Blog: Fernando Alonso’s Days With McLaren Seems Numbered After Turbulent Season
Sep 26, 2007
McLaren
Flavio Briatore has urged Fernando Alonso and McLaren to part company ahead of the 2008 season.
Amid intense speculation that Renault and Ferrari may now be in a bidding war to secure the services of the disgruntled Spaniard in 2008, Briatore recalled his team’s successful collaboration with Alonso between 2002 and last year that netted back to back drivers’ titles.
Asked about the 26-year-old’s seemingly untenable relationship with McLaren boss Ron Dennis at present, Italian Briatore told Sport Auto: “That is healthy neither for the team nor the driver. EuroSport. yahoo
Fernando Alonso is reportedly off to Ferrari next season in a £20million per year deal, with Felipe Massa tipped to join Toyota.
Alonso’s position at McLaren has become more untenable with the FIA’s confirmation that it was the Spaniard’s emails that resulted in the team being stripped of their 2007 Constructors’ Championship points and handed a £50million fine. And with Ron Dennis admitting that his relationship with his driver is “extremely cold” and that Alonso’s unhappy with the team’s equality policy, the double World Champion’s time at McLaren appears to be running out - and fast. FoxSports.com
Fisichella’s manager, Enrico Zanarini, knows Alonso is key as he said: “It is all very confusing at this moment.
“Everyone is waiting to see where Alonso will race in 2008, and until we know we will just have to wait and see what will happen. “
Speaking to Gazzetta dello Sport, Zanarini added: “We have already talked a lot (with Renault) but everyone is waiting to see whether or not Alonso will leave McLaren. Ian Parkes, SportingLife.com
The U. K. News of the World, cited by Fox Sports, says Alonso, a two-time world champion, is believed to have already accepted a deal worth some $40 million per year that will see him joining Ferrari at the end of this season. No substantiation of this report has come from any of the parties involved. Edmunds.com
