He finished almost forty points behind Lewis Hamilton and Felipe Massa's championship battle, but Fernando Alonso was the "best driver in 2008."

That is the belief of David Coulthard, outlined as the newly-retired Grand Prix veteran made a visit to Spain for the Zaragoza Motor Show Festival.

Alonso's Renault was not as good as the contending McLaren and Ferrari last year but "he continued working and eventually achieved two wins at the end of the season," the Scot is quoted as saying by the Diario AS newspaper.

F1 chief executive Bernie Ecclestone is also fully convinced of the performance last year of 27-year-old Alonso, amid speculation he may in the future switch to Ferrari.


Ecclestone said on a visit to Valencia that the Spaniard is "one of the world's best drivers who should one day demonstrate his quality with Ferrari."

Spaniard and world number one tennis player Rafael Nadal, who early on Monday morning won the Australian open in Melbourne, agrees.

"Ferrari should have the best driver in the world, and that is Fernando," the 22-year-old said.

© CAPSIS International
Source: GMM

This is bound to stir some rants from all the Alonso haters on ts

 

The way I see it, Kimi is now the official test driver for the trotting pony's making sure the car is ready for Alonso in 2010. Alontho will abtholutely thmath Matha (a little Philippe lingo) in the same car. That's not to say I am a huge Alonso fan but a Renault in the top podium step, I'm still pissed at rookie move Alonso for blatantly ignoring the yellow flags in Brazil after Webber's huge shunt in the Jaguar ('03). And on that note, how does Ford take over Stewart, the 4th place constructor, and manage such a colossal Lehman Bro.? Oh wait...its Ford. Where the hell is Eddie Jordan when you need him?

 

Kimi will win 2009.

 

It is necessary for F1 to try to create more competition by pumping up Alonso. He is a two-time champ and you can't take it from him. But I think that calling him the "best" is a bit of a stretch.

 

He is a fantastic driver and did wonders for Renault towards the end of the season, but I just don't see him keeping up with Massa and Hamilton. At least not until Alonso is in a red car. Alonso is just good enough to keep this season interesting though.