Two-time Formula 1 World Driving Champion Fernando Alonso has clearly expressed his wish not to remain with Team McLaren for another season alongside Ron Dennis' protégé, Lewis Hamilton.
Alonso wants to leave the British team. Period. However, his contract with Team McLaren runs until the end of 2008. In hopes to break it, Alonso has made several comments in the press since last summer, subtly suggesting that McLaren has not provided him with equipment of equal quality as his teammate, Lewis Hamilton. If the Spaniard can demonstrate that McLaren has not respected the terms of his contract, he has hopes of breaking it to join another team.
Where could he go? A few months ago, everyone in Formula 1 believed he would return to Renault, where he won his two world titles. This was true until the board of direction of Renault apparently insisted that Alonso should be signed for several seasons (to provide some stability to the race team, and for Renault to benefit from a major marketing program). However, Alonso is not interested at all to sign a long-term contract, simply because the Spaniard desires to join the Scuderia Ferrari as soon as possible.
The problem is that both Ferrari drivers, Kimi Raikkonen and Felipe Massa, are currently under contracts. Since Massa's contract ends next season, Alonso is forced to wait one more year before being able to join the Italian team.
The Toyota F1 team is also interested in signing Alonso. The Japanese automaker is willing to invest a huge sum of money to have Alonso aboard. Their idea is to place a top driver in the cockpit of the Toyota F1 car to have a clear idea of its potential. "If we don't win races with Alonso, we'll never make it," is apparently what is said in Cologne, Germany. So if Toyota cannot score a victory with Alonso behind the wheel, it would be an excellent reason to quit F1. But Toyota, like Renault, wants to sign a long-term agreement with Alonso.
However, recent rumours point in another direction. Fernando Alonso could be heading for Williams for one year only. This solution would arrange Ron Dennis of McLaren who would see his discontented driver join a lesser team rather than going to Renault, Ferrari or Toyota. This would also arrange Toyota since they already provide engines to Williams. Finally, it would also arrange Alonso who would spend only one year with Williams before he could join Ferrari in 2009 if he desires to.
We will know more about Alonso's future very soon.
Alonso wants to leave the British team. Period. However, his contract with Team McLaren runs until the end of 2008. In hopes to break it, Alonso has made several comments in the press since last summer, subtly suggesting that McLaren has not provided him with equipment of equal quality as his teammate, Lewis Hamilton. If the Spaniard can demonstrate that McLaren has not respected the terms of his contract, he has hopes of breaking it to join another team.
Where could he go? A few months ago, everyone in Formula 1 believed he would return to Renault, where he won his two world titles. This was true until the board of direction of Renault apparently insisted that Alonso should be signed for several seasons (to provide some stability to the race team, and for Renault to benefit from a major marketing program). However, Alonso is not interested at all to sign a long-term contract, simply because the Spaniard desires to join the Scuderia Ferrari as soon as possible.
The problem is that both Ferrari drivers, Kimi Raikkonen and Felipe Massa, are currently under contracts. Since Massa's contract ends next season, Alonso is forced to wait one more year before being able to join the Italian team.
The Toyota F1 team is also interested in signing Alonso. The Japanese automaker is willing to invest a huge sum of money to have Alonso aboard. Their idea is to place a top driver in the cockpit of the Toyota F1 car to have a clear idea of its potential. "If we don't win races with Alonso, we'll never make it," is apparently what is said in Cologne, Germany. So if Toyota cannot score a victory with Alonso behind the wheel, it would be an excellent reason to quit F1. But Toyota, like Renault, wants to sign a long-term agreement with Alonso.
However, recent rumours point in another direction. Fernando Alonso could be heading for Williams for one year only. This solution would arrange Ron Dennis of McLaren who would see his discontented driver join a lesser team rather than going to Renault, Ferrari or Toyota. This would also arrange Toyota since they already provide engines to Williams. Finally, it would also arrange Alonso who would spend only one year with Williams before he could join Ferrari in 2009 if he desires to.
We will know more about Alonso's future very soon.