2014/15 Silly Season

[radosav]

@pitlanetalk - Luca di Montezemolo at the Paris Auto Show today:

"One must be able to cope with changes and we are proud to close an important cycle. He (Alonso) gave everything and did extraordinary performances. We all thought and hoped we could achieve better results together."

[Sasha]

That now has a out of his contract and all he is a guess to see the Classic Senna's MP4/4,Prost's MP4/5 and Mansell's FW11 run at Motegi.He sees or talks about anything else is just casual during a free meal.

[Sasha]

If I was dumb insider with a Japanese point of view,I would take the meaning of that picture on that Japanese Reporter's(who is very close to Honda) Twitter account as 'Alonso and Mclaren Honda are in contract talks' who knows if it's formal or informal,that is where you can take the stories being printed this week and make your own guess.

[SectorOne]

Now that´s some interesting information as opposed to all these news sites.

[timbo]

I think that both Ferrari and Alonso will benefit from cleaning the slate.

I'm not sure about this, at least not from Ferrari side. At the moment Alonso is by far their strongest asset.

[Chris@Woking]

If I was dumb insider with a Japanese point of view,I would take the meaning of that picture on that Japanese Reporter's(who is very close to Honda) Twitter account as 'Alonso and Mclaren Honda are in contract talks' who knows if it's formal or informal,that is where you can take the stories being printed this week and make your own guess.

Taki Inoe is not an "insider" or a journalist he is a ex-driver with too much time for photoshop and he has no relationship to Honda in any form except that both are japanese!

[smr]

Pitlanetalk didn't take everything that was said though, when you hear more of what Luca says it does not sound like he's conceding the fact that Alonso has severed his ties with Ferrari... (though personally I believe Alonso has left and signed for Mclaren) but fwiw ...

The double world champion Alonso has been linked with a return to McLaren either next year or in 2016 with Spanish press reports claiming his former employers were preparing a 50 million euro deal, around E30 million ($A45 million) more than his current contract.

"He has had some fantastic races for us over the last four years. Our team manager Marco Mattiacci has talked to him about the future and I am sure we will find the best solution for him and for Ferrari, whatever that may be."

Montezemolo, who has been in charge at Ferrari for 23 years, will quit on October 13 to be replaced by FIAT boss Sergio Marchionne.

"I must thank Alonso because whether he stays or doesn't stay, he has done a lot for Ferrari," added Montezemolo, who was speaking at the Paris Motor Show, of a driver whose Ferrari deal runs until 2015.

"We have a contract and in the next few days we are going to take a final decision with a lot of respect for one another."

Montezemolo refused to speculate on what might be Alonso's decision.

[Manoah2u]

I think that both Ferrari and Alonso will benefit from cleaning the slate.

I'm not sure about this, at least not from Ferrari side. At the moment Alonso is by far their strongest asset.

actually he's not, because despite his 'strenght' they are far far below their 'acceptable' or 'eyed' rank. Yes, Kimi is in way
worse condition, but frankly, it's hard painting a picture with a re-introduced driver. If massa stayed in 2014, there would
be a much better view on ferrari's actual position......

Despite having the 'strongest' asset in the form of alonso, it's not nearly enough, so......harsh, but, he means squad then.

Ferrari can't be dependable on a (single) driver to achieve 'success'. Ferrari needs 2 drivers more or less near eachother in a car that can get them WINS. They now depend on a driver to keep the slightest form of pride present to cover up major major failure from their part. Better ditch all, re-boot and no excuses and no 'backup'. No safety grid. No 'magic alonso' to have the team 'ahh, dont worry man, we can build a dog, alonso will home it in anyway, lets get a espresson and a calzone.'
What they need to do is have a man at the helm that makes the team sweat their ass of to not sleep before they have the best product and are scared to death of tasting the fury of their manager if they c*ck up. they need to be sweating out of labor and fear, not sit back and don't give a f*ck.

[SilverArrow10]

Its an ok move for Alonso if true cant help but think its a sideways move and that the right seats to be in currently is Mercedes and Redbull and if that's true why not stay in a team that revolves around him. however I wonder if people will say that he betrayed Ferrari and left for money like some people did with a certain former McLaren driver back in 2012.

[Chris@Woking]

It's a know fact in Japan ,that Alonso was a guess of Honda yesterday.

If you was in Japan and maybe if you spoke/read Japanese,you would of read that?

Other wise you don't know the facts.

Yes Alonso was contacted by McLaren/Honda which is a open secret to everyone but he was never ever in Tochigi on Thursday because of the reasons I posted before.
What is really going on behind the scenes is just pure speculation and neither you nor I know what is really going on.
Only time will tell...

[timbo]

I'm not sure about this, at least not from Ferrari side. At the moment Alonso is by far their strongest asset.

actually he's not, because despite his 'strenght' they are far far below their 'acceptable' or 'eyed' rank. Yes, Kimi is in way
worse condition, but frankly, it's hard painting a picture with a re-introduced driver. If massa stayed in 2014, there would
be a much better view on ferrari's actual position......

Despite having the 'strongest' asset in the form of alonso, it's not nearly enough, so......harsh, but, he means squad then.

I am not sure how this disprove what I've said. Yes, it might be not enough to have Alonso ATM, but it just says that the rest of the team is not doing enough.

Ferrari can't be dependable on a (single) driver to achieve 'success'.

Yep, but it's Ferrari's problem, not Alonso's.

Ferrari needs 2 drivers more or less near eachother in a car that can get them WINS. They now depend on a driver to keep the slightest form of pride present to cover up major major failure from their part. Better ditch all, re-boot and no excuses and no 'backup'. No safety grid. No 'magic alonso' to have the team 'ahh, dont worry man, we can build a dog, alonso will home it in anyway, lets get a espresson and a calzone.'

Do you mean Alonso's departure should somehow motivate the team? There is a chance for this, but actually, I think quite the opposite is more probable.

What they need to do is have a man at the helm that makes the team sweat their ass of to not sleep before they have the best product and are scared to death of tasting the fury of their manager if they c*ck up. they need to be sweating out of labor and fear, not sit back and don't give a f*ck.

Probably. But I'm not sure loosing Alonso helps the case.

[onewingedangel]

Considering Honda own Suzuka Circuit I'm amazed some less reputable bloggers haven't tried to spread the news that both Alonso and Sebastian Vettel were spotted at a Honda facility today.

[zeph]

The only driver that has proven to be a match for Alonso is Hamilton, and I don't see him going to Ferrari next year. Raikkonen is a World Champion, and Massa came so close he might as well have been; Alonso has beaten both pretty convincingly.

I don't know who could do a better job than Alonso, but I'd agree that a change may good for both parties, even if it doesn't benefit either one in the immediate future.

[Mesteño]

Fernando Alonso will not continue in Ferrari next season, according to reliable spanish media close to him, Carlos Miquel from Cadena Cope.
Spanish newspaper and web -Marca- is saying it in first page too.

Mclaren would be in pole position for him.

Sorry, my english is this sh*t...

Fernando Alonso no seguirá en Ferrari en 2015

El piloto asturiano y la escudería italiana están de acuerdo en rescindir su contrato a final de temporada, según ha adelantado Carlos Miquel, en El Partido de las 12. Hay un pacto de caballeros entre ambas partes, para la finalización de los dos años de contrato que le quedaba a Alonso con Ferrari, sin penalización ninguna. La oferta de McLaren rondaría los 35 millones de euros y doblaría el sueldo del corredor asturiano. Mercedes también es otro equipo posible para él, pero dependería de la marcha de Hamilton.


En los últimos días se ha hablado mucho del futuro de Fernando Alonso en Ferrari. Según ha adelantado Carlos Miquel, en El Partido de las 12, el piloto asturiano dejará la escudería italiana en 2015. Alonso no ha tenido la garantía para renovar y el proyecto deportivo no le convence. Su salida sería de mutuo acuerdo. Alonso quiere un proyecto deportivo mejor y hay varias opciones sobre la mesa: McLaren y Mercedes.

La opción de McLaren es la más factible. Según El Partido de las 12, la oferta de la escudería británica rondaría los 35 millones de euros y doblaría el sueldo del corredor asturiano. En Mercedes, Fernando Alonso gusta mucho a los jefes del equipo y podría abrirse la puerta si Hamilton decidiera marcharse. Por todas estas razones habría que esperar hasta final de temporada para saber donde corre Alonso en 2015.

Luca Cordero di Montezemolo era el hombre que tenía que pronunciarse sobre el futuro de Fernando Alonso. El todavía presidente de Ferrari habló este jueves en París. "Debo dar las gracias a Alonso porque, se quede o no, ha hecho mucho por Ferrari. Tenemos un contrato y en los próximos días vamos a tomar una decisión final, con mucho respeto del uno por el otro".

Ferrari quiere empezar otro proyecto. El preferido para relevar a Alonso es Sebastian Vettel, pero el alemán pretende seguir otro año en su actual escudería. El equipo italiano estaría pensando en el piloto francés de Marussia, Jules Bianchi, como transición al piloto alemán de Red Bull.

[BoxStop]

to reliable spanish media close to him, Carlos Miquel from Cadena Cope.
Spanish newspaper and web -Marca- is saying it in first page too.

Mclaren would be in pole position for him.

Sorry, my english is this sh*t...

Marca is reliable to you?