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[Stealthgate007]

http://en.f1-live.com/f1/en/headlines/n ... 1831.shtml

[bud]

that would not make sense to me! firstly 09 is an unknown for everyone the status quo is unknown for everyon! So why would you choose a team when you do not know how strong they will be.
he might be lucky and head to Honda and they have race winning pace or he could stay at Renault and they could have race winning pace. Orrrrr they might both stay at their current place in the pecking order.

Id rather stay at Renault who know how to win titles than move to Honda, even if it is for one year before a switch to Ferrari.

[EwanM]

that would not make sense to me! firstly 09 is an unknown for everyone the status quo is unknown for everyon! So why would you choose a team when you do not know how strong they will be.
he might be lucky and head to Honda and they have race winning pace or he could stay at Renault and they could have race winning pace. Orrrrr they might both stay at their current place in the pecking order.

Id rather stay at Renault who know how to win titles than move to Honda, even if it is for one year before a switch to Ferrari.

Im gonna call the Guardian's bluff on this one.
Unless Alonso never had any intention of joining Ferrari ever?

[McLaren Fan]

I agree with bud on this one, but what also makes me think that this is odd is the $15 million price tag. Alonso has been demanding $30 million virtually wherever he went. If Alonso is moving for that money, Honda must be damn good salesmen!

[Hanwombat]

Id stay with Renault

[madbrad]

I agree it does not make sense. If he wants to go to Ferrari for 2010, then why move to a team worse than Renault for one year? Might as well stay at Renault for that year. Secondly, Honda wants him for more than one year, and how on earth did they get him to agree to that? Sure, he could eventually win a title in a Honda, but the same goes for Renault.
About the $15M: he might take a lesser amount that his present asking price if he is getting a title out of it, but at HONDA????
And besides, is he really that much better than Jenson or Rubens at developing the car into a winner?
If Honda does a little better next year, how will we know it's because of Alonso being there?

[McLaren Fan]

If Honda does a little better next year, how will we know it's because of Alonso being there?

Well, he did bring six tenths of a second to McLaren.

[Martin]

If Honda does a little better next year, how will we know it's because of Alonso being there?

Well, he did bring six tenths of a second to McLaren.

I agree that it does not make sense. I do not trust what The Guardian says about sport. I cannot find a motor sport publication with this story, and surely they would find out first? maybe I have missed it.
If FA does go there for 1 year (if there is a 2010 contract with Ferrari in the pot) it will only be for the money, (" cant get to drive a fast car so I might as well make some money"!) I suspect that FA does also like the challenge of developing a car. Even so 6 /10s to McL, ( if that was all down to FA, which I doubt - there is more than one person developing the cars) is not the same situation as Honda's current problems.
I do anticipate that Honda will be much stronger by then anyway, as i suspect that their real focus now is on next years car. - maybe its just the gamble for FA.
No-one can possibly know which of the teams will be strongest next year. These will be completely new cars, a current mid team like Renault, RB, Toyota or Honda, might just get it right first, there is an element of luck. Neither Ferrari or McL have always been the front runners and its car changes like this that can jumble the field up a bit.

[welshie]

Maybe FA just knows something we don't.
I don't know why but I get a strange feeling that Honda are hiding something, something good as well

[f1maniac95]

I don't think he should go to Honda because they are having serious problems at the moment and Renault know how to win races and titles.

[EwanM]

If Honda does a little better next year, how will we know it's because of Alonso being there?

Well, he did bring six tenths of a second to McLaren.

I agree that it does not make sense. I do not trust what The Guardian says about sport. I cannot find a motor sport publication with this story, and surely they would find out first? maybe I have missed it.
If FA does go there for 1 year (if there is a 2010 contract with Ferrari in the pot) it will only be for the money, (" cant get to drive a fast car so I might as well make some money"!) I suspect that FA does also like the challenge of developing a car. Even so 6 /10s to McL, ( if that was all down to FA, which I doubt - there is more than one person developing the cars) is not the same situation as Honda's current problems.
I do anticipate that Honda will be much stronger by then anyway, as i suspect that their real focus now is on next years car. - maybe its just the gamble for FA.
No-one can possibly know which of the teams will be strongest next year. These will be completely new cars, a current mid team like Renault, RB, Toyota or Honda, might just get it right first, there is an element of luck. Neither Ferrari or McL have always been the front runners and its car changes like this that can jumble the field up a bit.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/69683




Honda may offer Alonso short-term deal

By Jonathan Noble Monday, August 4th 2008, 11:37 GMT


Honda Racing may be willing to risk signing Fernando Alonso with only a short-term commitment as part of a renewed push to lure the Spaniard on board.

Autosport exclusively revealed in June that Alonso was Honda Racing's main target for 2009, but one of the stumbling blocks to a deal is the fact that the double world champion wants to keep his long-term options open as he eyes potential vacancies at Ferrari.

Alonso is believed to crave the chance to lead efforts at Ferrari, but his hopes of racing there do depend on the future of Kimi Raikkonen, whose current contract expires at the end of 2009.

The desire not to miss out on a 2010 chance has left Alonso unwilling to commit elsewhere for more than the next season - something few teams would be willing to do.

However, with Honda Racing believed to crave a big-name driver to make the most of a 2009 car that has been spearheaded by team principal Ross Brawn, high level sources within the team have revealed that they are now mulling over gambling on only a one or two year deal.

The hope is that the machinery produced will be enough to keep Alonso on board for longer than the initial single year. And the experience of Alonso at McLaren, where they parted company after one year despite a multi-season agreement, has taught the team that even long-term deals provide no security.

When asked by autosport.com if it was vital Alonso committed for more than one year, Brawn said: "I think any team would want to have a longer term deal – any driver for one year is difficult.

"But if you have one year and do well, then it becomes two years and three years. It depends how well you do. I am sure the McLaren deal was more than a one-year deal and that didn't last beyond a year."

Brawn would not comment on how far talks with Alonso had progressed, or make any predictions on the chances of a deal being put together.

"Fernando is one of the top drivers in F1," he said. "And I think every team apart from one in the pitlane would welcome him. We are no different, but whether it happens, who knows?"

Honda Racing are likely to keep Jenson Button on board for 2009 whatever happens, with Rubens Barrichello's future dependent on the success of the team's plans to capture Alonso.

[McLaren Fan]

I can see Honda's logic. Even if Renault manage to produce a good car for the start of 2009, could they develop it throughout the season? Honda have greater backing, so if they made a good car, they could probably extract more out of it. Further, Renault have made it clear that they do not want to spend more on Formula One. Honda, however, seem to be prepared to do whatever it takes to compete for titles. When you think about it like that, perhaps Honda is worth a shot for a year.

[al4x]

to me it makes no sense,

honda have started thier new car early most years, and it hasnt really got them anywhere, with far more money than renault

i cn understand him wanting to go to ferrari, its a better team atm, and is there or there abouts most years, [but i do hate ferrari ], but at least its understandable

to go to honda, would surely only be about the money, and if its that, i dont mind if he goes tbh, hes going next year anyway so, meh

ooh would i laugh if he left for honda and renault came back strong HA

[Rivelution]

If I were Alonso I would take it. Yes its a risk, but its only for one season and maybe he can bring up the team with Ross Brawn. Were people saying this when Schumacher left Benetton for Ferrari?

[EwanM]

If I were Alonso I would take it. Yes its a risk, but its only for one season and maybe he can bring up the team with Ross Brawn. Were people saying this when Schumacher left Benetton for Ferrari?

Ferrari were in a better position in 1996 than Honda are now. I think it's a bit risky... I wouldn't do it unless I was going to be there in the long run... look at Jenson's career...