Autoblog

The inability of Formula One drivers to sit still may seem natural, but Fernando Alonso may be taking it to the next level. After switching from Renault to McLaren for 2007 and then back to Renault for this season, the two-time world champion is back at it, fuelling rumors that he could move to Ferrari in another year or two.

Speculation of Alonso's potential move to the Scuderia crew began to circulate when he was on his way out of McLaren, and were furthered when his new contract with Renault reportedly left him with an out after one season. But after two disappointing races for Ferrari pilot Felipe Massa, the rumors are flying once again. Coming rather short of denying the prospect, Alonso told the press in , "I always want to be in the best car in the field... It is clear that Ferrari has one of the best cars already." Despite a contract that ostensibly secures his ride through 2010, if Massa doesn't manage to adapt to driving without traction control, Alonso just might get his chance.

[Source: F1-Live]

Click on the image above to view the new R28 in our high-resolution gallery

Renault F1 fell off their form last year. After winning two back-to-back world titles, they finished third in the constructors' championship, behind erstwhile perennial mid-fielder BMW Sauber – and that was after McLaren was disqualified. Now they've got their golden boy Fernando Alonso back, joined by Nelson Piquet Jr., the heir and namesake of the 80's-era three-time world champion. This is the year in which Renault hopes to return to the top step of the podium (or to the podium altogether – they only got there once last season). And this is the car in which they hope to pull it off.

The new R28 was unveiled in Paris today (together with the new Twingo Renaultsport) after four days and 1500km of testing in Valencia, Spain. Like all of its competitors, Renault's engineers had to incorporate the latest technical regulations that mandate a standardized engine control unit, without traction control, and a transmission that now has to last several races, while engine development remains frozen. So the bulk of the development rests on aerodynamics and suspension. Renault says the new R28 was a more complete redesign from last year's model, which evolved from the one before that. They've incorporated a zero-keel suspension mounting, and a set-up designed to take better advantage of the standardized Bridgestone tires introduced last year.

Citing improved sales figures for their road cars in Western Europe, Renault reiterated the value which it feels the enormous investment of operating a competitive Formula One team presents to its marketing efforts. You can read more in the full press release after the jump, and check out the pretty pictures of the new R28 in the gallery below.

[Source: Renault]

Fernando Alonso, recently let go from the telenovela known as the McLaren F1 Team, is in a bit of a quandary. He's looking for a team that can keep him at the top of the standings, but he only wants to sign a contract for a year. That's because the teams he really wants to join, Ferrari or BMW-Sauber, can't even think of making a move until the end of 2008 (and in Ferrari's case, really until the end of 2009). However, the only teams he's got a chance of signing with -- Renault, Red Bull, or Toyota -- have unresolved situations, aren't winners, and won't accept the one-year contract stipulation.

Enter McLaren, which still has a cockpit open, but no one worthy to fill it. The driver the team really wants, Nico Rosberg, would require the jaws of life to be pried out of his Williams contract. The only pilots left are unknowns or as yet unproven. But the driver market will open up in a year... so if they could just find a proven winner who only wanted a one-year contract... then maybe... just maybe....

And that's how Spanish newspaper Diario As has come to report that Alonso's camp is in talks with Ron Dennis and McLaren about going back to the team. Alonso's people have, incredibly, engaged in the dialog, but have passed McLaren a list of conditions such as allowing Alonso to decide his race strategy. Nobody believes the reunion is actually going to happen, although more outlandish things have occurred in F1. Be that as it may, the fact that it's gotten this far is what puts the silly in silly season.

[Source: F1-Live]

It's widely being reported now that ace F1 driver Fernando Alonso has signed a letter of intent to rejoin Renault, his former team that he left this year to drive for McLaren-Mercedes. That, as we all know, hasn't turned out so well, with Alonso and his fellow teammate Lewis Hamilton constantly talking smack about each other or not talking to each other at all.

The signed letter of intent is reportedly a preamble for a three-year contract lasting from the 2008 season through 2010 and worth over $100 million. The deal hinges, however, on whether or not Alonso can get out of his current contract with McLaren that extends through the 2008 season with an option for 2009. If Alonso and Lewis keep acting like squabbling siblings, then McLaren may be more than happy to unload the champion to restore peace and order.

[Source: F1-Live.com, photo by Clive Mason/Getty]

We're going to call this one a rumor for at least a little while, but wow. We just got wind of this monster deal that would really cause a major stir in the already tumultuous world of Formula One. News of the World just reported that two-time world driving champion Fernando Alonso is leaving McLaren-Mercedes next year. While that was considered a sure thing in the wake of Stepneygate and all, the real shocker is that he isn't headed to Renault to be reunited with Flavio Briatore as expected. Instead, they have him going to Ferrari of all places. The report says that a cool $40 million was the price to secure Alonso for the scuderia. As they point out, it should be a relatively easy transition for Fernando, who has already been *ahem* studying design features of the Ferrari all season.

With current Ferrari pilot Felipe Massa headed to Toyota, Fernando will be joining current #3 in the driver's race, Kimi Raikkonen, in '08. It should make for another interesting battle over who's number one. The same article that tells of Fernando going to Maranello also bolsters the rumor that Ross Brawn will be stepping up as team manager when Jean Todt leaves at the end of the season. It's not often that the silly season starts this early, but this has been a very atypical year for the FIA and its premier racing class. We'll do some digging and see if we can find other sources to back this one up. But until then, this can only make the last three races of the season more compelling TV.

[Source: TopSpeed]

The claws were out at McLaren during this past weekend's Hungarian F1, with heated exchanges between drivers Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso, and team boss Ron Dennis. The latest outbursts come just a week after a preliminary decision in the F1 spy scandal and shows a usually close-knit McLaren team coming apart at the seams.

The latest tiff was triggered by 22-year old Hamilton ignoring radio orders to allow teammate Alonso to pass on the third round of qualifying. This led to a radio swearing match between Hamilton and his boss Ron Dennis, and also spurred Alonso to later hold up his teammate in the pits, eventually costing the Spaniard his pole position and the team its championship points for the event.

Hamilton managed to win the Hungarian F1 GP after a strong challenge from Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen, while Alonso finished up in fourth place, not being able to overcome BMW's Nick Heidfeld who took third. Fellow BMW driver Robert Kubica ended in fifth, ahead of Ralf Schumacher in sixth and Nico Rosberg in seventh. Rounding out the top eight was Renault's Heikki Kovalainen, taking the last point in a disappointing race.

The outcome for McLaren is a pair of world-class drivers who are not speaking to each other. While Dennis expects Alonso to finish out his contract, he reportedly would not stop the champion from leaving the team if he refuses to accept the idea that both he and Lewis are equal drivers. Could he return to Renault where he was a proven winner? Time will tell, but for now, Team McLaren is in limbo after a strange and unfortunate weekend of racing.

[Source: Sports Illustrated, Sporting Life]

Last weekend's rain soaked European Grand Prix at Germany's Nurburgring saw many of the drivers aquaplaning out of control early on in the event. Rain started in just the second lap of the race and it had to be restarted by the fourth lap due to dangerous conditions. By the time the race restarted the rain had stopped and the track dried up quickly.

Fernando Alonso managed to take the top spot on a day where it seemed that anyone could win, but even he suffered a hitch during the closing laps as he tried to overtake Ferrari's Felipe Massa, who was in first place. Massa's front wheel grazed the side of Alonso's McLaren and this led to a heated argument between the two post-race.

Championship leader Lewis Hamilton was one of the drivers who slid off the track in the beginning, but he was given a lifeline when his car was lifted by crane back onto the track. A poor decision to switch to dry tires too early after the rain had stopped saw him spin out again. This left him out of contention of a podium finish, and at the end the rookie came at in 9th place.

The major disappointment was pole sitter Kimi Raikkonen being forced to retire because of mechanical problems with his Ferrari. This allowed the competent Mark Webber to cruise into the third spot to gain his first podium finish at Red Bull racing. Another disappointment were the BMW boys, with sixth placed Nick Heidfeld hitting the side of team-mate Robert Kubica and then doing the same again with Ralf Schumacher.

Ferarri's new driver Kimi Raikkonen put in a dominant performance to win the opening round of the 2007 Formula One series over the McLaren duo of two-time champion Fernando Alonso and debutante Lewis Hamilton. Raikkonen, who started from the pole position, had an incident-free race and at one point held a massive 15-second lead over the field. His Ferrari was clearly faster than many other cars in the race, allowing him to lap all but seven of his opponents by the end.

The race, run in perfect conditions, started impressively with a huge crush of vehicles successfully navigating the tight first and third turns of the course without any clashes.

There were a small number of vehicle failures throughout, and one spectacular collision when David Coulthard of the Red Bull team attempted an impossible passing maneuver around a tight, windy section of the temporary street circuit, cutting across the front of Williams-Toyota's Alexander Wurz. Coulthard's front left wheel assembly was smashed as his vehicle flicked up onto and then slid across the nose of Wurz's car and went flying through the air to land safely in the sand. Remarkably, Wurz was able to continue without any problems while Coulthard walked away from his ruined machine. Despite this, the pace car was not required throughout the 58 lap Australian Grand Prix, which ran very smoothly after requiring four stoppages last year.

[Source: The Age]

Before setting the fastest lap during today's practice session in Melbourne, two-time Formula One champ Fernando Alonso made it clear that running the Australian Grand Prix at night was a bad idea. Joined by Ferrari's Felipe Massa, both drivers questioned whether enough track lighting would provide the necessary visibility to run a safe race.

The idea was floated by F1's chief Bernie Ecclestone and is currently under consideration by the Victorian Government. The thinking behind the idea is to make the race more entertaining for viewers, while at the same time allowing fans abroad to catch the event during peak viewing hours.

Several issues were brought to the fore during the discussion, and while safety was the biggest concern, the cost, both economically and environmentally, of lighting Albert Park might prove to be too prohibitive.

Considering that the open-wheeled racers regularly crest the 200 MPH mark, the idea of running a night race to attract more viewers may be a bit half-baked. Plus, we doubt that the team's aerodynamic engineers would be fond of strapping a set of driving lights onto the front wing.

[Source: Drive.com.au]

click on above image to view 47 more high-resolution pics

Ace F1 driver Fernando Alonso already counts one as his company car, but we mere mortals will most likely never own one of the new Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren 722 Editions that are earmarked for production. Though we've known about the special edition model for some time, Mercedes decided to release a ton of info and pics of the car over the weekend. It chose the prosperous Middle Eastern mecca of Dubai to "premier" the car, which is fitting since many of them will likely end up in a shiek's garage on a man-made island. Hopefully that shiek will take his 722 out on the smooth asphalt of Dubai's public roadways and open her up, as Mercedes and McLaren have improved the car over the "base" SLR in over 300 ways. The most significant upgrade is in horsepower, which jumps from 617 to 650 in the SLR 722. That 5.5L supercharged V8 can now propel the SLR 722 to 60 mph in 3.5 seconds, down from 3.8. Top speed? Was 207.5 mph. Now it's 209.4. Hey, every little bit helps when Alonso's trying to get to the track on time.

Follow the jump for MB's full press release on the McLaren SLR 722 Edition that details every modification made to the brand's halo car. We've also assembled a high-resolution gallery for the 48 new pics MB released.

[Source: Mercedes-Benz]