David Coulthard: “Alonso could take a year out” 

Written by David on December 03rd, 2007 at 7:11 pmLast Update: December 03rd, 2007 at 7:11 pm

David CoulthardDavid Coulthard believes that Fernando Alonso could take a season break from Formula One and return as a champion if he fails to secure a deal with one of the sport’s leading sides. Alonso has been linked with a return to the Renault team where he won two world titles in 2005 and 2006. But the French team face a spying hearing of their own, in Monaco on Thursday, after being accused of possessing confidential McLaren information.

Alonso may think twice about any move to Renault if they suffer a punishment which would affect his chances of winning a third world championship. He also been linked with a move to Red Bull. David Coulthard has insisted he would not be making way for Alonso but did say he could emulate French Formula One great Alain Prost by taking a season off and returning as champion.

“He could take a year out,” Coulthard said in London on Monday at the promotion of the Race of Champions event at Wembley. “I don’t think it would be a problem for him to do that. Prost was the last guy to do that (in 1992), and he came back and won the world championship. If you can get yourself in one of the best two cars then you’ve a great chance of winning a world championship. But we saw this season, to even be in that situation, just how difficult it is to win a title. Even when you have one of the best cars, there are so many things that need to go your way, and you need to make good decisions all the way through.”

Coulthard added that Alonso’s chances of finding a team where he could win next season’s championship were waning. “He doesn’t have the option of McLaren or Ferrari, and based on last season’s performances, they were one of the two winning teams.”

Coulthard though was clear Fernando would not be depriving him of a drive in Formula One next season. “As I have been around the block a few times, my contract specifically states that if there is a world championship then Red Bull has to enter me into it. And why would Fernando leave McLaren to come to Red Bull at this moment in time? If he didn’t enjoy not winning a lot at McLaren, then he is not going to enjoy not winning at Red Bull.”

source: GMM

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