Alan Henry announces that Fernando Alonso is set to sign a $15M deal that would see the Spaniard go to Honda for 2009 and eventually end up at Ferrari for 2010.That means Fernando would have raced for six teams (Renault twice) since coming to F1. His CV is running out of room for all the “previous employment” information.
Good idea? Bad idea? Jenson gone? Rubens gone? Ross knows Rubens is a great #2 so who knows? I thought Jenson would retire at Honda but maybe not. Jenson to Renault?
Fernando Alonso is poised to sign a $15m (£7.6m) deal which will see him drive for Honda alongside Jenson Button next season but it may be a short stay as the Spaniard looks likely to join Ferrari in 2010.
It is believed one of the key reasons the twice world champion is considering a move from Renault was the arrival of Ross Brawn as the Honda team’s principal this season. “Fernando is a wonderful driver who would be a fantastic asset to any of the top teams, including this one,” said Nick Fry, the Honda team’s chief executive. “The job Ross and I have is to build a world championship-winning team.”
Brawn has already served notice that things might change by saying no decision has yet been taken on drivers for next year. He has admitted, though, that Alonso would be the ideal acquisition for Honda. “We’d love to have him,” said Brawn. “Of all the drivers right now, he is the only one that I see as totally complete, as Michael [Schumacher] was.”
The feeling at Honda is that a driver of Alonso’s calibre could be worth as much as 0.6sec a lap and the Spaniard’s test and development talents are just what Honda need in 2009 when a raft of new aerodynamic rules, slick tyres and KERS energy regeneration systems, are being introduced.
Although Alonso is believed to have shaken hands on a deal to join Ferrari at some time in the future, the precise date of his arrival is difficult to establish as Kimi Raikkonen, the present world champion, is contracted to the Italian team until the end of next year and Felipe Massa to the end of 2010. Driving the Honda for one year –
