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[racechick]

And to think just a couple of years ago before Lewis walked. Ron was trying to cut Lewis' salary from 15 to 12 putting him lower than Button. Now he, or Honda are paying 50. How things have turned around. It is a little obscene that the likes of Vettel, Alonso and maybe Lewis in his next salary negotiation get those figures while teams go bust . It's a sport of extremes for sure.
That must hurt Ron a bit , paying Alonso all that money after the last time.

[CookinFlat6]

It will be entirely Honda, I think we can be assured of that. It is Honda that need a star as part of their marketing strategy or whatever their payoff is for bankrolling McLaren without taking a stake. Otherwise i am sure RoGro would have been the Ron choice.

The upside to the Jenson situation for his fans is this - the last time the number 1 driver was pushed out of the team by management, look where he is now!!!!

[racechick]

Yes. Best thing that could have happened to him!
I find myself feeling sorry for Jenson now, for the way he's been kept hanging on and everyone asking him what's going to happen and he doesn't know. I can't see him staying in F1 but I'm sure he'll find something. He did a good quali today.

[myownalias]

I'm surprised that JB didn't give RD an ultimatum, give me a new contract or I'll walk and go looking for another drive elsewhere on the grid. Or it could be that like MW, he has decided his time in F1 is up and fresh challenges await, he wouldn't be courting a WEC drive if he intended to stay in F1.

[Jabberwocky]

There has been a slight shift in Jenson ' s attitude since Japan. I think he knows what he is doing next year.

Maybe he does not want the fanfare good bye. Instead just not turning up next year.

[CookinFlat6]

Jenson is a guy who would do well in a slick team like RBR, with Newey building the car around him and making sure its always a 2 sec car.

He has always been like this - flashes of brilliance when everything is textbook. Everyone knows that if you give Jenson a perfect car he will beat anyone on the grid

unless they also have a perfect car. His talents are wasted at Mclaren as they have never built a perfect car

@ Jabs, rumours mounting about Toyota WEC next year, now if he lands that driver he can leave with his head high

[LH44]

Ok first reports of actual signed contracts and wage details - from a Spanish media outlet, so to be taken with a big pinch of salt, however its absolutely no different to what we accept about Sebs Ferrari contract.

Spain's AS newspaper clams it's a done deal and the two-time World Champion has agreed a two-year contract with McLaren that will be the "biggest in Formula 1 history".

So the 'biggest in history' would have to be upward of 50 mil a year that Seb is 'apparently' on. Interestingly that number of 50mill originally appeared when we were told Alonso asked Ferrari for that to stay.

Seb would not be waking away £50m per annum basic at Ferrari. F1 contracts are drawn with so many performance clauses and caveats that it's impossible to get an accurate measure of how much a driver is taking home. I hazard a huge chunk of Seb's money would based on helping Ferrari win titles, whether WDC or WCC. We know Santander previously covered a huge chunk of Alonso wages so whether this still remains the case and it would be factored into the deal with McLaren is anyone's guess.

[LH44]

There has been a slight shift in Jenson ' s attitude since Japan. I think he knows what he is doing next year.

Maybe he does not want the fanfare good bye. Instead just not turning up next year.

His tone seemed a bit more conciliatory after Brazil. someone probably had a quiet word with him about his negative attitude in Austin and I thought he was running the risk of Ron parking him aside for the remaining two races. It would not have been unusual. Just ask Montoya. If Jenson has any plans, he sure won't be trumpeting it before Abu Dhouble.

[What's Burning?]

Infinity is Seb's only big name personal sponsor that I'm aware of so not sure they'd be allowed any future association with him as part of the contract. I agree that contracts are very specific to what the driver wants to do. Specifically at McLaren I recall reading about the Lewis split that one of the reason he engaged new management was to help him to traverse the very lucrative realm of personal sponsorships. Not every driver gets to a level of popularity that transcends the sport, but those who do, can make way more cash from sponsorship contracts than from a direct salary.

[Jabberwocky]

Interesting article here

http://www.grandprix247.com/2014/11/12/ ... am-alonso/

[LRW]

Sky Sport wrote:">
McLaren have confirmed that they will debut Honda's new engine during a filming day at Silverstone on Friday.

The team will end their 20-year partnership with Mercedes at the end of the season to reunite with the Japanese manufacturer, with whom they four consecutive Constructors’ Championships between 1988 and 1991.

McLaren confirmed on social media they would run “the interim Honda-engined MP4-29H/1X1” at the Northamptonshire venue on Friday. The team have been working on a test car to house the new power unit, but its running will be limited to just 100km due to the Sporting Regulations.

The team are yet to confirm who will drive the car on Friday as their 2015 line-up remains the subject of speculation. Fernando Alonso is expected to join the team from Ferrari next season and partner Kevin Magnussen, with Jenson Button leaving after five years.

[CookinFlat6]

Well at least we now know that Honda are way ahead of Renault and Ferrari were this time last year in preparing for the next season.

Bodes well

[Jabberwocky]

I don't think the Mclaren Honda test day is going to get up to much today it is hoofing it down

[racechick]

Here's the McHonda

image.jpg

[Hammer278]

That's just the picture of a McLaren....with a different engine hiding underneath. I wonder if they will change their livery back to the red/white for 2015? That would really shake it up in sponsors eyes and a fresh throwback to the legendary days. I really think they should ditch the black/silver and head back to glory days.