Tycoon

Fernando Alonso’s new Renault contract will make him formula one’s highest current earner, the Spanish daily El Mundo claims. In a deal that is set to be signed by the Spaniard and announced by Renault imminently, Alonso, 26, will earn even more than Ferrari’s reigning world champion Kimi Raikkonen in 2008, the newspaper said.

Brazilian rookie Nelson Piquet Jr will be his teammate, while Alonso’s initially two-year contract - estimated at $50m per season - will assign him minimal sponsor commitments, contain an ‘exit’ clause, as well as clear number one status.

“Renault has won the race,” El Mundo declared, referring to recent speculation of the double world champion’s links with Red Bull, Toyota and Honda. “Alonso will return to the team where he amassed his glory.”

Another Spanish newspaper, El Pais, reports that McLaren boss Ron Dennis is waiting to know Alonso’s final plans for 2008 before deciding between Pedro de la Rosa, Heikki Kovalainen and Adrian Sutil for the vacant seat alongside Lewis Hamilton.

Alonso is expected to make his Renault test debut in late January at Valencia, in the new car.


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monster

Why would Renault pay Alonso so much money when he is desperate to look for a team next year?

EnI

What's the point of all the tech restriction rules by FIA to lower the team's spendings when some teams are still willing to spend hundred millions on their drivers.




Let FIA also limit the driver salaries!


More talented young drivers, not some cocky stars ...

But F1 has always been about money, glamor, fame, ...

shonguiz

Apprently alonso's signature will be annouced today at 14:00.

Matt530i

There are two important things here. Alonso wanted a one-year contract, likely so that if Renault isn't competitive in 2008 he would then be free to go sign with Ferrari or BMW in 2009 (assuming they'd have him). The exit clause likely gives him his one-year contract but the devil is in the details.

Second, if Piquet Jr has the second seat, I would expect McLaren to snap up Kovalainen in the next few days. Although I guess it depends if they want to treat Hamilton a number one driver or not. I can't see Kovalainen wanted to play second fiddle to someone.

p.s. It's been confirmed on formula1.com

Imhotep Evil

The reson of all these restrictions is that Mosley's a idiot.
Young drivers also don't bring sponsors/money to the team like Alonso (Telefonica, Sandoz, MM, Guru, Vodafone, Santander; and now some new sponsors for Renault).

Young driver also don't know how to work on a car either.
Kovalainen spun and crashed and then spuned and crashed some more, because as he admited he couldn't get the setup right. And yound and talented LH wouldn't have done any better without Alonso's setup either.
One of the worst things about the 50% loss downforce for 2009 (and the problem of the current cars is their 3.0 ltr. V10 DRAG witch chokes the 2.4 V8 engines and extreme sensitivity, not their DOWNFORCE as some wrongly belive) is that this will make setup easier. A high downforce car is the most difficult machine to set-up, because there's so many problems and compromisses to consider (and without a good setup these days you just can't do much, besides spun off and crashes).

Centurion

2009 will be a nightmare.

Less downforce + No tyre blankets + Slicks = Very little grip, especially when the track is lightly damp.

Imhotep Evil

>
^ True, and if that's not bad enough all of the excesive drag that chokes the V8s is sure to remain.