Alonso joins McLaren in 2007

 

In a shock announcement, McLaren have confirmed that 2005 Formula One world champion Fernando Alonso will join the team from 2007. The team, however, did not mention who the Spaniard's team-mate would be, increasing speculation that Kimi Raikkonen might join Ferrari in the same season.

 

The 24-year-old Spaniard became the sport's youngest champion this year, winning seven grands prix to beat McLaren's Kimi Raikkonen by 21 points, and last April extended his contract with Renault to the end of 2006.

 

Alonso also helped the Oxfordshire-based team to the 2005 constructors' title ahead of McLaren, who won 10 races through Raikkonen (seven) and Colombian Juan Pablo Montoya.

 

"To become part of a team with such a desire to succeed and passion for performance is a dream come true for any Formula One driver," Alonso said in a McLaren statement. "Obviously I will be sad to leave Renault but sometimes possibilities come along which are just too good to miss."

 

McLaren team principal Ron Dennis said the announcement had been made to enable all the drivers to concentrate on next season. It came five days after McLaren announced a title sponsorship deal with mobile phone giants Vodafone who switched from Ferrari.

 

"We always make it clear that we want to be the best and the only way of achieving this objective is by attracting the best people, the best drivers and the best sponsors," Dennis said in the statement.

 

McLaren last won the drivers' title in 1999 with Finland's Mika Hakkinen. Finn Raikkonen and Montoya will race for McLaren next season with one of the two making way for Alonso in 2007.

 

Alonso was contracted to Renault when they were still racing under the Benetton banner in 2001, paying his dues on loan at Minardi and as a test driver before getting one of the two racing positions in 2003.

 

He won his first grand prix in Hungary that year and finished sixth in the championship. He was fourth the following year before his stellar 2005 season.

 

Raikkonen is out of contract at the end of 2006 and has long been coveted by Ferrari as an eventual replacement for seven-times world champion Michael Schumacher.

 

Brazilian Felipe Massa is joining Ferrari in 2006 but only on a one-year deal while 36-year-old Schumacher's contract expires at the end of next season.

 

"We are in discussions with our current drivers Kimi Raikkonen and Juan Pablo Montoya regarding the 2007 season," Dennis added.

 

"Both Juan Pablo and Kimi are extremely talented, professional and competitive Formula One drivers and they have and will continue to concentrate on our joint challenge for the championships."

 

There will also be the question of who replaces Alonso at Renault in 2007.

 

Australian Mark Webber, managed by Briatore, will be out of contract with Williams by that point while Renault also have promising Finn Heikki Kovalainen waiting in the wings as their 2006 test driver.[/b]

Oh piss :angry:

 

Mclaren's won next season then...

Alonso won't drive for McLaren next season. ;)

i'll say it'll be Kimi to take over from schumacher in 07, that would be a great battle between Ferrari and McLaren

That's quite suprising....

 

When I was on holiday in Spain this summer I saw a lot of Renault colours and Alonso caps and shirts. Wonder if they'll go with him to McLaren.

Holy Cow!! :shocked:

that was a big surprise for me when i read it... :stunned:

i still don't understand Alonso,how could he leave Renault after all what have Flavio Briatore done for him...

oh darn... can't believe that's he's leaving renault in a year's time. but i guess that means i'll still get to see him driving for renault for another year then. well, something's better than nothing, or so they always say. but i guess it's gonna be interesting to see whether mclaren will come out tops with alonso driving for them.

 

that was a big surprise for me when i read it... :stunned:

i still don't understand Alonso,how could he leave Renault after all what have Flavio Briatore done for him...

 

and well, it's business where feelings and gratitude has got nothing to do with anything. you just go for wherever you feel will bring you further (though i wonder just how well it'll work out. i mean he's won with renault so that's gotta be some reassurance and just changing like that, he may just lose it all...) just a thought though.

me as i huge formula one fan was totally surprised.

i didn't see it coming. i really dislike alonso and i don't mind what he's doing but i find it stupid that he didn't even ask mr briatore.

 

i don't see him driving with kimi at mclaren mercedes (well, that's what i hope).

 

i think it would be awesome when kimi will join ferrari in 2007 (hope schumi will still be there). that would be cool. schumi (my favourite driver) and kimi (he is such a cute bloke!).

 

i'm defenitely lookin forward to next year's season ...

 

ONLY 79 DAYS TO NEXT SEASON'S FIRST FRIDAY TRAINING SESSION!

I wouldn't have thought anyone saw this coming. Dunno if it's a good move for alonso.

Prediction 1. Mclaren have lost newey to red bull, so they may not be as strong over the following seasons.

 

As for Raikkonen to ferrari, bad idea.

Prediction 2. They are on a downward slope, especially as when schumacher leaves so will most of their senior technicians.

 

As for the Spanish fans, i'm sure most of them will follow alonso to Mclaren (especially if they hold on to test driver De La Rosa), non of them would even be remotly interested in f1 if it weren't for him.

looks like kimmi to ferrari for sure. :)

i think that ferrari will be on top again next season.

(okay, i think that way cause i'm a fan ... )

 

look at the past years. they really know how to work their asses off!

 

and i think that it's a good move from kimi to join ferrari.

i guess mclaren took alonso because they already knew that kimi's gonna drive for ferrari in 2007. so they needed another top-driver.

c'mon! Kimi would do the same with Ferrari. I'm sure he will change to Ferrari next year, as Alonso has done now. The only different thing is that McLaren has told "the change" now, before Kimi announces his change to Ferrari. Business.

Schumi did the same when he was in Renault and changed to Ferrari :rolleyes:

Moreover, it's not sure that Renault will be in F1 in the future... so, Alonso must control his future.

 

When I was on holiday in Spain this summer I saw a lot of Renault colours and Alonso caps and shirts. Wonder if they'll go with him to McLaren

Not only Renault colours :P blue = Asturias flag. hehe. But yeah, many people here has Renault shirts and caps, but... some of them had Ferrari caps before so things can change :lol: as everything in life :P

he should have stayed in renault

i think he has an identity with the team

McLaren crew is too cold for the spanish alonso

he fits very well with renault and flavio briatore spirit

see him driving for McLaren will be kind of strange

i actually don't want him to drive for mclaren ... :(

well, there already were those rumours in the past that the 'iceman' (MUHAHA!!) will join ferrari and i already believed that they were true ...

i didn't see it coming. i really dislike alonso and i don't mind what he's doing but i find it stupid that he didn't even ask mr briatore.

 

i don't see him driving with kimi at mclaren mercedes (well, that's what i hope).

 

i think it would be awesome when kimi will join ferrari in 2007 (hope schumi will still be there). that would be cool. schumi (my favourite driver) and kimi (he is such a cute bloke!).

We share the same opinion! it'll be really phenomenal to see SHUMI and KIMI together on the marvellous Ferrari team in 2007! it is incontestable that Ferrari is always the best team in F1!

dont mention alonso. he's lucky, and only lucky!

i think schumi will end his carrer next year.

i didn't see it coming. i really dislike alonso and i don't mind what he's doing but i find it stupid that he didn't even ask mr briatore.

 

i don't see him driving with kimi at mclaren mercedes (well, that's what i hope).

 

i think it would be awesome when kimi will join ferrari in 2007 (hope schumi will still be there). that would be cool. schumi (my favourite driver) and kimi (he is such a cute bloke!).

We share the same opinion! it'll be really phenomenal to see SHUMI and KIMI together on the marvellous Ferrari team in 2007! it is incontestable that Ferrari is always the best team in F1!

dont mention alonso. he's lucky, and only lucky!

 

yeah, that was just LUCK! kimi actually deserved the title! (it's hard for me to admit it 'cause i'm a schumi fan .... well, he had no f'ckin chance ;( )

 

Michael + Kimster = Ferrari dreamteam 2007

I don't understand how someone can be lucky. :rolleyes:

I don't understand how someone can be lucky. :rolleyes:

 

There's no need to understand this.

 

Many people say a driver is unlucky if he isn't able to finish a race because of a technical failure. That doesn't make sense at all. If a driver is successful is also influenced by the car. And if a driver isn't able to finish many races with the car he is driving, it's wrong to say he (and his team) would have deserved the title, even if he was the best driver. You shouldn't call him unlucky in this case.

 

I don't say luck is absolutely irrelevant, a driver still can end a race in a crash through no fault of his own.

i think schumi will end his carrer next year.

 

If Räikönnen joins Ferrari, it seems manifest that Schumacher will retire. Firstly Schumacher will be 37 which is pretty old for a F1 driver. Secondly he has always been the Ferrari's number one driver. I don't think that Räikönnen would accept a contract in which both drivers aren't equal.

^^

agree.

maybe if Felipe Massa make a good season maybe he can stay in ferrari for 2007.

but in my opinion it won´t be good for him..

after all, i think he should have stayed in sauber.

he can be a second Rubens Barrichello.. and this would be very sad.. he´s a very talented boy

talikng about rubens, i think hé´s gonna do a good season( not for the champioship) but i think he´ll drive 3x better than in ferrari. the pshicologich does a lot..

do you remember when he was in Stewart.. with a bad car, racing for the first positions with the big ones::

i want to see that rubens.

i think schumi will end his carrer next year.

 

If Räikönnen joins Ferrari, it seems manifest that Schumacher will retire. Firstly Schumacher will be 37 which is pretty old for a F1 driver. Secondly he has always been the Ferrari's number one driver. I don't think that Räikönnen would accept a contract in which both drivers aren't equal.

 

i really disagree. i tink räikkönen doesn't mind which position he has. he just wants a good car. the rest is in his hand. i guess he thinks that way.

 

and i also don't think that schumacher is too old. there was some bloke who won the title in his 40s!

You really think Raikkonen would sign a contract which stipulates that he has to let schumacher past if the team tell him to? No chance.

why not?