Alonso and McLaren part ways

[Julian Mayo]

I hear that Alonso has rejected multi-year deals from Renault and RedBull, trusting that he will be offered a one -year deal, prior to going to Ferrari in 2009. He may end up with nothing. He has damaged his reputation as a team player, apparantly.

[three-m]

well he's got Heikkei up in arm's for sure as he made no bones about the fact that he would welcome Alonso next year provided there is equality...I beleive if he doesn't shut his trap and loose the attitude and just drive peep's are not gonna want him in their camp. I do beleive it will be all for not though as even though on the surface it seem's as thought the Renault talks have fizzeled they really haven't. The damn lawyer's are just trying to get all this tangeled mess straightened out...Alonso only wanted a 1 year deal and Flavio wanted 2 or 3 that's where the sticking point has been....in addition Ron Dennis is being a baby (or simply acting like his normal self) and is trying to screw Alonso stating he can only go to a privateer team. All the while Sir Frank wasn't going to bother waiting for that crap and decided to lock his guys in for next year. As time goes on Alonso will end up at Renault and perhaps partly due to the fact that other options are running out and indeed because he has cost himself some credibility for sure.
3m

[GhoGho]

Agreed. Renault seems to be the next stop... Perhaps Alonso can help the team pick up the pieces and become a WDC & WCC contender once again.

Except that renault will not be able to compete for the constructors title after their spygate saga plays out.

[JayVee]

I think what happened between Alonso and McLaren reflects more on Ron Dennis and his ability to handle drivers. It seems that while he claims equal treatment he is emotionally prefereing a driver over the other and that shows.
It showed with Hakkinen vs Coulthard, it showed with Raikkonen vs Montoya and of course with Hamilton vs Alonso.

It is the drivers who have to think twice about joining such a team.

As for Alonso damaging his reputation as a team player, even if that is the case (which I disagree with), teams looking for a team player will be calling Fisichella, Trulli, Barrichello, you know drivers who can regularly finish in the points with a win every now and then, a driver that can be there if their superior driver has an off or retires. I doubt any team would be looking for Alonso to do that job.
And looking at the vast amounts of money the teams are trying to offer him, I don't see any negative effect of his year at McLaren. On the contrary, people will say Alonso left Renault and see what happened to them and Alonso joined McLaren and see what happened to them.

I actually hope that he does join Red Bull and see where he can take them It will surprise many!

[Julian Mayo]

I'd like to see that

[Ed]

According to Flavio Briatore, a decision on whether Alonso joins Renault or not will be made within the next 48 hours!

Furthermore he has hinted that the team will have different drivers next season!

This is strange as at the last test Kovalainen was the only Renault driver to test!

We shall wait and see!

[Redhead]

Fisichella is going to test for Force India in Spain next week.

[three-m]

i think it depends on what happen's to reneault and mclaren
hearing is next week
i am sure alonso lawyer's advised him to wait until that shakes out
being that flavio and bernie are co-owner's of the queensland rangers football team and business partner's if you will may have some bearing on the mclaren reneault scandal...bernie is already playing it down

my guess is reneault will get s amll penalty and alonso will sign to be paired w/ piquet next year

kovalainnen will go to mclaren

3m

[Julian Mayo]

Fisichella is going to test for Force India in Spain next week.

So is Ralf