Alonso set to sign with McLaren F1?
The Alonso-McLaren saga might be coming to an end with the Spaniard's signing with the British team? That's what the BBC claims to know.
According to the BBC, Fernando Alonso is set to join the McLaren team for the 2015 and 2016 seasons.
The negotiations between the two parties are reportedly not completely finished, according to Andrew Benson, the editor-in-chief for F1, with some details still to be settled, but sources close to the matter have indicated that they have progressed so far that not signing the contract would be an immense shock.
The main discussions seemed to crystallize around the question of the contract duration: the Spaniard reportedly wanted a one-year contract to leave an exit option in 2016 in case a spot opened up at Mercedes, but ultimately a two-year contract with an optional additional year seemed to be on the table.
Such a scenario, if confirmed, would not prevent Alonso from leaving the team at the end of his first season, as his departure after just one year with McLaren at the end of 2007 demonstrated.
On the McLaren side, the arrival of the double world champion could come at the expense of another world champion, Jenson Button. In fact, the Briton, long presented as the favorite to continue his own succession, might no longer be as certain of retaining his seat. The Woking team has not yet made a decision, but Kevin Magnussen’s age (22 years) could be a factor in the decision to keep him even though, in the overall standings, Button dominates him quite convincingly with 94 points to 53. The driver with the number 22, if he had to leave F1, might find an opportunity in Endurance racing, perhaps even with Porsche.
Nothing is official yet, and the utmost caution must be exercised regarding all this information. Indeed, on Sunday evening, other rumors emerged indicating Alonso’s desire to stay with Ferrari in place of Kimi Räikkönen. Time and official statements will be the only true judges.
