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Alonso buys shares in tin foil

Fernando Alonso is headed to Renault. (Source: AP Photo/Luca Bruno)
Expert
16th October, 2014
20

The driver market is a beautiful thing. Not only does it keep the Formula One news cycle turning in what is traditionally a barren time of year, it also gives writers the chance to fill countless column inches with phrases like ‘it is understood’ and ‘sources say’.

It’s also fantastic go-to content should any of these final flyaway rounds prove something of a wet squib, let’s say. Ahem.

For a gripping silly season story look no further than this year. As many as nine World Championships may change trophy cabinets come December, but how they may be divvied up remain ambiguous.

Fernando Alonso currently clutches two of those titles and is keen to rehouse them somewhere more likely to provide him a third to complete his collection. Rumours have swirled from the moment this year’s Ferrari was confirmed as something more akin to a limp pony than a prancing horse for the sixth year in succession.

Former Ferrari President Luca Montezemolo said that was enough to make up the Spaniard’s mind.

Depending on whose account you consider most accurate, Fernando and Ferrari’s imminent parting is due to either Fernando activating his contractual right to pack his bags upon the team’s failure to meet its side of the competitive bargain, or because Marco Mattiacci deciding to rid Ferrari of the divisive character in its midst. Talented he may be, but no man can be bigger than Ferrari.

Either way, somewhere between Singapore and Japan the pair pulled the plug. Alonso, the man with the most to lose in a career slowly heading towards its twilight, felt he had the run of what had been a sedate driver market up to that point. With all other drivers seemingly waiting for him to pull the trigger first, he could quietly play the teams against each other to extract the best contract possible before making his Ferrari exit official.

In doing so, however, he failed to consider one important thing: Mattiacci.

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Marco Mattiacci, somewhere in that same timeframe, had a message sent to Sebastian Vettel: “we’re ready”. Vettel, with four titles under his belt and nothing left to prove at Red Bull Racing, heard loud and clear. He beat Fernando to the trigger.

Red Bull, with its huge investment into its junior driver programme, was uninterested in entertaining the idea of offering Alonso a contract so immediately promoted Daniil Kvyat, and so one negotiating lever was snatched from Alonso.

Niki Lauda and Toto Wolff similarly confirmed that they are fully intent on keeping their driver line-up at Mercedes. Two levers gone.

Williams renewed its contracts with both of its drivers earlier in the year. Lotus has Pastor Maldonado(‘s cash) locked down until the next ice age and Romain Grosjean has no real alternatives but to stay with the team next season. In any case, they will be powered by the far more competitive Mercedes engine in 2015, so levers four and five out.

With Alonso bobbing helplessly at sea, it is poetic that it is Ron Dennis, the man with whom Alonso had a spectacular falling out with in 2007, is the only man offering a lifeline. Needs must, as they say.

Of course this means that one of either Jenson Button and Kevin Magnussen will have to leave McLaren and quite possibly the sport. With Magnussen nearing the end of a promising rookie season and Button hurtling toward his 35th birthday, one would assume the former would be retained over the latter.

The rub exists in Alonso wanting a one-year deal to keep options open in 2016 when Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes contract expires. McLaren and its new engine partner Honda want a minimum of two. With exactly zero leverage remaining, Fernando is painted into a chrome-coloured corner.

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There is, however, a number of tinfoil hat versions doing the rounds. It is understood that sources say that Hamilton, depending on the outcome of his title campaign, may choose to make a sensational return to McLaren to rebuild the team with Honda immediately, rather than assessing the engine’s performance in its first year. That would thus pave the way for Alonso to conclude that Mercedes deal one year earlier than expected.

Furthermore, other sources understand that McLaren, yet to confirm either of its drivers despite needing just one available seat to accommodate Alonso, is angling for the greatest coup of modern times – a powerhouse Alonso–Vettel partnership, to rival the sport’s most famous pairing of Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost. That would leave Button or Magnussen to plead their cases to Maranello for seat.

Said sources appear divided. None of these options can be ruled out, however, and Alonso continues to insist that he alone wields power in the driver market, despite what seems obvious to us. He also reiterated in Russia that, when we learn of his true intentions, we will realise we “should’ve known all along”. What a tease.

But then how many people saw Sebastian Vettel jumping ship early Saturday morning in Suzuka? Another twist like that and 2015 could prove a lucrative year for the tin industry.

Find out if all of this was officially debunked between writing and publishing via Twitter: @MichaelLamonato

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