user icon
icon
link-icon
<< Return to the news list
McLaren to 'respect contracts' in hunt for top driver

McLaren to 'respect contracts' in hunt for top driver

  • Published on 29 Aug 2014 08:39
  • comments 0
  • By: Rob Veenstra
A week before Monza, which is always a hotbed of rumours, the notorious F1 'silly season' is looking uncharacteristically uncertain. Speculation is usually rife around the time of the Italian grand prix, but looking ahead to the 2015 season and the sport's grandee drivers and teams, either a lot will change or not much will change at all.

McLaren, wielding new power in the form of its looming works Honda partnership, potentially has its finger on the first of a very influential set of dominos. Its name is Jenson Button. The 34-year-old - F1's most experienced driver - is highly rated by the Woking team, but McLaren is also acutely aware that he may not be quite in the mould of true stars like Hamilton, Alonso and Vettel.

But all of the aforementioned three, respectively at Mercedes (Lewis Hamilton), Ferrari (Fernando Alonso) and Red Bull (Sebastian Vettel), are firmly under contract for 2015. So McLaren waits. "Well," said supremo Ron Dennis, when told that if the might of McLaren-Honda really wanted to sign one of them, it probably could find a way. "That depends on whether you respect drivers' contracts or not, and I do," he told F1's official website.

It is not impossible to imagine Dennis' former protege Hamilton refusing to stay at Mercedes next year if his arch-enemy Nico Rosberg secures the number 1 for 2015. "At the moment it (Mercedes) is not a team," Mark Webber told Austrian broadcaster Servus TV. "Is it ok to have them together in 2015?"

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff admitted this week that contract talks with Hamilton have been paused. "At this stage things are very intense," he said, "and you have to stay concentrated on the season. One thing is for sure: we are not going to talk to anybody else before having a very clear situation about how we can continue to work with Lewis," Wolff added.

As for Alonso and Vettel, the latter of whom is not happy at Red Bull this year in the new Daniel Ricciardo era, Dennis was asked specifically about the pair and he did not deny his interest. "As I say," he answered, "we'll always look to employ the best drivers available -- but they have to be available, don't they?" (GMM)
F1 News Fernando Alonso Jenson Button Daniel Ricciardo Lewis Hamilton Nico Rosberg Sebastian Vettel McLaren Ferrari Mercedes Honda

Replies (0)

Login to reply

BE Grand Prix of Belgium

Local time 

BEGrand Prix of Belgium

Local time 

World Championship standings 2024

Pos
Team
Points
1
McLaren
666
2
Ferrari
652
3
Red Bull Racing
589
4
Mercedes
468
5
Aston Martin
94
6
Alpine F1
65
7
Haas F1
58
8
Visa Cash App RB
46
9
Williams
17
10
Sauber
4
Show full world champion standings

Test calendar

Bahrain International Circuit - Winter testing

See full test schedule

Related news

Give your opinion!

Will Bottas challenge Hamilton for the world championship in 2020?

Formula 1 Calendar - 2024

Date
Grand Prix
Circuit
-
Bahrain
29 - Mar 2
Bahrain
Bahrain International Circuit
7 - Mar 9
Saudi Arabia
Jeddah Street Circuit
22 - Mar 24
Australia
Albert Park
5 - Apr 7
Japan
Circuit Suzuka
19 - Apr 21
China
Shanghai International Circuit
3 - May 5
United States of America
Miami International Autodrome
17 - May 19
Italy
Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari
24 - May 26
Monaco
Monte Carlo
7 - Jun 9
Canada
Gilles Villeneuve
21 - Jun 23
Spain
Circuit de Catalunya
28 - Jun 30
Austria
Red Bull Ring
5 - Jul 7
United Kingdom
Silverstone
19 - Jul 21
Hungary
Hungaroring
26 - Jul 28
Belgium
Spa-Francorchamps
23 - Aug 25
Netherlands
Circuit Zandvoort
30 - Sep 1
Italy
Monza
13 - Sep 15
Azerbaijan
Baku City Circuit
20 - Sep 22
Singapore
Marina Bay Street Circuit
18 - Oct 20
United States of America
Circuit of the Americas
25 - Oct 27
Mexico
Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez
1 - Nov 3
Brazil
Interlagos
22 - Nov 24
United States of America
Las Vegas Street Circuit
29 - Dec 1
Qatar
Losail International Circuit
6 - Dec 8
United Arab Emirates
Yas Marina Circuit
-
United Arab Emirates
See full schedule

Formula 1 Calendar - 2024

Date
Grand Prix & Circuit
-
Bahrain Bahrain International Circuit
29 - Mar 2
Bahrain Bahrain International Circuit
7 - Mar 9
Saudi Arabia Jeddah Street Circuit
22 - Mar 24
Australia Albert Park
5 - Apr 7
Japan Circuit Suzuka
19 - Apr 21
China Shanghai International Circuit
3 - May 5
United States of America Miami International Autodrome
17 - May 19
Italy Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari
24 - May 26
Monaco Monte Carlo
7 - Jun 9
Canada Gilles Villeneuve
21 - Jun 23
Spain Circuit de Catalunya
28 - Jun 30
Austria Red Bull Ring
5 - Jul 7
United Kingdom Silverstone
19 - Jul 21
Hungary Hungaroring
26 - Jul 28
Belgium Spa-Francorchamps
23 - Aug 25
Netherlands Circuit Zandvoort
30 - Sep 1
Italy Monza
13 - Sep 15
Azerbaijan Baku City Circuit
20 - Sep 22
Singapore Marina Bay Street Circuit
18 - Oct 20
United States of America Circuit of the Americas
25 - Oct 27
Mexico Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez
1 - Nov 3
Brazil Interlagos
22 - Nov 24
United States of America Las Vegas Street Circuit
29 - Dec 1
Qatar Losail International Circuit
6 - Dec 8
United Arab Emirates Yas Marina Circuit
-
United Arab Emirates Yas Marina Circuit
See full schedule

Driver profile

ES Fernando Alonso 14
  • Team Aston Martin
  • Points 572
  • Podiums 9
  • Grand Prix 168
  • Country ES
  • Date of b. Jul 29 1981 (43)
  • Place of b. Oviedo, ES
  • Weight 68 kg
  • Length 1.71 m
Show full profile

Team profile

McLaren
McLaren
Show full profile
show sidebar