McLaren-Mercedes hire F1 champion Alonso from 2007 on

Motorsport News

By John Bagratuni Dec 19, 2005, 18:50 GMT

Hamburg - McLaren-Mercedes surprised the Formula One world on Monday by announcing the hiring freshly-crowned world champion Fernando Alonso from 2007 onwards. Picture dated Saturday 15 October 2005 shows Spanish Formula One driver Fernando Alonso of Renault celebrating his pole position after the qualifying session at the Chinese F1 track near Shanghai, China. McLaren-Mercedes have hired freshly crowned Formula One world champion Fernando Alonso from the 2007 season onwards, the Anglo-German team announced on Monday, 19 December 2005. EPA/KERIM OKTEN

Picture dated Saturday 15 October 2005 shows Spanish Formula One driver Fernando Alonso of Renault celebrating his pole position after the qualifying session at the Chinese F1 track near Shanghai, China. McLaren-Mercedes have hired freshly crowned Formula One world champion Fernando Alonso from the 2007 season onwards, the Anglo-German team announced on Monday, 19 December 2005. EPA/KERIM OKTENAlonso, 24, became the youngest world champion and the first driver from Spain in F1 history this year for Renault, and will also compete for the French team in 2006. McLaren boss Ron Dennis said in a press release that the team is talking with the team's current drivers Kimi Raikkonen and Juan Pablo Montoya about their future in the team as one of them will have to leave after the 2006 campaign. Raikkonen has been linked with Ferrari as successor of record world champion Michael Schumacher from 2007 on and has allegedly even signed a pre-contract with the Italian team. 'Fernando and McLaren Mercedes wanted to make the announcement as soon as possible in a controlled and professional manner to allow McLaren Mercedes, Fernando, Kimi and Juan Pablo to focus on the preparations for the 2006 season,' said Ron Dennis. Alonso said: 'To become part of a team with such a desire to succeed and passion for performance is a dream come true for any Formula One driver. 'It will be a new beginning for me and a tremendous challenge and from what I have heard about this exciting new partnership there is something to look forward to. Obviously I will be sad to leave Renault but sometimes possibilities come along which are just too good to miss.' No details about Alonso's contract were given but Mercedes motorsport chief Norbert Haug told Deutsche Presse-Agentur, dpa, that it was a 'long-term partnership'. Alonso joined the sport in 2001 and has competed in 69 races of which he has won eight, seven of them in 2005 en route to the world title ahead of Raikkonen. McLaren-Mercedes have not won the world championship since Mika Hakkinen's double 1998 and 1999. 'To have a World Champion joining the team is a great endorsement and will create a tremendous amount of excitement,' said Haug. The hiring of Alonso is part of a major sponsorship deal as McLaren last week announced that mobile phone giants Vodaphone will be the team title sponsors from 2007 onwards. 'We always make it clear that we want to be the best and the only way of achieving this objective is by attracting the best people, the best drivers and the best sponsors,' said Dennis. 'To be able to announce Vodafone as only McLaren's third title partner in more than 30 years and Fernando's employment within only a few days is fantastic news for the team, our Partners, Formula One and the fans,' he said. The new partnership may even start with two world champions, that if the other 2007 McLaren driver (either Rikkonen or Montoya) wins the title next year. Monday's announcement may in fact work in their favour and weaken the constructors champions Renault, who now know that Alonso is departing and are even rumoured to end their F1 engagement after the 2006 season. © 2005 dpa - Deutsche Presse-Agentur

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