Alonso to blame for bad career choices - Rosberg

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Fernando Alonso only has himself to blame for his prolonged winless period, says reigning world champion Nico Rosberg.

The Spaniard failed to secure a third world championship title during his five-year stint with Ferrari, and then moved on to McLaren-Honda hoping for greener pastures.

Ultimately, Alonso found nothing but arid hills at the Woking-based outfit however.

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Asked in Suzuka, where he was working for Sky F1, to comment on Alonso's "bad luck", Nico Rosberg said: "It's not bad luck".

"It's not bad luck when you choose the wrong teams to be at, because that's all part of being a top driver.

"You can be the best driver in the world, but you won't win in a bad car," the German added.

Rosberg believes Alonso's only viable choice for 2018 is to remain at McLaren.

"It's his only option," said the former Mercedes driver who doesn't think a Le Mans endeavour contemplated by Alonso offers much of a challenge compared to F1.

"It's not Formula 1 -- and Formula 1 is the maximum."

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.