Alonso secures exit from McLaren

Galen

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/7074737.stm

Former world champion Fernando Alonso is to leave McLaren after negotiating an early release from his contract. McLaren and Alonso have had an acrimonious relationship this season and a McLaren statement said that both parties had "agreed to move on".
Alonso is free to join another team, his agent Luis Garcia Abad told the Spanish media, adding that neither party would pay a financial penalty.
Red Bull and Renault are the favourites to sign him for next season.
And BBC Sport understands Red Bull are the more likely option.
Alonso's relationship with McLaren soured following a series of rows with team boss Ron Dennis this season.
It is not known who would replace Alonso as Lewis Hamilton's team-mate, but Renault's Heikki Kovalainen - in a straight swap with Alonso - and Williams's Nico Rosberg are the favourites.
Alonso finished 2007 tied on points with team-mate Lewis Hamilton and only one adrift of Raikkonen.
He joined the team this season on a three-year contract worth a total of 50 million euro (£34.7m).
But he spent much of his first season at McLaren under a cloud.
Initial misgivings about the level of support McLaren were giving to Hamilton, who was in his debut season this year, soon degenerated into a series of rows with Dennis.
These became public in the course of the spy scandal that rocked the sport this season, when McLaren were fined $100m (£49.2m) and thrown out of the constructors' championship after being found guilty of being in possession of confidential Ferrari documents.
Alonso became central to the row when, in a row with Dennis at the Hungarian Grand Prix in August, he threatened to reveal incriminating e-mails to governing body the FIA.
Although Alonso soon apologised, Dennis had already phoned FIA president Max Mosley himself, starting the chain of events that led to McLaren's punishment.
Following those events, the relationship between Hamilton and Alonso also deteriorated, with both saying they would rather not partner the other again for another season.
Both men later said the antagonism between them had been overplayed by the media.
It has been widely speculated that wherever Alonso ends up next season, it will be for only a year before moving to Ferrari.
Ferrari last month extended Felipe Massa's contract to 2010, which appeared to end the possibility of Alonso joining in 2009 because Raikkonen is also contract to the team for another two years.
But Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo is known to be a fan of Alonso, and said after the conclusion to the championship last month: "Alonso is world-class in every sense.
"I have appreciated very much his sportsmanship. He lost by one point and I believe it wasn't his fault."
It is possible that a vacancy could be made for Alonso by paying up Massa's contract at the end of next season.

Frank Bullitt

Was expected really, i just wonder where he will end up next year, whatever team he goes to though i suspect will have a good season.

Sabre0001

Definately expected although the clause in his contract that he has to join a minor team (according to skysports.com) could throw a spanner in the works! Will make for an interesting 2008 season!

mike65

Hamilton and Button ITV Sport wet themselves.

Mike.

Frank Bullitt

I cant see Mercedes wanting an all English driver line up really.

Sabre0001

Gintonious wrote: »

I cant see Mercedes wanting an all English driver line up really.

Would prevent them giving the british one priority over the foreigner anyway!!! Oooh controversial

Can't see it being Button though regardless...

Catcher86

Rosberg would be their first choice I think. Williams however are saying its going to happen no matter what price is offered.
So its between Kovalainen and Sutil. If Alonso agrees to a Briatore's offer of a contract greater than one year, then it will be a straight swap with Kovalainen.
Red Bull though are the dark horses with Ross Brawn rumoured to be in talks with them.

pburns

Catcher86 wrote: »

Rosberg would be their first choice I think. Williams however are saying its going to happen no matter what price is offered.
So its between Kovalainen and Sutil. If Alonso agrees to a Briatore's offer of a contract greater than one year, then it will be a straight swap with Kovalainen.
Red Bull though are the dark horses with Ross Brawn rumoured to be in talks with them.

My money's on Rosberg. He's proven himself to be a fast and reliable racer, clean cut and a sponsor's dream (clean cut, articulate, good-looking). Plus...he's German so ideal to balance out the British/Teutonic partnership. Williams are possibly holding out for the right price but Keke might not want his boy's image tarnished if he gets whooped bu Hamilton.

Hammy and his daddy will be happy because they raced as team-mates to Rosberg in karts and had the upper hand (or so the British press says).

I'm more excited about a potential Alonso/Brawn partnership at Red Bull (or maybe Toyota)...

Catcher86

pburns wrote: »

... Williams are possibly holding out for the right price but Keke might not want his boy's image tarnished if he gets whooped bu Hamilton.

I have to agree. I think Williams are hagling already, the "he is indenspensable to our cause" kinda a thing, so that they get every penny that they can for him.

pburns wrote: »

Hammy and his daddy will be happy because they raced as team-mates to Rosberg in karts and had the upper hand (or so the British press says).

If I was Hamilton I might be worried. In the '04 F3 series Rosberg beat Hamilton to fourth by two points. (and 3 wins to 1)
Rosberg also won his first season in GP2 and made the jump to F1 a year ahead of Hamilton.

pburns wrote: »

I'm more excited about a potential Alonso/Brawn partnership at Red Bull (or maybe Toyota)...

I think Red Bull have shown enough promise this year to enable this idea of having a good chance of working.
I think would be great for F1 as well.
However I can't see Alonso signing for more than 1 season. It is more than likely that Red Bull will hit more problems with regard reliability. So I doubt that Alonso will be willing to stick around if they are'nt showing enough performance to be front runners.
So if he does sign it will be for 1 year, with an option clause I think.


Going back to the '04 F3 championship that I mentioned. A guy called Jaime Green won it by a country mile, beating Rosberg, Hamilton, Kubica, Sutil.
Fine he might have had a bit more experience, but he is now racing in the DTM series. I am guessing that his chances of F1 are probably gone.
Its well known that money and sponsorship are needed for F1, but when guys like this don't make it, are the best drivers really coming through to F1?
I don't know a lot about Jaime Green, maybe someone else can shed some light on him.
But as a fan of F1 I would hate to think that the best drivers are'nt getting through when F1 is touted as the best racing Formula with the best drivers.