Spanish Sulk bemoans lack of luck, Honda may swoop

Fernando Alonso couldn’t summon up the grace to congratulate Renault team-mate Nelsinho Piquet on his podium finish at Hockenheim. In an interview with Spanish newspaper Diario AS, the ex-world champ made it very clear that Piquet’s shock success was mostly down to luck:

“It was quite a bad weekend for Nelsinho, but suddenly he got a safety car on the best possible lap for him and he is on the podium… This is the safety car lottery. Without luck we can only be aiming for seventh or eighth.”

Translation: why the hell did the rookie catch a break, and not me.

The result in Germany will only strengthen Alonso’s feeling that he can’t stay at Renault in 2009. We thought he might end up at Ferrari next season, but it’s unclear if Spanish bank IMG has signed a deal to sponsor the Scuderia in 2009 or 2010. If it’s the latter, then Alonso might have to spend one more season with Flavio Briatore before he makes the inevitable move to Ferrari.

His other option is Honda. Ross Brawn is desperate to sign Alonso, who is known to be the best development driver on the grid. But Brawn would want a decent commitment from Alonso - one season would not be enough. The Telegraph reports that Brawn and Honda chief suit Nick Fry have told Alonso to name his price. We can believe that.

Honda may not be performing on the track right now, but they have a hell of a lot of cash to play with, and Alonso might just be tempted to pull a ludicrous figure out of the air - and all drivers want to work with the brainy Brawn. Either that, or the Spaniard suffers at Renault for one more season, before he goes to Ferrari in 2010. BMW Sauber might yet surprise us all with a tilt at Alonso, but that’s the least likely scenario.