It's around this time of year that the F1 "silly season" is in full swing as plenty of potential rumours abound surrounding driver, team or even engine changes for the following season. The major one this year has been the constant speculation with Fernando Alonso moving to McLaren for next year. Despite constant dismissal of a potential move this rumours doesn't seem to go away, a sign of substance to it or purely speculation to keep both in the limelight?
The latest development from this story is sources stating new McLaren's new engine partner for 2015, Honda, would be more than willing to pay the 30 million Euros severance fee Alonso has to pay if he was to leave Ferrari. Honda has long stated it's desire to work with a top line driver for it's comeback in 2015. This suits McLaren and is why they have very publicly tried to entice both Alonso and Red Bull superstar Sebastien Vettel with huge salaries and the promise of an McLaren upturn.
Whilst Vettel seems unlikely to move from the Red Bull team he's been a part of for 7 years and laughed off speculation of him moving to McLaren next year, the current somewhat frosty relationship between Ferrari and Alonso currently has only strengthened rumors of an impending move.
It seems the constant speculation appeared to finally get to Alonso during the Singapore Grand Prix weekend as he is quoted as saying "Sometimes it's sad when it comes from Italy, or they create these rumours for some strange purpose which is not helping Ferrari, which is why we're all here."
This will have likely alerted the F1 paddock and some journalists are already speculating on his future, the latest being veteran journalist James Allen in his latest blog post, in which he states "According to Italian colleagues, Ferrari doesn't want to give Alonso some of the guarantees he is seeking and Alonso has told Ferrari he wants to leave. [Team principal Marco] Mattiacci said cryptically on Sunday night that Alonso was set to stay with the team 'for the moment'."
Allen later also states "Veteran F1 journalist Pino Allievi told me at the weekend that if Alonso wants to leave, with two years of contract with Ferrari still outstanding, then he has to pay €30 million. Honda would sign that off without hesitation, sources suggest."
Despite these rumours I personally wouldn't put much money on Alonso moving to McLaren for next year. Their is definite substance to this rumour however Alonso is only linked with McLaren because he is frustrated with the current level of performance from Ferrari. It would seem illogical to therefore move to a team currently lower than Ferrari in the Constructors championship, despite the promise of a huge salary and the promise of Honda engines.
Also allowing Alonso to leave would give them very little time to find a replacement driver, with all the top drivers currently locked up for 2015, therefore the best option would be to attempt to prise the hugely talented Nico Hulkenberg from his Sahara-Force India seat and give him the big break his talent deserved years ago. What are your thoughts on this persistent Alonso to McLaren rumour?
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