2
McLaren has rubbished the theory that Jenson Button is weighing up a move to Renault next year to replace the Haas-departed Romain Grosjean. "This article is nonsense," a spokesman for the struggling Honda-powered team told us, after the speculation of a switch to Enstone for Button did the rounds.
Clearly, however, the threads of the story are all present. Button and Ron Dennis are openly disputing whether a deal for 2016 is in place, Button says he only wants to be in F1 if he is "competitive", and managing director Jonathan Neale said in Japan that McLaren would "respect" Button's desire to go.
But Speed Week quoted Button as saying: "After so many years together, it would feel wrong to go somewhere else. If I am in formula one in 2016, it will be with McLaren-Honda," he insisted. The Button saga aside, another sign that McLaren-Honda is in turmoil is fresh speculation in the Spanish press that Fernando Alonso could decide to take a "sabbatical" in 2016 rather than spend another season at the back.
Former two-time champion Mika Hakkinen, referring to Alonso's radio outbursts at Suzuka, told Finland's Ilta Sanomat newspaper: "When development of the engine is very slow, it is a frustrating time for the driver. "I remember it from my own career, when Mercedes came to McLaren," he said. "But especially with these rules you cannot assume that engine manufacturers can take big steps at every race."
Hakkinen continued: "Alonso and many other drivers are compensated really well for what they do, when they agree to support the team in good and bad times. Myself, I waited seven years for my first victory. Yes, Alonso is a double world champion, but he has only driven the McLaren-Honda for about half a year -- yet already he has begun to complain about the engine manufacturer. Fernando should keep in mind that he signed up for this challenge," Hakkinen concluded.
F1 legend Niki Lauda hopes McLaren-Honda can remain united amid the challenge. "I just hope they don't make the same mistakes that Red Bull and Renault made," the Mercedes team chairman told Swiss newspaper Blick. "Sure, McLaren expected more from Honda in the first year, and perhaps vice versa. But it also needs time, just as with Mercedes in the early years of Schumacher and Rosberg," Lauda insisted. "There are no guarantees of success in formula one," he said. (GMM)
Grand Prix of BelgiumLocal time
Grand Prix of BelgiumLocal time
Bahrain International Circuit - Winter testing
M. Verstappen
C. Sainz jr
C. Leclerc
Bahrain
United Arab Emirates
Bahrain
Bahrain International Circuit
Bahrain
Bahrain International Circuit
Saudi Arabia
Jeddah Street Circuit
Australia
Albert Park
Japan
Circuit Suzuka
United States of America
Miami International Autodrome
Monaco
Monte Carlo
Canada
Gilles Villeneuve
Spain
Circuit de Catalunya
Austria
Red Bull Ring
United Kingdom
Silverstone
Hungary
Hungaroring
Belgium
Spa-Francorchamps
Netherlands
Circuit Zandvoort
Italy
Monza
Azerbaijan
Baku City Circuit
Singapore
Marina Bay Street Circuit
United States of America
Circuit of the Americas
Mexico
Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez
Brazil
Interlagos
United States of America
Las Vegas Street Circuit
United Arab Emirates
Yas Marina Circuit
United Arab Emirates
Yas Marina Circuit
185,581 comments on Aston Martin
78 members have this team as their favourite
Tweets about Fernando Alonso
236,923 comments on Renault 27 members have this team as their favourite Tweets about Renault
Replies (2)
Login to replyBlack Book
Posts: 1,718
The McLaren press officers always say stories from press are bullshit. The PR department has proven it's unreliable for many years.
khasmir
Posts: 893
Especially the Ron Dennis part of it.