> McLaren releases Alonso from his contract !!

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 McLaren statement said that both parties had "agreed to move on".

Alonso is free to join another team, his agent Luis Garcia Abad told the Spanish media, adding that neither party would pay a financial penalty.

Red Bull and Renault are the favourites to sign him for next season.

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.

It is not known who would replace Alonso as Lewis Hamilton's team-mate, but Renault's Heikki Kovalainen - in a straight swap with Alonso - and Williams's Nico Rosberg are the favourites.

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 euro (£34.7m).

But he spent much of his first season at McLaren under a cloud.

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 row 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.

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.

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 contract 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.


Source: BBC SPORT | Motorsport | Formula One | Alonso secures exit from McLaren

Alonso/McLaren split confirmed

Double world champion Fernando Alonso has agreed to split with the McLaren-Mercedes team by mutual consent.

In a widely expected move, the 26-year-old Spaniard has agreed terms with the team to terminate his agreement with the team having completed just one year of his contract.

“Since I was a boy I had always wanted to drive for McLaren, but sometimes in life things do not work out," said Alonso in a team statement.

"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.

"Today’s decision allows all of us to focus on 2008, and I wish the team, Vodafone, Banco Santander, Mutua Madrileña and all the other team partners who I have worked closely with during the year, the best for the future.”

Despite these words, Alonso's bitter relationship has been well publicised, and comments made by the Spaniard regarding favouritism prompted the FIA to take the unprecedented step of placing a scrutineer in the team for the title-deciding Brazilian Grand Prix.

“Everybody at Vodafone McLaren Mercedes want to wish Fernando all the best for the future," read a McLaren statement.

"He is a great driver but for some reason the combination of Vodafone 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.

"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.”

Alonso's relationship with team principal Ron Dennis is believed to have broken down after the former Renault ace publicly criticised McLaren for not providing him with the support he felt he deserved as a double world champion.

This was not helped by the unexpected pace of his rookie team-mate Lewis Hamilton, who settled into the team faster and more successfully than Alonso did.

The situation became irretrievable when Alonso threatened to reveal evidence of the team's involvement in the Spygate scandal during a heated row in Hungary. This not only angered the team's management, but the entire team, to the point where Alonso cast a lonely figure during the last few races of the season.

Dennis later revealed in a World Motor Sport Council hearing that he was no longer on speaking terms with his driver.

Alonso's destination remains undisclosed, though he has been linked to return to Renault and has received big money offers from Toyota and Honda.

Heikki Kovalainen and Nico Rosberg are both believed to be in the frame to replace Alonso.

Source: itv-f1

Game over finally

Heikki Kovalainen could be a great choice. Even Rosberg is fine. Anyone is better than Alonso

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Safin's Signature:

had mclaren given him #1 status they would have had the championship now

Why are you complaining ? It's good that this crybaby didnt win.

If ifs and buts were pots and pans, there would be no tinkers!

Mclaren could have done lot of things right which they didn't. Atleast they are starting the new season with the right thing now Alonso at Mclaren was untenable after this year.

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Safin's Signature:

Good lord!!! Ferrari shut their doors on him. As i said, i would have taken a sabbatical from being a Ferrari fan if Alonso was in Ferrari. I guess he will go back to Renault and not Redbull

no ifs and buts when you pay so many millions for something you use it , the way he was stifled in the last few races to almost a no2 driver was stupid i guess all got carried away by hamiltons performance

No! He will join Force India!