Alonso joins Ferrari

[shinji]

http://www.ferrari.com/English/News/Pages/090930_F1_News_1.aspx

Maranello, 30th September 2009 - Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro announces that it has reached an agreement with the driver Fernando Alonso. The agreement covers three racing seasons, starting in 2010.

The Scuderia’s driver line-up next season will therefore be made up of Felipe Massa and Fernando Alonso, with Giancarlo Fisichella in the role of reserve driver.

Kimi Raikkonen will leave the team at the end of this current season, after what has been a rewarding and fruitful partnership, which saw him win the Drivers’ title in 2007. He also played a key role in Ferrari’s taking of the Constructor’s title that same year and in 2008.

“We are very proud to welcome to our team another winning driver, who has demonstrated his amazing talent by winning two World Championships in his career to date,” said Stefano Domenicali. “Of course, we wish to thank Kimi for everything he has done during his time with Ferrari: in his first year with us, he managed to win the Drivers’ title, thus making his contribution to Ferrari’s history and he played a vital role in our taking of the Constructors’ title in 2007 and 2008. Even during a difficult season like this one, he has demonstrated his great talent, with several good results, including a great win in Spa and we are sure that we can share more good times together in the final three races of this season.”

“With common consent, we have agreed to terminate the contract binding me to Ferrari to the end of 2010, one year ahead of schedule,” said Kimi Raikkonen. “I am very sad to be leaving a team with which I have spent three fantastic years, during which time I won plenty of races. Together, we have won 50% of the world titles in that period and I managed to take the Drivers’ title in 2007, thus achieving the target I had set myself at the start of my career. I have always felt at home with everyone here and I will have many happy memories of my time with the team.”

So, Raikkonen out (to where?), Massa back in, and Alonso doing what most people expected him to do.

HE'S MOVED TO FERRARI

[Warren Hughes]

About flipping time. Can't wait to see how he does against Massa. Also can't wait to see how Raikkonen does against Hamilton (assuming he goes to McLaren).

[Paul Hayes]

Possibly the worst kept secret in the history of Formula One. At least the driver market should all start slotting into place now. Like dominoes, really. One goes over and all the rest follow.

[RejectSteve]

So, Raikkonen out (to where?)

Depending on who you believe, he'll move up the corporate structure from Ferrari to Fiat and contest the World Rally Championship (possibly with a year in the Intercontinental Rally Challenge before stepping up).

[noisebox]

I'm sure some people on this forum will still deny it!

[Jordan192]

So, Raikkonen out (to where?)

McLaren.

[Nin13]

OMG.......... I never xpected this!!

Come On!! this is worst kept secret in F1 history!! Now we need F1 Rejects to do top 10 worst kept F1 secrets.

[Paul Hayes]

It is interesting how both Allen and Benson hail this as the start of a potentially classic era for F1:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/andrewbenson ... erald.html
http://www.jamesallenonf1.com/2009/09/a ... rst-broke/

Let's hope they're right - I think they could well be. Certainly the prospect of Hamilton, Alonso and Raikkonen all squabbling over next year's title, with Vettel, Webber, Button and Rosberg nibbling at their heels, is an enormously enticing one.

[Warren Hughes]

Now we need F1 Rejects to do top 10 worst kept F1 secrets.

Irvine to Jaguar 1999 is up there

[shinji]

It is interesting how both Allen and Benson hail this as the start of a potentially classic era for F1:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/andrewbenson ... erald.html
http://www.jamesallenonf1.com/2009/09/a ... rst-broke/

Let's hope they're right - I think they could well be. Certainly the prospect of Hamilton, Alonso and Raikkonen all squabbling over next year's title, with Vettel, Webber, Button and Rosberg nibbling at their heels, is an enormously enticing one.

Not to mention Nakajima and Sebastien Buemi.

[Many Blue Flags]

God, I feel like a fool now.

[Jordan192]

It is interesting how both Allen and Benson hail this as the start of a potentially classic era for F1:

The 2007 McLaren and Ferrari lineups should have been the start of a classic era, but Alonso proved himself to be overly keen and underly skilled to play politics, and his inability to keep his mouth shut during the FOTA business earlier in the year doesn't massively suggest he's learned from that. He's going into a Ferrari that will be very strongly emotionally invested in Massa (at least at first), and if he can't deal with that in a mature way he'll be out after a year just like last time.
There are also still question marks over Kimi's motivation, hopefully the move will re-ignite that.

[Waris]

Massa vs. Alonso will be a GRUESOME, titanic battle.
Massa for 2010 champion?

[Paul Hayes]

Massa vs. Alonso will be a GRUESOME, titanic battle.
Massa for 2010 champion?

I don't know... I just don't see Massa being able to live with Alonso. I think he'll be firmly back in No. 2 position again, not through the team's choice but through simple speed. And I thought that even before his accident.

[lostpin]

Well, why do I feel utterly not surprised?

[Ulfuls]

It is interesting how both Allen and Benson hail this as the start of a potentially classic era for F1:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/andrewbenson ... erald.html
http://www.jamesallenonf1.com/2009/09/a ... rst-broke/

Let's hope they're right - I think they could well be. Certainly the prospect of Hamilton, Alonso and Raikkonen all squabbling over next year's title, with Vettel, Webber, Button and Rosberg nibbling at their heels, is an enormously enticing one.

I guess... this whole cult of McLaren/Ferrari, eternal titans of F1, sort of bewilders me. Maybe it's because I started watching F1 in the 1980s when Ferrari meant faded glory and current futility... All those races with Michele Alboreto tooling home in 9th place... And McLaren were obviously strong, MP4/4 and all that, but even then there was something cold and reptilian about them (hello Ron!)

I'd rather watch a desperate character in a Williams steal a victory than Michael Schumacher or Ayrton Senna win eight races in a row. I am aware that my views are heretical.

[Paul Hayes]

It is interesting how both Allen and Benson hail this as the start of a potentially classic era for F1:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/andrewbenson ... erald.html
http://www.jamesallenonf1.com/2009/09/a ... rst-broke/

Let's hope they're right - I think they could well be. Certainly the prospect of Hamilton, Alonso and Raikkonen all squabbling over next year's title, with Vettel, Webber, Button and Rosberg nibbling at their heels, is an enormously enticing one.

I guess... this whole cult of McLaren/Ferrari, eternal titans of F1, sort of bewilders me. Maybe it's because I started watching F1 in the 1980s when Ferrari meant faded glory and current futility... All those races with Michele Alboreto tooling home in 9th place... And McLaren were obviously strong, MP4/4 and all that, but even then there was something cold and reptilian about them (hello Ron!)

I'd rather watch a desperate character in a Williams steal a victory than Michael Schumacher or Ayrton Senna win eight races in a row. I am aware that my views are heretical.

I agree with you about the teams, but it's not them that excite me so much as the fact that the top drivers will all be competing in what should hopefully be well-matched machinery. If we had those driver line-ups in Fortis and Minardis as the top teams, it would be just as exciting.

[johnston21]

Massa for 2010 champion?

Ferrari won't let that happen after spending "all that" money, otherwise they would have kept Kimi...

[Jordan192]

I am aware that my views are heretical.

It's okay, this is one ofthe few places where they're not

[Bert]

Now he can destroy another team! Alonso is the Tyrell Owens (sp?) of F1. Wherever he goes trouble follows.

[Nuppiz]

Oh well, at least the Spanish sports reporters may keep their jobs.

Also interesting to see that Alonso is bringing his own engineers with him. Now which former then-double world champion did the same thing almost 15 years ago with essentially the same teams?

[LukeB]

I'd rather watch a desperate character in a Williams steal a victory than Michael Schumacher or Ayrton Senna win eight races in a row. I am aware that my views are heretical.

If that's heresy then I'll be joining you on the bonfire (before pulling a Galileo at the last second and leaving you to burn alone).

[fjackdaw]

I'll join the heresy pile. The best drivers in the best teams, and the same three or four drivers winning everything outright, has always bored me. I'm much excited by the prospect of anyone being able to win, as we've seen this year. Even if it hasn't quite panned out like that, the sheer variety on the podium has shown that anyone can be there or thereabouts.

[Henrique]

2010 may be the year of teammate rivalries. Hamilton with Räikkönen and Massa with Alonso. And with all those reject teams at the back, oh I can't wait!

[tristan1117]

Now we need F1 Rejects to do top 10 worst kept F1 secrets.

Irvine to Jaguar 1999 is up there

Not to mention Schumacher to Ferrari in 96. I think everyone but Alesi knew saw that coming.

[thehemogoblin]

Now he can destroy another team! Alonso is the Tyrell Owens (sp?) of F1. Wherever he goes trouble follows.

Terrell. Or, as noted ass/sportswriter/douchebag Skip Bayless calls him, Terrible Owens. Or, Teamkiller Owens.

Your point stands, however. You look at Alonso, after he left Minardi, they went downhill too...

[Valrys]

Your point stands, however. You look at Alonso, after he left Minardi, they went downhill too...

He left, then they scored their first points for 3 years....co-incidence? Nay! Conspiracy!

...or not

[SuperAguri]

Conspiracy theorists stand up... Alonso joins Ferrari after Renault F1 principal and his team manager is banned for life and he scores his first podium of the year at the track he won at last year with some 'help', coincidence? I think not...

[watka]

People keep saying Raikkonen and Hamilton will/would not get along at McLaren, but Kimi isn't really a troublemaker. Alonso and Massa will be more intriguing, because Massa is Ferrari's baby, but Alonso will expect to be number 1.

[fjackdaw]

People keep saying Raikkonen and Hamilton will/would not get along at McLaren, but Kimi isn't really a troublemaker. Alonso and Massa will be more intriguing, because Massa is Ferrari's baby, but Alonso will expect to be number 1.

Yeah, I'd imagine Kimi doesn't have much ego, he probably doesn't really care what Lewis is doing. And I think Lewis is racer enough not to pout if Kimi is faster, he'll just go all-out to beat him, providing he doesn't feel that Kimi is getting preferential treatment. I could eat my words though - Lewis may well trigger some other apocalyptic controversy for McLaren, the third in four years, and Alonso may anhillate Ferrari.

[CarlosFerreira]

Depending on who you believe, he'll move up the corporate structure from Ferrari to Fiat and contest the World Rally Championship (possibly with a year in the Intercontinental Rally Challenge before stepping up).

And why would he? He's proved how great he is since Massa's untimely dismissal, and especially after Fisichella's draft. The F60 is as rubbish a car as you like, and Ferrari is so much disinvesting in Raikkonen, they pulled the plug on developing it. McLaren wouldn't do that to Hamilton, it's a team committed to its driver, while Ferrari was already thinking on the next season and the driver to come. Why would he go and run a bloody Eurobox in the middle of trees, in a secondary category, where he would easily be beaten by youngsters in hoodies? No, Raikkonen belongs at the sharp end of F1.

[Stramala]

I think people are mis-interpreting the whole WRC connection.

Raikkonen did not race for Fiat in Finland. He raced for Tommi Makinen Racing, and infact, I think Kimi owns the car and TMR just preps it. Thus far, Kimi has no official connection to the Abarth Rally Team. So, even with him leaving Ferrari, it does not mean the WRC would not happen for him.
The way I see his career going is:
2010 - McLaren Mercedes - Does well, but gets p****d off at Whitmarsh for the constant Lewis favouritism, and with no other competitive options avaliable, he leaves F1.

2011 - Tommi Makinen Racing - Kimi runs in the WRC with TMR's S1600+ Punto, securing 3rd in Class at the end of the year behind Kris Meeke and Anton Alen.

2012-2016 - Ford WRT - Signs 3 year deal with Ford. Becomes World Rally Champion in 2014, retains his title in 2015 but can't keep Sebastien Ogier and Evgeny Novikov at bay in 2016 in the ageing Fiesta.

2017-2018 - Lancia WRT - Lancia returns to WRC, but the car is unreliable in its first year. Second season is similar, Kimi gets fed up and quits with a year to run on his contract.

2019 - Toyota WRT - Goes to the now all-conquering Toyota for one last year, and comes runner up to team-mate Alasdair Lindsay

[Fitch]

Alonso to Ferrari..........Aside from the Worst Kept secret.....Does this not end all of the speculation, the quiet talks the mutterings, the musings of those on the fringe.......Does this not make what we've long been speculating, in Fact it does , Make it Official.........Luca di Montezmola is next......and yes, that is a Laser beam on your head.....and the Early morning Fog lights it's path all the way back to the President of the FIA's office..........

CALL IT!!

[Captain Hammer]

WTF!?

[CarlosFerreira]

Alonso to Ferrari..........Aside from the Worst Kept secret.....Does this not end all of the speculation, the quiet talks the mutterings, the musings of those on the fringe.......Does this not make what we've long been speculating, in Fact it does , Make it Official.........Luca di Montezmola is next......and yes, that is a Laser beam on your head.....and the Early morning Fog lights it's path all the way back to the President of the FIA's office..........

CALL IT!!

Either it's me, or that CT goy waaaaaaaay out of hand.

[Many Blue Flags]

I think people are mis-interpreting the whole WRC connection.

Raikkonen did not race for Fiat in Finland. He raced for Tommi Makinen Racing, and infact, I think Kimi owns the car and TMR just preps it. Thus far, Kimi has no official connection to the Abarth Rally Team. So, even with him leaving Ferrari, it does not mean the WRC would not happen for him.
The way I see his career going is:
2010 - McLaren Mercedes - Does well, but gets p****d off at Whitmarsh for the constant Lewis favouritism, and with no other competitive options avaliable, he leaves F1.

2011 - Tommi Makinen Racing - Kimi runs in the WRC with TMR's S1600+ Punto, securing 3rd in Class at the end of the year behind Kris Meeke and Anton Alen.

2012-2016 - Ford WRT - Signs 3 year deal with Ford. Becomes World Rally Champion in 2014, retains his title in 2015 but can't keep Sebastien Ogier and Evgeny Novikov at bay in 2016 in the ageing Fiesta.

2017-2018 - Lancia WRT - Lancia returns to WRC, but the car is unreliable in its first year. Second season is similar, Kimi gets fed up and quits with a year to run on his contract.

2019 - Toyota WRT - Goes to the now all-conquering Toyota for one last year, and comes runner up to team-mate Alasdair Lindsay

I think for 2011, you mean the IRC. XD And Kimi would probably manage to put the boot in on Alen, he's a terrible driver. Kopecky and Hanninen are the ones he'd have to watch out for.

[Wizzie]

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/79090
The sense of Deja-Vu grows...

[Captain Hammer]

Alonso has matured since then. And I think a part of the problem was that what he had been told and what he experienced at McLaren were two different things: he was under the impression that he would take the lead early on and Hamilton would spend a year learning from him. In reality, Hamilton was competitive from the word go and things played ou differenty to what had been described to Alonso.

[razta]

sniffpetrol #F1 NEWS: Alonso says "I am honoured to join Ferrari and I look forward to betraying them at some point in the future".

[Bert]

...

2017-2018 - Lancia WRT - Lancia returns to WRC, but the car is unreliable in its first year. Second season is similar, Kimi gets fed up and quits with a year to run on his contract.

...

Would this mean that we would see some sort of reincarnation of the Stratos? If that, that could very well be worth it!