F1 McLaren and Alonso are talking....

[911teo]

Apparently according to the Spanish newspaper AS (usually known for its articles aimed at increasing sales more and not usually too accurate) Alonso and McLaren would be trying to find an agreement for next year.

McLaren would be willing to offer Alonso a seat for 2009. Alonso would also be eager to drive for McLaren (given the failed attempts to find a one year contract with a decent team) at certain conditions.

Amongs these would be the possibility of having a race strategy completely independent from team mate Lewis Hamilton and a couple of other clauses.

I think it would be a good deal for both the team and Fernando.

McLaren is still one of the top 2 teams in F1 and Alonso one of the top 3 drivers (Kimi is faster though, right Henry ).

Hamilton could learn more and will be challenged again by a great driver.
McLaren could use Alonso's skills in developing the car and would take him away from a rival team.
Alonso has nothing to lose as it looks like he would have to take a sabbatical as things stand....

Still the deal is nowhere near to be signed... but I think in the end it will end up with Alonso in Woking again, putting under perspective all the BS that was written last year about the Ham/Alonso/Dennis relationship.

[NICKG]

if he wants to win...mclaren is the place....without him, i do not expect that they (mclaren) will do anywhere near as well. He was the quantum leap for them last year, his testing and input..i just cannot see Lewis being as strong without the tech input from alonso

[jluetjen]

I'm really surprised that Renault didn't pick him back up given the Giancarlo was going to be dropped. Haki K. is good but green.

[911teo]

Alonso wants a 1yr contract. This is why the talks with Renault and Red Bull went nowhere.

[Jeff Higgins]

He's too volatile even for F1. He should be in NASCAR where he can throw helmets at passing cars after they put him in the wall. Where he can drag drivers out through the window net in the pits. But, then again, he is a skinny little *****. Some o' dem rednecks would hand him his ass if he stepped out of line with them...

I would hate to see him back at McLaren if anything about him from last year was true. But then again, knowing the tabloid nature of the F1 press, he may very well have gotten a bad rap. I love to watch him drive. He seems very soft spoken and almost humble in an interview. It's hard to reconcile what the F1 press says about his behind the scenes behavior with the image he presents in the car and in front of the camera. I do think they are masters at making mountains out of mole hills. If Ron Dennis still wants him, that says a lot.

[MFAFF]

Because there's a chance that after tomorrow Renault will not be able to afford Alonso?

...if indeed they are allowed to compete next year. Remember thay had far more information about the 2006 and 2007 McLaren far earlier in the development cycle.

Naturally the FIA will try to mitigate the offence... being French and all...but my guess is that Flavio is trying to kepp it all together for next year.

The other logical place for Alonso (other than McLaren) is Honda as they will become a top team in the next 2/3 years... with Ross Brawn driving the ship; they will dip into their industrial base in Japan in order to develop the best engine... and if Bridgestone remain the only tyre supplier I think they will benefit more than Ferrari et al in time.. to quote Mark Donohue.. 'an unfair advantage'...Toyota do not have this as they are far to 'German' in tone and outlook...

My guess is that after the 2008 season Alonso will realise that Ferrari are in some doldrum years as the loos of Ross Brawn, Jean Todt and MS is felt...not that they will tumble down the order necessarily, but a slight softening in the search for the pinnacle. A bit like the early 1980s I guess.....

[legion]

Alonso should be driving monster trucks. I really don't want to see him in F1 anymore.

[cairns]

Alonso would do well to remember that the graveyard is full of indispensable people. Although he could no doubt add to the testing what he will take in terms of arrogance and team disruption could be a net minus.

[Wickd89]

BS. No chance of that. Dennis aged 10 fold last year because of Alonso.
As any of you who run departments or teams, one bad apple can really mess you up.

This is just Renault negotiations crap. Spanish media trying to help.

Now if this is true, then F1 has gone mad!!

[legion]

Good call Luis. I believe you are right on all points.

[motion]

I heard Honda is looking at him for a MotoGP ride next year for one of their satellite teams.

[TheMentat]

Originally Posted by Jeff Higgins

I would hate to see him back at McLaren if anything about him from last year was true. But then again, knowing the tabloid nature of the F1 press, he may very well have gotten a bad rap. I love to watch him drive. He seems very soft spoken and almost humble in an interview. It's hard to reconcile what the F1 press says about his behind the scenes behavior with the image he presents in the car and in front of the camera. I do think they are masters at making mountains out of mole hills. If Ron Dennis still wants him, that says a lot.

I agree with this... To me, Alonso has always seemed to be a pretty cool character (in sharp contrast to media reports about him). Remember how restrained he was after qualifying in Monaco when MS pulled his latest stunt?

Most of the stuff I read about Alonso in the english speaking (ie. British) press I take with a grain of salt. One has to remember, that these are the same people who have been hailing Jensen Button as the next greatest thing for the past 7 years! Get real folks!

[jluetjen]

Originally Posted by Jeff Higgins

He's too volatile even for F1. He should be in NASCAR where he can throw helmets at passing cars after they put him in the wall. Where he can drag drivers out through the window net in the pits. But, then again, he is a skinny little *****. Some o' dem rednecks would hand him his ass if he stepped out of line with them...

Actually, Alonso has always struck me as being almost as fit as Schumie, if not a touch stockier.

[Craig 930 RS]

I'd trust Alonso as far as I could toss his skinny ass across the room.......not far.
At least with Kimi, WYSIWYG.

[jluetjen]

How did Coultard describe Kimi...?

"Dead from the feet up"

[scottmandue]

Well, if you put all the media hype and drama aside....
Can Alonso find a better car than McLaren? No
Can McLaren find a better available driver than Alonso? No

So even if they don't like each other business is business.

And all the fighting going on at McLaren... and all the press it gets.

As they say there is no such thing as bad publicity.

YMMV

[Zeke]

Originally Posted by jluetjen

How did Coultard describe Kimi...?

"Dead from the feet up"

Funny. As the iceman of icemen, he is something. I wonder what he's like on the radio, though. Some of these "cool cats" are really stirred up in the car.

After watching Richard Hammond try to drive the Renault F1 car, I have even more respect for any driver that can make the grid. Even Alex Yoong. Seriously.

[jluetjen]

I called this one right!