I really have no problem with Alonso moving on, but why announce it now, what is the benefit? There isn't one. Now, does
 |
| How does Alonso's early announcement affect relationships with McLaren drivers Kimi and Juan? (Photo: McLaren Mercedes) |
he not fight with Kimi Raikkonen so hard this upcoming season, knowing that he will likely be his teammate in 2007? Does Renault start 'regulating' his testing, so he doesn't take critical knowledge with him to McLaren? Do the mechanics really go all out to make him win, or do they put there efforts behind his teammate? What about his sponsors and the press? Will we all see the 'soon to be McLaren' Alonso reference used by mid-season? All these are questions that didn't need to be answered at the moment, if they could just have signed him and kept it quiet until the appropriate time, which, of course, would have been the end of the 2006 season.
On
 |
| Renault team boss, and also Alonso's manager, Flavio Briatore, issaying he's out of the negotiating loop, but for most it is hard toimagine the extroverted Italian uninvolved at such a crucial time. (Photo: Renault) |
the other side, the deal is 'very' Formula 1. Let me explain. You see, Flavio Briatore, the boss at Renault, is also Alonso's personal manager. Managers normally negotiate contracts for their drivers, so it would be hard to fathom just how this all worked out. Briatore says he didn't know of the Alonso deal, and issued this statement: "I was at no time directly or indirectly involved in the conduct of these negotiations." The Italian team leader added, "Fernando made a personal decision that his future lies outside the Renault team when his current contract expires at the end of 2006. He contacted, and negotiated with McLaren at his own instigation."
