Alonso goes back to Renault - CONFIRMED!

doubledown

http://www.planet-f1.com/story/0,18954,3213_2958689,00.html

prendy

i hope he wins the championship and rubs mclarens face in it!!!!!
world champ and treated like crap by them!

mike65

There there! 35 million should heal the wound.

Mike.

prendy

ya mike good point!!!
i suppose it'l make it easier to sleep!

stever

And Nelson Piquet as his team mate , i wonder will it be a straight swap and send Hekki to McLaren or will he end up in a toyota

thegoth

I think the real news here is that Heikki Kovalainen has been dropped for Nelson Piquet Jr . The question is why ?

I think there are only three possible answers

1) Heikki Kovalainen stated a few weeks ago that he would not be number two to anyone. It seems from reading the article here http://www.planet-f1.com/story/0,18954,3213_2958689,00.html quote "His (Alonso) abilities as a driver and a team leader are well known....." This suggests that Reanult are giving Alonso team leader status and Kovalainen would not agree to this so he was dropped for Piquet

2) Piquet is faster than Fisi and Kovalainen. Renault know this as Piquet was their test driver last year.Reanult had decided long ago that they wanted him as a race driver next year and were waiting to see what Alonso would do. Once he signed for them, there was no room for Kovalainen.

3) Kovalainen is going to Mclaren as part of a deal done behind the scenes to sign and release Alonso. This was contigent on Reanult getting away with no harsh penalty at the hearing last week. Mclaren then decided to promote Piquet.

There was just stringing poor Fisi along as some sort of backup plan. I dont think anyone who follows F1 expected to see him racing at Renault next year.

Comments ......

triple h

Very very interesting indeed. I am glad Fisi is gone, he was good years ago, but his time is over. sadly it is over, but that is life.

thegoth

Never thought I would say this about Fisi, but I have to agree. What happened to him. A few years ago he was showing Massa the way at Sauber. I wonder did the Reanults just not suit him ? I dont think this is the case as he never really complained about it. Maybe he will show up at Force India and find his way. Remember a few years ago when Nick Heidfields career seemed finished, only for him to sign with back of the field Jordan at the last minute. He had a great year. Look at him now. He could so easily be driving in DTM or Champcar at the moment.

stever

Well experience doesn't seem to count for much these days in F1. Look at Truilli, Ralf too...

What about Martin Whitmarsh's talk about leading the team to the world championship and maybe using de la Rosa or Paffet , someone who wouldn't bother Hamilton

thegoth

Unless McLaren are total fools, they will sign De La Rosa as a race driver. History has shown over the past few years that in a championship where two or more teams have equal cars or if one car is marginally better than the other, you best chance of winning is to back one driver. Had McLaren choosen either Alonso or Lewis to back for the championship, then that person would be world champion now. Thats a fact. Imagine if McLaren had the best car again next year and lost the title because both drivers took points from each other.

The best thing for the McLaren group is to back Lewis and have De La Rosa as backup. I'm not saying its the best thing for the fans but it is for McLaren and thats all that should be bothering Ron Dennis. ( I'm not a huge McLaren fan by the way )

pburns

thegoth wrote: »

Had McLaren choosen either Alonso or Lewis to back for the championship, then that person would be world champion now. Thats a fact.

Some would say that was the de facto situation this year when Hamilton showed he had the pace and consistency to rack up serious points - the temptation of a McLaren-bred, rookie WDC was too much for Dennis, Whitmarsh and co.

I once thought Fisi THE great wasted talent of his era, a victim of Schumi-mani. I certainly rated him above DC who spent a decade driving competitive cars. He reminds me a bit of Frentzen though - the natual talent is there but he doesn't have the killer instinct or unshakeable self confidence of an Alonso or a Hamilton.

kenco

Back in the day some Italian friends of mine told me that Fisi was in line to get the drive with Schumacer in the Ferrari but that was a no no for MS (did not want a local and also a good local as team mate) and hence Irvine got the job

thegoth

Have to agree with all of the above. Fisi is alot like Frenzen when I think about it. When he was in his prime, Fisi was alot faster than DC. Cant believe McLaren didnt pick him up at some stage. I would like to see him get a drive at force India, but his days in the top flight teams are gone. Too many fast young hungry drivers. My lasting memory of him is at the German GP in 1997 leading the race for Jordan until he got a punchure.

triple h

Yeah leading the race and the tyre going on him is the lasting memory i have too and he should leave while people think of some good.

molateen

One of McLarens main sponsors are Santander who are a spanish company . This is the reason DelaRosa will probably be a McLaren driver next year .

They are already 100million down this year and as they say business is business . It would probably suit them to have a quiet year in terms of controversy on the track

thegoth

Agreed Triple H

Mitch Connor

thegoth wrote: »

I think the real news here is that Heikki Kovalainen has been dropped for Nelson Piquet Jr . The question is why ?

I think there are only three possible answers

1) Heikki Kovalainen stated a few weeks ago that he would not be number two to anyone. It seems from reading the article here http://www.planet-f1.com/story/0,18954,3213_2958689,00.html quote "His (Alonso) abilities as a driver and a team leader are well known....." This suggests that Reanult are giving Alonso team leader status and Kovalainen would not agree to this so he was dropped for Piquet

2) Piquet is faster than Fisi and Kovalainen. Renault know this as Piquet was their test driver last year.Reanult had decided long ago that they wanted him as a race driver next year and were waiting to see what Alonso would do. Once he signed for them, there was no room for Kovalainen.

3) Kovalainen is going to Mclaren as part of a deal done behind the scenes to sign and release Alonso. This was contigent on Reanult getting away with no harsh penalty at the hearing last week. Mclaren then decided to promote Piquet.

There was just stringing poor Fisi along as some sort of backup plan. I dont think anyone who follows F1 expected to see him racing at Renault next year.

Comments ......

4. Alonso feared being upstaged by a young team mate again.

5. (and the latest rumour) Piquet is sponsored by a biillionnaire who has given Renault 70million.

thegoth

I would hope that your 4th scenario "Alonso feared being upstaged by a young team mate again." is not true. It is very possible that Alonso did not want Kovalainen. It would be totally stupid for Reanult to fire a quality young driver like Kovalainen because Alonso said so. The reason being that Alonso may only be with Reanult for a year. He has an opt out clause ( In case a Ferrari drive opens up) and the end of 2008. It Reanult were to fire Kovalainen on Alonsos say so, then they should have made him commit 100% for 3-4 years. This will leave Reanult very exposed if Alonso leaves after a year. Cannot believe Renault management would be that shortsighted and careless.

I didnt know that Piquet is sponsored by a biillionnaire who has given Renault 70million. If this is true then fiar enough. I cant think of a team that would make better use of 70 million. McLaren and Ferrari would probaly do some landscaping with it. One thing about Reanult, they do get bang for their buck

stever

Well done to Hekki on being confirmed at McLaren, i think he deserves this after last season and thankfully he's not going to the drivers graveyard that Toyota is. It should be a great combination, a Brit and a Finn at McLaren, like old times

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/64384

Where has Ron Dennis disappeared to these days, every announcement by Mclaren lately has been by Martin Whitmarsh?