Alonso and McLaren agree to part ways

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By Pablo Elizalde Friday, November 2nd 2007, 11:51 GMT


Two-time world champion Fernando Alonso will not drive for the McLaren Mercedes team next season after getting out of his contract, Spanish media reported on Friday.

The Spaniard, who had joined the British squad from Renault this year, had signed a three-year deal with McLaren, but his relationship with the squad and team boss Ron Dennis deteriorated badly throughout the season.

The problems at McLaren led Alonso and his management to try and find a way out of the team, and a deal was finally agreed on Friday, top Spanish papers reported on Friday.

They said Alonso will not have to pay any money for his exit.

McLaren were unavailable for comment.

"Everything has ended up well," Alonso's manager Luis Garcia Abad told Spanish media.

The Spaniard has been linked with several teams in recent weeks, including Renault, Williams, Red Bull and Toyota.

Alonso finished in third place in this year's standings behind Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen and McLaren teammate Lewis Hamilton.

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Alonso 'free to sign for any team'

By Alan Baldwin Friday, November 2nd 2007, 15:06 GMT


The race to sign up Fernando Alonso swept into overdrive on Friday after McLaren formally ended their troubled relationship with the double world champion.

Alonso's manager Luis Garcia Abad told Spanish media the Formula One driver was "free to sign for any team next season" and there will be no shortage of offers for the 26-year-old Spaniard.

His former employers Renault, led by flamboyant Italian Flavio Briatore, have already made it very clear that they want him back.

However, the French team may not be Alonso's first choice, even if they are prepared to pay the many millions he will surely demand as the hottest property on the market.

Renault, who took him to titles in 2005 and 2006 and have yet to confirm their driver line-up for 2008, were miles off the pace this year and there are no guarantees their new car will be any better.

Asked 10 days ago if that remained his favoured option, Alonso told Spain's Cadena Ser radio station: "No, right now I'd say no".

Toyota, with one of the biggest budgets in the paddock, have a declared vacancy following the departure of Germany's Ralf Schumacher.

But the Cologne-based team have yet to win a Grand Prix, let alone mount a serious championship challenge, since their debut in 2002.

Ferrari would be the most attractive proposition but they have newly-crowned world champion Kimi Raikkonen and Brazilian Felipe Massa under contract to the end of 2009 and 2010 respectively.

Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo lauded the Spaniard last week, calling him "world class in every sense, an extraordinary driver" but that does not mean Alonso is Maranello-bound any time soon.

"I have to disappoint all of Fernando's fans - I don't think anything will happen in that direction in the next three years," Ferrari's former champion Michael Schumacher said last week.

BMW Sauber, runners-up to Ferrari in the championship after leaders McLaren were stripped of all their points after a spying controversy, also have plenty of potential.

The German team are targeting wins in 2008 but have Germany's Nick Heidfeld and Poland's Robert Kubica under contract.

Red Bull, with Renault engines and top designer Adrian Newey, are bankrolled by Austrian billionaire Dietrich Mateschitz and have big ambitions.

They have been talked of increasingly as a potential short-term home for the Spaniard before he focuses on broader opportunities from 2009.

Red Bull have Mark Webber and Briton David Coulthard under contract for 2008 but the Australian is managed by Renault's Briatore and could find himself caught up in the merry-go-round.

That same driver shuffle, according to paddock pundits, could also see Renault's young Finnish rookie Heikki Kovalainen head to McLaren.

Williams, former champions and more competitive than Red Bull this season, have also been mentioned - particularly if their highly-rated German Nico Rosberg takes the Spaniard's place at McLaren.

The Toyota-powered team have a vacancy, with Austrian Alexander Wurz retiring, but have not won a race since 2004 and would have to dig deep into limited resources to secure a driver of Alonso's standing.

After the mutual split with McLaren, the decision will be Alonso's to make and he will want to do it with more calm than he has had in recent months.

"I have some idea of what I want to do, a plan or a hope," he told Spain's Telecinco at the weekend. "I know what I'd like to do next year but I don't know if it's possible."

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McLaren have announced that former world champion Fernando Alonso is to leave the team, after both parties agreed to a ?mutual parting of ways?. Alonso, who joined the British squad from Renault at the start of 2007, did have two years left to run on his contract.

The statement released on Friday revealed that, after discussions, it had been decided ?it would be in the best interests of both parties to bring the relationship to an end?.

Although Alonso won four races during the 2007 season, and finished third in the championship battle, relations between the Spaniard and McLaren had become increasingly strained in recent months.

?He is a great driver but for some reason the combination of Vodafone McLaren Mercedes and Fernando has not really worked out, and in the end we reached a stage where none of us could find a way to move forward," explained McLaren team principal Ron Dennis. "We all believe that our joint decision to part company is for the best, and we will now continue to focus on our 2008 world championship challenge.

?Everybody at Vodafone McLaren Mercedes, especially McLaren?s Spanish Partners Banco Santander and Mutua Madrilena and the team?s title partner Vodafone, want to wish Fernando all the best for the future,?

For his part, Alonso said that, although he never really felt at home at McLaren, he still believed they were a great squad.

?Since I was a boy I had always wanted to drive for McLaren, but sometimes in life things do not work out," explained the 26 year-old. "I continue to believe that McLaren is a great team. Yes, we have had our ups and downs during the season, which has made it extra-challenging for all of us, and it is not a secret that I never really felt at home.

?I know there have been suggestions of favouritism within the team and people say a lot of things in the heat of battle, but in the end I was always provided with an equal opportunity to win. Today?s decision allows all of us to focus on 2008, and I wish the team, Vodafone, Banco Santander, Mutua Madrilena and all the other team partners who I have worked closely with during the year, the best for the future.?

The team also revealed that an announcement on Alonso?s replacement would be made in due course.

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After a turbulent season, McLaren Mercedes today confirmed that double world champion Fernando Alonso will not race with the team in 2008. The following is a press release from the team.

Following a meeting between Fernando Alonso and McLaren, it was agreed that it would be in the best interests of both parties to bring the relationship to an end.

The mutual parting of ways has not been discussed until now, since it was felt that any such discussion could have seriously disrupted the team?s and Fernando?s 2007 Formula 1 World Championship challenge. Both parties believe that this was the right decision.

Fernando Alonso
?Since I was a boy I had always wanted to drive for McLaren, but sometimes in life things do not work out. I continue to believe that McLaren is a great team. Yes, we have had our ups and downs during the season, which has made it extra-challenging for all of us, and it is not a secret that I never really felt at home. I know there have been suggestions of favouritism within the team and people say a lot of things in the heat of battle, but in the end I was always provided with an equal opportunity to win. 
"

"Today?s decision allows all of us to focus on 2008, and I wish the team, Vodafone, Banco Santander, Mutua Madrile?a and all the other team Partners who I have worked closely with during the year, the best for the future.?

Ron Dennis
?Everybody at Vodafone McLaren Mercedes, especially McLaren?s Spanish Partners Banco Santander and Mutua Madrile?a and the team?s title partner Vodafone, want to wish Fernando all the best for the future. He is a great driver but for some reason the combination of Vodafone McLaren Mercedes and Fernando has not really worked out, and in the end we reached a stage where none of us could find a way to move forward."

"We all believe that our joint decision to part company is for the best, and we will now continue to focus on our 2008 World Championship challenge.?

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Renault wait to hear from Alonso

By Michele Lostia and Biranit Goren Saturday, November 3rd 2007, 14:39 GMT


Renault have made Fernando Alonso an offer to return to the squad with which he won the 2005 and 2006 world titles, team chief Flavio Briatore confirmed.

"Let's see what happens from here to Tuesday," the Italian told Gazzetta dello Sport. "I have presented a project for the future to Fernando. If his desires coincide with ours, it can happen."

Briatore has confirmed speculations that Alonso and Renault disagree on the length of the Spaniard's contract, as he seeks to sign for just one season - leaving him free for 2009.

"I know how much he can still give Renault, but an agreement for one year would have no sense with an outlook projected for a period of time," Briatore added.

The Spanish driver ended his troubled season-long relationship with McLaren on Friday, creating an unusual situation of a lively drivers market this late in the year.

So far, Alonso has been linked with Renault, Williams, Toyota and most recently with Red Bull Racing. And Dietrich Mateschitz, Red Bull owner, would not rule any option out.

"Let's see how things go," he told the newspaper. "[David] Coulthard and [Mark] Webber are 100% our drivers for 2008. But there's nothing certain in F1, only things that are very probable."

Alonso's former teammate at Renault Jarno Trulli revealed Alonso has been in touch with Toyota, giving credence to some rumours that Alonso has asked Toyota to hire former Ferrari technical director Ross Brawn.

"I was immediately informed by phone of the split between Alonso and McLaren," Trulli said. "I know he has spoken to Toyota and has asked for more technicians: it would be great by me..."