maybe due to a veto from Honda (still mad about being called a GP2 engine). I think a driver with his experience and accomplishments wouldn’t struggle to get a seat if he wanted to.
They did have a GP2 engine! Do you think part of the reason teams might want to sign him is because of his fame though?
Yes, I would agree it is part of the reason but only because it serves as proof of his skill and experience as a driver. If a driver with two Formula 1 championships and a World Endurance Championship is available to drive for your team wouldn’t you consider it? On the other hand his famous comments and antics have cost him various opportunities like signing for Andretti and have caused some people in the Motorsport world to dislike him but at least those moments created some good memes.
Alright then, how about Grosjean? He's recently bagged himself an Indy drive next year. Is that because of his fanbase or on pure skill?
Yeah I saw that, I'm glad he is getting back to racing so quickly. Grosjean is a driver who has been in F1 for quite some time and has managed to stay amongst the best drivers in the world every year, which definitely shows his skill. Having developed a big fanbase will have also helped him as it will be easier for him to secure sponsorship
Speaking of Haas drivers, what's your thoughts on Mazepin?
I am surprised he kept his seat after the video incident. It highlights how much Haas needs his dad’s money in order for the team to survive. It also surprises me the FIA haven't taken action in this situation but I understand that it is tricky for them to sanction or apply some type of penalty on Mazepin without harming Haas who had no involvement in the incident and I don't believe they should be the ones paying the consequences. I hope Haas finds a way of dealing with the incident as at the moment I don't think he has had as strong repercussions as he should. As a driver I think he is quite reckless and sometimes a danger to the other drivers from what I have seen from F2, I hope he calms down and doesn't cause any more incidents in the future both on and off the track.
How'd you reckon Sainz is going to fare this season? Ferrari needs to get back towards the top, do you reckon they can do it?
I think he can have quite a good season. He has already shown he can match Leclerc’s pace in testing despite that being his first time in a Ferrari. As to how he is going to finish in the championship it is going to depend a lot on Ferrari improving over the winter. I think Ferrari relied a lot on the development of the car during the last season which they could not do due to the development freeze set because of the pandemic. Optimistically, I think those developments along with their improvements can help Ferrari get closer to the top this season.
So do you reckon they'll get back to top 3 then?
I would love to see them up there this year but I think Renault, Mclaren and Aston Martin had a good end to last season so there is going to be a lot of competition for the third place. If not top 3, I hope to see them at least 4th or 5th.
Who do you reckon will be P3 then?
My guess would be Mclaren. They have a solid car and the Mercedes engine will make it even better. If Ricciardo adapts quickly and Norris has another good year, I’m confident they can get third place again, and maybe even have a fight for second with Red Bull.
Do you think Red Bull will struggle to make a title fight?
I think they will close the gap with Mercedes this year as Perez will provide a good amount of points for the team but I still think Mercedes have a significant advantage.
How's the society shaping up so far? Any updates?
We’ve had a great start to the term bearing in mind the society did not exist in Term 1. Thankfully I have a great exec team full of dedicated people which has made the whole process of getting the society up and running not only easy but incredibly enjoyable. We have a lot planned for the future including race viewing parties and a karting event but these events will have to wait until restrictions are eased. For now enjoy our fortnightly socials and make sure to join the society’s fantasy league!
-- Archived from 08/02/2021 --