Alonso quits McLaren

Deposed world champion Fernando Alonso is to leave the McLaren team before the end of his current contract, a spokesman for the driver told the RNE radio station on Friday.

The spokesman, Luis Garcia-Abad, said that Alonso, who was under contract with the British team until 2008, would not have to pay a penalty for leaving and was free to join another team.

The 2005 and 2006 Formula One king has been involved in intense contract negotiations with the team in England over the last two days, but the two sides were unable to reach an agreement for next season.


The 26-year-old Spaniard has had a controversial year with McLaren which has seen him at loggerheads with team chief Ron Dennis and co-driver Lewis Hamilton for much of the season and it had been widely expected he would move on.

His former employers at Renault have expressed their interest in taking him back, but Marca said Alonso might prefer to sign up for a smaller team with a view to eventually finding an opening at Ferrari.

Alonso saw his hopes of winning a hat-trick of world titles vanish in the final Grand Prix of the season in Brazil last month with Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen snatching the prize away from him and team-mate Hamilton.

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