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Jenson Button thinks that Fernando Alonso did the right thing by leaving F1, but holding onto the option that he could return in the future. Alonso will not race in the sport next season, walking away after 17 years involved in the series.
However, the Spaniard has said that he could make a return to the sport should a chance to drive a competitive car comes along. Alonso hasn't had a competitive car for a number of years, failing to win a race in the hybrid era, and also just bagging two podiums since 2014.
When Button left the sport at the end of 2016, he stayed on as McLaren's reserve driver, and made a one-off comeback at the 2017 Monaco Grand Prix, standing in for Indianapolis bound Alonso. And the Briton thinks that Alonso has made the right choice when it comes to leaving the sport.
"It's always down to the individual when they choose to leave Formula 1," Button said. "He has done the same thing as what I chose to do - leave but leave it open, for one year after, to go back. I think that's the right option to do.
"And if the McLaren's quick and it's winning races, he'll be back to Formula 1, definitely. Every driver in the world would love to be in a winning car in Formula 1. You retire, I think, because you get bored of the travel and the stress of it, and if your results aren't there, there's no reason to be there. If the car is quick, I'm sure he'd want to jump back in in 2020."
Grand Prix of Belgium
G. Zhou
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I've wondered the same thing Button mentioned... From the beginning it didn't seem like a clean retirement. Particularly considering how well Alonso is driving. It's hard to tell because he's in a midfield car, but some argue he is still in his prime. I'd say that his driving ability seems as solid as it always was, but the main improvement is on managing his emotions and relationships.