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The McLaren team has officially announced that they have reached a mutual agreement with Fernando Alonso to part ways. The statement read:

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 mutual parting of ways has not been discussed until now, since it was felt that any such discussion could have seriously disrupted the team’s and Fernando’s 2007 Formula 1 World Championship challenge. Both parties believe that this was the right decision.

FERNANDO ALONSO:

Since I was a boy I had always wanted to drive for McLaren, but sometimes in life things do not work out. 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.

RON DENNIS:

Everybody at Vodafone McLaren Mercedes, especially McLaren’s Spanish Partners Banco Santander and Mutua Madrileña and the team’s title partner Vodafone, want to wish Fernando 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, 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.

Vodafone McLaren Mercedes will announce any additions to its existing driver line-up in due course

Hardly surprising

What has been interesting other than the in fighting at Mc Laren between Alonso-Hamilton(sorry they're best of friends ), Alonso-Dennis and Alonso-Alonso is the change is attitude by Kimi Raikkonen.

Since leaving McLaren he has said several times during the year that he is far happier at Ferrari and recently said he had "fallen in love with F1 again"

Surely Ron Dennis has got to look in the mirror and look at how he is running that team.

Surely people must be looking at the balls up in the last two races which effectively kept Lewis hamilton fronm the drivers title.

Not that I'm defending Lewis because I don't think he deserved the title.

But it doesn't look as though McLaren is a happy ship.

It'll make for an interesting off season though.

This of course is music to Max Mosely's ears as now he can exclude McLaren from the 2008 season with impunity. He doesn't give a monkeys about the British backlash. But a Spanish backlash would have far too costly.

Snowy wrote:This of course is music to Max Mosely's ears as now he can exclude McLaren from the 2008 season with impunity. He doesn't give a monkeys about the British backlash. But a Spanish backlash would have far too costly.

Interesting point, Snowy......I'm wondering how much leeway the scrutineers will give McLaren in getting their 2008 car past tech......then again, I'm still wonderin' how the FIA in its' infinite wisdom(... .....) could exclude McLaren from the Constructors' fight but not the drivers from the WDC......

On the other hand, it will be interesting to see where Alonso lands in 2008; my guess is he's headed back to Renault.....

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.

We've added a poll asking where will Alonso drive next season. We put all the teams bar McLaren according to their finishing order in the championship.

We also have another thread for who will be Alonso's replacement at McLaren ?

Get both right prior to either announcement and you'll win a prize

I'm going for Red Bull. I can't see McLaren letting Alonso drive for a car manufacture backed team next year. I could be wrong.

The Meanest wrote:Since leaving McLaren he [Kimi
Raikkonen] has said several times during the year that he is far happier at Ferrari and recently said he had "fallen in love with F1 again"

Who wouldn't fall in love with Formula 1, back or otherwise, driving a Ferrari!!!!

I agree with Southernman's very valid point
RedBull want Alonso, the only sticking point is the length of contract. Alonso wants a 1 year deal, Redbull wants a 2 year deal.

Have just taken the time to mull over the possibilities if the RedBull thing falls thru, which it may well do, as I can't see Briatore liking the idea of Alonso in a Renault engined car, up against the "works" entries.
Toyota seems the only other likely seat.
Alonso knows he can beat Trulli, he will stand out in the car if he does well, and the team can easily be blamed if he does not.
Williams is out of the picture, Sir Frank needs a Japanese driver to offset the cost of the Toyota engines.(his repair bill in 2008 will be interesting tho )
BMW are not interested in Alonso, they have their plans firmly in place.
I cannot see Alonso contemplating anything further down the grid.
The Rumour Factory is going to be at full production for the next little while, methinks.

Alonso in a Ferrari... Hmm, that'd be fun. Though it'd necessitate Massa getting kicked out and neither Kimi nor Fernando is the supporting guy type. That might hurt Ferrari's plans for a WDC race. Then again having two drivers of that caliber would make Ferrari to score a WCC title (almost surely).

So... Alonso to Ferrari and Massa to Toyota?

Southernman wrote:I'm going for Red Bull. I can't see McLaren letting Alonso drive for a car manufacture backed team next year. I could be wrong.

Be as it may, he'll drive a Renault-powered car eh?

I know it wouldn't happen, but I wish he would drive a Williams (a winning Williams that is)

Renault all the way, they are working out a 2 year deal right now w/ Alonso...Piquet will get the other race seat

Heikki Kovalainen will go to Mclaren
Giancarlo Fisichella will go to Toyota

3m

The allegations against Renault are certainly going to force Alonso to re-consider his options or at least delay his decision!