BLOOMINGTON, Minn. — As expected, Fernando Alonso and McLaren Mercedes have decided to split after just one of the three years of their contract.
“Following a meeting between Fernando Alonso and McLaren, it was agreed that it would be in the best interests of both parties to bring the relationship to an end,” the team said on Nov. 2 in a carefully worded statement that had no doubt been hammered out by both sides.
“Since I was a boy I had always wanted to drive for McLaren, but sometimes in life things do not work out,” Alonso said in the McLaren release. “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 favoritism 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.”
Team boss Ron Dennis, who had a frigid relationship with Alonso, said that the entire team wished the Spaniard all the best for the future.
“He is a great driver but for some reason the combination of Vodafone McLaren Mercedes and Fernando has not really worked out,” Dennis said, “and in the end we reached a stage where none of us could find a way to move forward. We all believe that our joint decision to part company is for the best, and we will now continue to focus on our 2008 World Championship challenge.”
Earlier this season, Alonso said that there were 10 other teams that would be interesting in hiring him. That’s true, but which of the 10 will he end up with?
“There are many options open — we are discussing all of them,” Alonso said in an interview with Spanish TV. “I have some idea of what I want to do; a plan, or a hope. I know what I’d like to do next year, but I don’t know if it’s possible.”
You can rule out the small teams like Force India and Toro Rosso. Looking at the rest, there are very few seats open: one at Toyota, two at Renault and one at Williams. It was rumored that part of the deal with the split with McLaren included a clause that Alonso could not drive for a works team in 2008, but his manager denied that.
Williams would love to have Alonso next year but doesn’t have the budget to pay his high retainer.
The most obvious choice is Renault, with whom he won two championships. Flavio Briatore has offered Alonso a contract, but it is contingent of it being a long-term deal and not the one year Alonso wants.
Ideally, Alonso wants a short-term contract so that he can be poised to select the best team after that.
Toyota would make Alonso a rich man, but would it make him a winner again in the short term? The two sides have been in contact, and Jarno Trulli told the Gazzetta dello Sport that Alonso inquired about Toyota strengthening its technical team.
One rumor has tech chief Ross Brawn and Alonso joining Toyota. The same duo has been linked to Red Bull despite the fact that Mark Webber and David Coulthard both have confirmed contracts for 2008.
NSSN hears that Alonso wants a say in whom his teammate will be, and he’d be happy with Trulli or Giancarlo Fisichella but not Kovalainen or Nico Rosberg.