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By McLaren Fan
#58928
From F1 Live:

Honda chiefs step up efforts to woo Alonso
''If Alonso is with us, we can have a winning team''
02/08/08 12:20

Brawn super-keen to land Fernando Alonso
Honda chiefs in Hungary stepped up the rhetoric as they bid to attract Fernando Alonso to the Japanese team for 2009 and beyond.

"We'd love to have him," Team Principal Ross Brawn said, "because he is the best.

"Of all the drivers right now, he is the only one that I see as totally complete, as Michael (Schumacher) was," the Briton is quoted as saying by the Spanish newspaper El Pais.

Alonso is a former double world champion but his run of titles stopped when he made his disastrous move to McLaren in 2007, and subsequently returned to a less competitive Renault team this year.

Honda Chief Executive Nick Fry said: "Hopefully Fernando decides to come to us.

"We have developed a very advanced KERS system and we are working very hard on the car for next year.

"We have four wind tunnels, one of them in Japan, working on the project, which is well under way.

"If Alonso is with us, we can have a winning team," Fry added.

It is understood Alonso is seeking a one-year contract for 2009, amid speculation he wants to move on to Ferrari in 2010.

Brawn, however, said Honda want minimally a firm two-year commitment from Alonso.

"It would have to be at least for two years because that is the time we would need, with Fernando's help, to become a winning team and then convince him to be with us even longer.

"But when someone gets married, they always think it is for life," Brawn told the Spanish language newspaper.

He suggested that only the arrival of Alonso for next year would convince Honda to replace either Jenson Button or Rubens Barrichello, who are both out of contract.

"We are happy with the performance of our drivers. At this time, I don't know which one of them would move for Fernando, because Rubens is doing well at the moment."


Steady on, Ross. :flamethrower::inbed:
User avatar
By Denthúl
#58930
I'd rather Fernando didn't arrive at Honda, because I'm quite sure that it wouldn't be Button who ended up being dropped by the team... :(
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By scotty
#58935
I'd rather Fernando didn't arrive at Honda, because I'm quite sure that it wouldn't be Button who ended up being dropped by the team... :(


I agree, and it would be a massive shame cause he's proven himself to be a damn good driver when he's had the car underneath him. At the same time, Barrichello will have retired by the end of '09 imo...
User avatar
By Kiwi_Chris
#58943
God i hope Alonso stays where he is i dont think anyteam would want him for a year, he wouldnt have any desire to test or develop the car
User avatar
By EwanM
#58946
God i hope Alonso stays where he is i dont think anyteam would want him for a year, he wouldnt have any desire to test or develop the car


Still, alot more desire than Kimi would ever have :hehe:
User avatar
By przemo
#58964
Alonso wants to go to Ferrari so I don't think he'll go to Honda for 2 years. He'll probably stay with Renault for another year.
User avatar
By 8-ball
#59026
If Honda want to progress they need a world class driver as well as a decent car. Jenson has the capability to be that driver so I don't see why Ross will want try to pursue a driver that will never be interested
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By Denthúl
#59028
If Honda want to progress they need a world class driver as well as a decent car. Jenson has the capability to be that driver so I don't see why Ross will want try to pursue a driver that will never be interested


Indeed. If they got their act together quick enough and provided their drivers with a championship-winning car, Jenson and Rubens could both quite easily take the drivers' title. They're evenly-matched team-mates and world-class drivers with plenty of talent and experience. :)
User avatar
By 7UpJordan
#59039
It might be worth a shot at signing Alonso if their gamble on already working on the 2009 car pays off.
By kitchen
#59064
Alonso wants to go to Ferrari so I don't think he'll go to Honda for 2 years. He'll probably stay with Renault for another year.


He should stay for a year and then move on.

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