|
Title: [F1] Bye Bye Alonso Post by: Batch on Friday, November 2, 2007, 13:03:32 http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/formula_one/7074737.stm
Quote Former world champion Fernando Alonso has left McLaren after negotiating an early release from his contract. McLaren and Alonso have had an acrimonious relationship this season and a team statement said that both parties had "agreed to move on". Alonso is free to join another team in 2008, and his agent said neither party would pay a financial penalty. Red Bull and Renault are the favourites to sign him, 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. I know there have been suggestions of favouritism within the team but in the end I was always provided with an equal opportunity to win Fernando Alonso McLaren described the split as a "mutual parting of the ways", adding: "Both parties believe that this was the right decision. Alonso said: "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." Dennis added: "He is a great driver but for some reason the combination of 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." It is not known who will replace Alonso as Lewis Hamilton's team-mate, but Williams's Nico Rosberg and Renault's Heikki Kovalainen are the favourites. Alonso finished just one point behind champion Raikkonen 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 euros (£34.7m). But he spent much of his time at McLaren under a cloud. His 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 story 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. 606: DEBATE I'm pleased for Alonso. At least now he can go to a team that appreciates him GJ 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. McLaren boss Dennis and Alonso had a difficult relationship 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 contracted 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. Title: [F1] Bye Bye Alonso Post by: Luci on Friday, November 2, 2007, 13:12:32 :beers:
Can't wait to see them compete properly for the title next season! Title: [F1] Bye Bye Alonso Post by: Tails on Friday, November 2, 2007, 13:15:36 I wouldn't be surprised if Alonso and Kovalainen swap places tbh... I think I'd rather Kovalainen than Rosberg.
Title: [F1] Bye Bye Alonso Post by: Luci on Friday, November 2, 2007, 13:19:08 Kovalainen would be my choice. Great driver IMO and could do well for McLaren.
Title: [F1] Bye Bye Alonso Post by: Batch on Friday, November 2, 2007, 13:21:07 Heidfeld or Button for me, not that either are available.
If Alsonso goes to Red Bull, please please outperform him DC :) Title: [F1] Bye Bye Alonso Post by: flammableBen on Friday, November 2, 2007, 13:25:00 Not knowing anything about F1 I thought he'd done a super mega crash into a midget on a zoo animal.
I'm disappointed. Title: [F1] Bye Bye Alonso Post by: Iffy's Onion Bhaji on Friday, November 2, 2007, 13:27:50 No surprise there. He won't be challenging next year.
Title: [F1] Bye Bye Alonso Post by: Kinky Tom on Friday, November 2, 2007, 13:28:53 Quote from: "Iffy's Onion Bhaji" No surprise there. He won't be challenging next year. ...or ever again... Title: [F1] Bye Bye Alonso Post by: land_of_bo on Friday, November 2, 2007, 13:33:24 Quote from: "Batch" Heidfeld or Button for me, not that either are available. If Alsonso goes to Red Bull, please please outperform him DC :) There's no chance of that. DC has a sqaure head which hampers him hugely in the aerodynamic stakes. Title: [F1] Bye Bye Alonso Post by: reeves4england on Friday, November 2, 2007, 13:33:42 Quote from: "Batch" Heidfeld or Button for me, not that either are available. An all British team would be interesting! I think that given the right car Jenson would be quite handy so we can always hope!!If Alsonso goes to Red Bull, please please outperform him DC :) Oh and as for Alonso...."Cheerio, cheerio cheerio" :D Title: [F1] Bye Bye Alonso Post by: Iffy's Onion Bhaji on Friday, November 2, 2007, 13:34:02 Quote from: "Kinky Tom" Quote from: "Iffy's Onion Bhaji" No surprise there. He won't be challenging next year. ...or ever again... We can only hope :D Title: [F1] Bye Bye Alonso Post by: flammableBen on Friday, November 2, 2007, 13:35:02 What so he did die in a crash? Is it on youtube yet?
Title: [F1] Bye Bye Alonso Post by: Luci on Friday, November 2, 2007, 13:36:27 Should have sent Alonso packing to Spyker for a laugh, be lucky if he finishes a race in one of their cars!
Title: [F1] Bye Bye Alonso Post by: Matchworn Shirts on Friday, November 2, 2007, 14:54:33 Alonso to Reb Bull :shock:
Funny how he turned from being a great driver to shite by the media. I still think he is one of the best drivers, better than all but Kimi IMHO They should replace him with a German driver after all it is an Anglo-Saxon team, but hands off Heidfeld Title: [F1] Bye Bye Alonso Post by: Barry Scott on Friday, November 2, 2007, 15:08:39 Kovalainen is a good shout, also think that Sebastian Vettel, who looks pretty good could be in with shout.
That would also please Dachauer of course. :D Title: [F1] Bye Bye Alonso Post by: Bogus Dave on Friday, November 2, 2007, 15:09:46 Will probably be a swap with either kovaleinen or webber.
Title: [F1] Bye Bye Alonso Post by: Matchworn Shirts on Friday, November 2, 2007, 15:16:24 Quote from: "Barry Scott" That would also please Dachauer of course. :D As long as they leave Heidfeld alone I am happy, being a BMW fan myself. Title: [F1] Bye Bye Alonso Post by: Gelbfüßler on Friday, November 2, 2007, 16:23:25 Good, no one should ever like a man who looks like a cross between the man from Garfield and Carlos Tevez.
A Stirling Moss/Lewis Hamilton line-up would be awesome, get it done Ron! Title: [F1] Bye Bye Alonso Post by: Gazza's Fat Mate on Friday, November 2, 2007, 17:16:29 round and round and round and round........and round and round and round round and round and round and round........and round and round and round round and round and round and round........and round and round and round round and round and round and round........and round and round and round round and round and round and round........and round and round and round round and round and round and round........and round and round and round round and round and round and round........and round and round and round round and round and round and round........and round and round and round round and round and round and round........and round and round and round round and round and round and round........and round and round and round round and round and round and round........and round and round and round round and round and round and round........and round and round and round round and round and round and round........and round and round and round round and round and round and round........and round and round and round round and round and round and round........and round and round and round round and round and round and round........and round and round and round round and round and round and round........and round and round and round round and round and round and round........and round and round and round round and round and round and round........and round and round and round round and round and round and round........and round and round and round round and round and round and round........and round and round and round round and round and round and round........and round and round and round round and round and round and round........and round and round and round round and round and round and round........and round and round and round round and round and round and round........and round and round and round round and round and round and round........and round and round and round round and round and round and round........and round and round and round round and round and round and round........and round and round and round round and round and round and round........and round and round and round round and round and round and round........and round and round and round round and round and round and round........and round and round and round round and round and round and round........and round and round and round round and round and round and round........and round and round and round round and round and round and round........and round and round and round round and round and round and round........and round and round and round round and round and round and round........and round and round and round round and round and round and round........and round and round and round round and round and round and round........and round and round and round round and round and round and round........and round and round and round round and round and round and round........and round and round and round round and round and round and round........and round and round and round round and round and round and round........and round and round and round round and round and round and round........and round and round and round round and round and round and round........and round and round and round round and round and round and round........and round and round and round round and round and round and round........and round and round and round round and round and round and round........and round and round and round round and round and round and round........and round and round and round a crash how exciting round and round and round and round........and round and round and round round and round and round and round........and round and round and round round and round and round and round........and round and round and round round and round and round and round........and round and round and round round and round and round and round........and round and round and round round and round and round and round........and round and round and round round and round and round and round........and round and round and round round and round and round and round........and round and round and round round and round and round and round........and round and round and round round and round and round and round........and round and round and round round and round and round and round........and round and round and round round and round and round and round........and round and round and round round and round and round and round........and round and round and round round and round and round and round........and round and round and round round and round and round and round........and round and round and round round and round and round and round........and round and round and round round and round and round and round........and round and round and round round and round and round and round........and round and round and round round and round and round and round........and round and round and round round and round and round and round........and round and round and round round and round and round and round........and round and round and round round and round and round and round........and round and round and round round and round and round and round........and round and round and round round and round and round and round........and round and round and round change a tyre bit of a fire round and round and round and round........and round and round and round round and round and round and round........and round and round and round round and round and round and round........and round and round and round round and round and round and round........and round and round and round round and round and round and round........and round and round and round round and round and round and round........and round and round and round round and round and round and round........and round and round and round round and round and round and round........and round and round and round round and round and round and round........and round and round and round round and round and round and round........and round and round and round round and round and round and round........and round and round and round round and round and round and round........and round and round and round end
|