Which team will Fernando Alonso be with next season?

[McZiderRed]

Which team will Fernando be with next season?

Rumour has been rife about the spaniard's destination next year. If Renault don't pick up their game, then he will surely look to a 'better' team!? But which team will pick up the 'toys from the pram?'

Honda? Apparently Ross Brawn is courting his signature..

Red Bull? Renault's customer engine team. Finishing above the factory team is never good.

Renault. Surely the team Fernando has been the most comfortable with, but a team that needs to step up the performance, or call it quits and pull the plug on the team?

Finally, will Kimi retire? Will Fernando be at Ferrari next season?

What ever happens, there will be a few drivers/teams waiting for him to decide, before they sign anybody....

Comments welcome. (Personally, I think Honda will be the one, as I can't see Kimi retiring....)

 

[Penske666]

Red bull is the most likely - they're going forwards all the time. honda have never achieved anything so would be a very high risk. He could stay at Renault - they're improving bit by bit.

 

[Ninad13]

Renault

 

[Galahad]

I've got a sneaky feeling for Toyota.

 

[Brogan]

Out of Toyota, Honda and Red Bull you would have to think that Red Bull would be FA's first choice based on their current performance.

However he may not be their first choice which may mean him settling for Toyota.

 

[markxero]

I hadn't really considered he might go to RBR, but I was beginning to think Honda, so I suppose no reason why not Red Bull. I really can't decide about Ferrari though...

Argh - decisions! I'm going to plump for Red Bull. No, Ferrari. Sod it - he can stay at Renault.

 

[Guest]

I was having a discussion about this today and the person I spoke to said he'd heard rumour that Santander was going to sponsor Ferrari next season instead of VMM. Soooo, possible Spanish driver signing (Alonso) at Ferrari? .. sorry I have no source.

I'd love to see Alonso get the chance of a decent car next season but who would he replace at Ferrari, I'd not like either driver to go

Other news today; DC said he thinks Vettel would do well at RedBull, he has the drive and determination .. and also the skills so that would suggest either Toyota or Honda as the remaining possibilities if Ferrari is just a rumour http://www.pitpass.com/fes_php/pitpass_news_item.php?fes_art_id=35366

 

[Andrea_Moda_Rules]

I just dont see him moving away from Renault tbh, unless its for a team with a chance of the WC, Ferrari and BMW looks unlikey and McLaren..... Noooooo way!
I dont see him going to a team just for the big bucks

 

[cider_and_toast]

Have to say I can't see him leaving Renault.

The real silly season is going to begin mid way through 2009

Alonso's contract up at Renault
Rosbergs contract up at Williams
Lot of talk of Kimi walking away at end of 09
Massa's contract up at Ferrari

Plus many other contracts up at the other end of the grid as well. (Webber? Trulli? Fisichella?)

It's going to be all change after next year.

 

[McZiderRed]

According to Autosport.com, Honda are still showing an interest in signing Alonso. As he's pinning his hopes on a Ferrari drive in 2010, Alonso is looking for a one year deal with a team. Obviously, not many teams are willing to do that.

Honda, on the other hand, might be willing to take a chance. Ross Brawn thinks that if the car is good enough, then Alonso will can be temped to stay for longer. Can Honda improve enough to sign AND keep Alonso?

Ross' comment, that given the antics of Alonso at Mclaren last year shows that a long term contract can be broken, is it worth taking the gamble for one year? After all, Alonso is a big signing. So even if he leaves after one season, would Alonso bring more to the development of Honda, than Rubens could bring? (How long before Rubens retires..?)

Of course, Alonso may prefer to stay at Renault, but would Ross be able to convince Alonso to sign..?

If Alonso did sign for Honda, I'm happy that Jenson would be staying but would be gutted that Rubens would be going & possibly retiring.

 

[cider_and_toast]

Alonso is very much in danger of becoming yesterdays man. After all, as it stands, any potential move to Ferrari is still 18 months away. This season there has been at least one driver coming through that could deserve a Ferrari seat in 2010 (Robert K) plus one or two showing steady improvement that could lead to them being considered in a number two role (perhaps Glock or Vettel). I think it's a little arogant of Alonso to think that he will be an automatic choice. There almost seems to be a touch of the Jacques Villeneuve about him.

I think he blew his chance of a third or even a fourth world title with his antics last year and will struggle to return to those heights now. I don't see why Honda should sign him if he is still talking about a 1 year deal. Why force one of the current drivers out of the team for the sake of it when they have done a lot more development work on next years car. I think it is generally safe to asume that with the new regs for next year you would want as much experience in your own car as possible hence the driver market at the end of this season looks like being one of the quietest in years.

IMHO Alonso needs to stay where he is and get his head down and work. That would seem to be his best option for returing to the top step.

 

[RickD]

I hope he stays at Renault. I really don't want to se him in a Honda, especially as he'll want No.1 status and I think Jense will have something to say about that! Perhaps we can have more issues like we had at McLaren last year.

Hopefully Honda will improve next year without FA and JB will be consistently up the front, especially with all the rule changes.

 

[McZiderRed]

This story about Alonso seems to be gaining strength, with F1Fanatic reporting on 2009 F1 driver rumours: Alonso & Senna

"The rumours about Fernando Alonso joining Honda appear to be gaining strength with some sources suggesting a deal has already been done. ...yesterday Guardian journalist Alan Henry put his name to an article claiming Fernando Alonso will partner Jenson Button at Honda in 2009 and even stated the fee involved: £7.6m ($15m)."

An interesting article by F1Fanatic, with stuff about Nakajima at Williams or not, and if not then Bruno Senna to Williams? Or maybe BMW... And would that mean BMW to drop Nick Heidfeld.

Interesting but at the moment just speculation.

 

[cider_and_toast]

Oh I hope if Alonso goes to Honda then Rubens dosn't find himself without a drive. He still has plenty to offer any team and deserves a spot.

Hopefully Rubens could go to Renault. He would be a great asset in helping them develop there car and bring on a younger driver.

As for Alonso, If he is holding out for that Ferrari contract then will he really be better off in a Honda for a year or in a team where he is established and knows.

I am not a fan of Jenson because of his contractual wrangles with Williams and if Alonso joins Honda they could very well experience exactly what Jenson did to Williams but from the other end with Alonso.

As the legend that is Murry Walker always said. "Anything can happen in formula one and it usually does." lol

 

[Jake360]

Renault, honda are content with there current drivers, there is a space a the toro. But there plenty of test drivers that could take that space up. And why would he move to a team thats a sister team to Renaults sister team? It seems he will stay where he is. Unless Kimi leaves at the end of this season, but i think he will go through to the end of his contract, as he hasn't even stepped foot into a rally car or any other form of racing as of yet.

 

[bogaTYR]

he'll stay with renault.

if ayone would have told me at the beginning of the season renault would be doing as well as they are, i would have been on the ground laughing. i think the team and nando in particular are doing extremely well, considering where they come from.

so why go anywhere else if renault is delivering the goods? ok, there is room for improvement but compared to last year, the team is just awesome. plus our little new friend piquet... good on him!

 

[Brogan]

It would seem that Alonso's options have been further reduced after this morning's news that Ferrari have signed Kimi for another year until 2010.

He'd better make his mind up soon or he could be out of a job altogether....

 

[Brogan]

So after all the rumour and speculation he ended up signing a 2 year extension to his current deal at Renault [SOURCE].

I suspect this was due to several factors; a) There weren't that many options available to him if he wanted to be in a position to compete next year and b) The Renault has improved so much towards the end of the season that there's a good chance it can be in the mix with McLaren, Ferrari and BMW next year.
That will depend of course on how well Renault incorporate the new season changes onto their car.

 

[buxted-plump]

I'm pleased he's staying with renault any move other than ferrari would probably be a backwards one

 

[Mezzer]

So after all the rumour and speculation he ended up signing a 2 year extension to his current deal at Renault [SOURCE].

I suspect this was due to several factors; a) There weren't that many options available to him if he wanted to be in a position to compete next year and b) The Renault has improved so much towards the end of the season that there's a good chance it can be in the mix with McLaren, Ferrari and BMW next year.
That will depend of course on how well Renault incorporate the new season changes onto their car.

Agreed, but a key factor is also that Renault achieved the 'at least 4th in WCC' criteria of his contract so he would have to buy his way out rather than just walk away, this would have made him even more expensive for any other team. I think its the right decision for him to stay, the Renault was looking pretty good at the end of the year, the team should be patting itself on the back, they made huge leaps throughout the year.