Was Alonso Right To Reject The Mercedes F1 Drive?

Fernando Alonso, McLaren, AGP. (C)

    Even for a fleeting moment, every race driver that's ever pushed anything on four wheels to its limit, has allowed their mind to wonder, "Imagine if I could...." From grass root kart racers competing at club level, through all categories and junior formulae, they've all imagined winning the Formula One World Championship for themselves while donned in their favourite team's colours. How splendid life could be. 
    With a F1 champ as a father, you can bet that's what Nico Rosberg thought when he hopped in his first kart as a youngster. An indeterminable amount of racing laps later he's driving for the all conquering Mercedes team and achieves his dream of winning the F1 championship. The culmination of a lifetime's hard work, sees him not only emulate his father, Keke Rosberg, but renders him top dog of the pnnacle of motorsport. Congatulations Nico Rosberg.
    However, 5 days later, Rosberg announces his retirement. Surprising? Possibly. There are those that say why not retire at the peak of your powers? There are others that say that a champion's biggest challenge is whether they can defend said championship. Either way, it's left one of the most coveted seats in F1 vacant.
      On Mercedes' short list shopping for a driver to partner triple champ, Lewis Hamilton, was the 2005 and 2006 champ Fernando Alonso. Alonso has categorically ruled out joining Mercedes, stating he will fulfil his contract with McLaren. Still widely regarded by many as the best driver in F1, Alonso believes his best chance of securing that elusive third title lies with McLaren. He's driven for all the top teams, but quite often seems to be at the right place at the wrong time. Now though, McLaren have exclusivity with Honda, and were on the ascendency in 2016.
    But will McLaren who are now enduring a management upheaval and restructuring, be able to adapt to the new 2017 regulations and produce a car to mirror Alonso vast talents? More to the point, with new cars in the offing and technical director Paddy Lowe leaving, what guarantee is there that Mercedes will continue their domination? Now it looks almost certain that an announcement will soon be made that Mercedes have orchestrated a release from Williams for the talented Finnish driver, Valtteri Bottas. Would've been intriguing though to see Alonso vs Hamilton again, ten years after their tempestuous rivalry when Hamilton was a rookie.
    The dark horse in all this, or dark bull if you will, is Red Bull Racing. When the regulations change, Red Bull, with design genius Adrian Newey on board, traditionally design a belter.
    Maybe Max Verstappen or Daniel Ricciardo will wonder, "Imagine if I could...."
    

---