The Hindu : Sport / Racing : Motor : Alonso’s future in focus

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Tuesday, Aug 07, 2007
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Sport - Racing : Motor

Alonso’s future in focus

BUDAPEST: As if they did not already have enough to worry about, Formula One leader McLaren could face the real risk of Fernando Alonso walking out at the end of the season.

With the double World champion seemingly no longer on speaking terms with 22-year-old British rookie Lewis Hamilton after a turbulent Hungarian Grand Prix weekend, the speculation was rife.

“One thing’s for sure, Alonso won’t be at McLaren next year,” a senior figure at another team told Reuters at the Hungaroring. While nothing is certain in Formula One, other than that there will always be int rigue and speculation, the sentiment was strong enough for team boss Ron Dennis to face questions about the Spaniard’s future.

Inevitability

“There is inevitability that these things are rumoured and discussed in other teams,” he told reporters after a race that saw Alonso stripped of pole position and demoted five places on the starting grid.

“We have two drivers who are contracted for several years into the future,” said Dennis, who pulled off a coup in signing Alonso from Renault at the end of 2005, with the Spaniard joining a year later.

“We will respect our part of that bargain and that part of the situation. We hope that the drivers respect theirs because that’s what a contract is about.”

Hamilton’s astonishing debut has unsettled the champion, who had hoped to arrive at McLaren as the saviour after a 2006 season without any wins for the Mercedes-powered team. — Reuters

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