Alonso "signed" with Ferrari.......in 2001

Knowing the Tifosi on this board, I would imagine this is old news for many of you. Is this really how it went down? Did he agree at that time to run as #2 to MS, then realized he could potentially be a #1 at Renault?

I am a fan of FA, but was truly sickened by his actions at the Q3 pitstop. As I learned more about what happened with LH earlier, it DID seem like something that many former WDC's may have done. I think Alonso figured out on the fly that he could delay Hamilton and make sure it was "fair". Everything after that IMHO, was a quick scramble by McLaren to put he best face on what happened. Still a black eye for F1, sportsmanship, and motor racing.

A British superstar, poss. WDC, on a British team raised by Lord Vader himself - the future looks obvious for FA. I hope he doesn't cash out an pull a JV and go to Honda for 5 yrs....

Go Kimi!!!

http://www.f1-live.com/f1/en/headlines/news/detail/070808165019.shtml

A veteran F1 engineer has cast doubt on speculation that Ferrari could be a real option for Fernando Alonso in the future.

With rumours intensifying by the hour that the reigning world champion might quit McLaren, it is suggested that the Prancing Horse might be his first choice because it is the only other current winner in F1.

But fellow Spaniard Joan Villadelprat, who worked with Alonso when he drove as a rookie for Minardi, said the Ferrari option probably disappeared for his countryman six years ago.

"He had reached a deal to go to Ferrari for five years," Villadelprat, who also worked for Benetton, Ferrari, McLaren, Tyrrell, Benetton and Prost during his career, said of Alonso, referring to 2001.

"Their agreement was final and his agent had even reached a verbal agreement with a handshake.
"

"One week later they signed with (Renault's Flavio) Briatore without (Jean) Todt's consent, guaranteeing that he would never be a driver for Ferrari," he told the Spanish newspaper Diario As.

Villadelprat also commented that he would have publicly shamed Lewis Hamilton, for famously disobeying a team order during qualifying in Hungary.

"If I was in charge at McLaren I would have made his sanction public," he said, "because, like in any other business, if an employee disobeys his boss, you get punished."

Source GMM
CAPSIS International