WEC drivers slam Fuji date change for Alonso

  • Published on 12 Feb 2018 09:23
  • comments 7
  • By: Rob Veenstra

Other drivers have hit out at a calendar tweak that means Fernando Alonso can now contest the full sports car world championship in 2018. Earlier, the McLaren driver looked set to skip the Fuji round of the world endurance series due to a clash with a grand prix.

But series organisers have now moved the Fuji date -- making it clash instead with races that affect other drivers on the world endurance circuit. "It's a shame that a race is changed for one driver when the change hurts so many other drivers who have contracts in place," Alonso's former teammate Jenson Button, now a Super GT driver in Japan, said on Twitter.

Sports car driver Olivier Pla added: "Many thanks WEC, your lack of consideration and respect for the drivers who had a contract the same weekend is unbelievable. I'm sure I will be not the only one to be (not) impressed with what you did."

And Andre Lotterer said: "Wouldn't it have been a lot easier for everyone if Alonso would just miss a F1 race? Is that going to change much for him?"

denis1304

Posts: 284

it's a bitch when some "outsider" have more sway then you...

  • 1
  • Feb 12 2018 - 10:27

Replies (7)

Login to reply
  • denis1304

    Posts: 284

    it's a bitch when some "outsider" have more sway then you...

    • + 1
    • Feb 12 2018 - 10:27
  • They should keep him in there. who will miss him?

    • + 0
    • Feb 12 2018 - 14:16
    • He's the second most popular driver on the grid, so yeah...

      • + 1
      • Feb 12 2018 - 14:39
  • f1dave

    Posts: 782

    Lotterer is right.

    • + 0
    • Feb 12 2018 - 15:30
  • RacetoWin

    Posts: 95

    There is no way that changing a date for Fenando Alonso should be allowed when the Date is changed to replace the Petit Lemans race with the WEc event.

    Many WEc racers and teams cherish the petit lemans race and this temporary rookie driver is already being a bad apple to the bunch.

    If toyota announces that this is their final year and fenando's car is not within the needed points to take the title than its a possibility that he doesn't even show up to Fuji, that is why this should not be changed, this should not be at the loss of petit lemans.

    either way, teams might just ditch fuji just to race at road atlanta.

    i hope japanese fans throw eggs at fenando just to show their mood towards him as he has constantly hit out at the japanese culture that according him and mclaren was too slow.

    • + 1
    • Feb 12 2018 - 16:11
    • The irony is that he actually likes Japanese culture, or at least at glance. He even has a Samurai tattooed on his back.

      • + 0
      • Feb 12 2018 - 16:23
  • Oh please... they will all benefit from having Alonso around. It will bring a lot of new viewers to WEC simply because he is there. Yes... it was distasteful the way they did it, but it's not like a last minute change either. There are several months to make whatever changes needed to be made. Faux outrage is a pretty popular sport this days.

    • + 0
    • Feb 13 2018 - 17:28

BE Grand Prix of Belgium

Local time 

BE Grand Prix of Belgium

Local time 

World Championship standings 2023

Show full world champion standings

Test calendar

See full test schedule

Related news

Give your opinion!

Will Bottas challenge Hamilton for the world championship in 2020?

Formula 1 Calendar - 2023

Date
Grand Prix
Circuit
-
Bahrain
3 - Mar 5
Bahrain
17 - Mar 19
Saudi Arabia
31 - Apr 2
Australia
28 - Apr 30
Azerbaijan
5 - May 7
United States of America
19 - May 21
Italy
26 - May 28
Monaco
2 - Jun 4
Spain
16 - Jun 18
Canada
30 - Jul 2
Austria
7 - Jul 9
United Kingdom
21 - Jul 23
Hungary
28 - Jul 30
Belgium
25 - Aug 27
Netherlands
1 - Sep 3
Italy
15 - Sep 17
Singapore
22 - Sep 24
Japan
20 - Oct 22
United States of America
27 - Oct 29
Mexico
3 - Nov 5
Brazil
17 - Nov 19
United States of America
24 - Nov 26
United Arab Emirates
See full schedule

Formula 1 Calendar - 2023

Date
Grand Prix & Circuit
3 - Mar 5
17 - Mar 19
Saudi Arabia Jeddah Street Circuit
31 - Apr 2
Australia Albert Park
28 - Apr 30
Azerbaijan Baku City Circuit
5 - May 7
United States of America Miami International Autodrome
19 - May 21
26 - May 28
Monaco Monte Carlo
2 - Jun 4
16 - Jun 18
30 - Jul 2
Austria Red Bull Ring
7 - Jul 9
United Kingdom Silverstone
21 - Jul 23
Hungary Hungaroring
28 - Jul 30
25 - Aug 27
Netherlands Circuit Zandvoort
1 - Sep 3
Italy Monza
15 - Sep 17
22 - Sep 24
20 - Oct 22
United States of America Circuit of the Americas
27 - Oct 29
3 - Nov 5
Brazil Interlagos
17 - Nov 19
United States of America Las Vegas Street Circuit
24 - Nov 26
United Arab Emirates Yas Marina Circuit
See full schedule

Driver profile

  • Team Alpine F1
  • Points 326
  • Podiums 3
  • Grand Prix 124
  • Country Spain
  • Date of b. Jul 29 1981 (41)
  • Place of b. Oviedo, Spain
  • Weight 68 kg
  • Length 1.71 m
Show full profile

Team profile

Show full profile
show sidebar