Fernando Alonso refuels his Formula One desire as part of a slower Renault team

A straw poll in the Hockenheim paddock delivered a forgotten conclusion: that Fernando Alonso is the best driver in Formula One. Steely determination: Fernando Alonso is earning plaudits for his driving this season Photo: Getty Images Memories were jogged, perhaps, by his scintillating lap in qualifying in a car struggling to hang on to its status as a constituent of Formula One's second tier. Of those canvassed, Alonso's was the name that rang out above the claims of F1 supernova Lewis Hamilton and world champion Kimi Raikkonen. We should point out that the midfield does not bear the same scrutiny as the leading pack. Mistakes are buried in anonymity. Put a wheel off line when chasing victory and the wrath of experts explodes like a cluster bomb. The memory, too, has been kind to Alonso. His handling, or that of his... [read full story]