Funding for Renault to Hire Alonso

Renault has not paid great salaries in the past (for top F1 driver standards that is) but it looks like they raising the money to pay for Alonso’s services.

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http://www.expansion.com/edicion/exp/empresas/motor/es/desarrollo/1054206.html

(quick summary and translation)

“Carlos Slim, president of Telmex and America Movil, met with Briatore to potentially sponsor Renault according to Spanish news paper Expansion. The money would help pay Alonso’s wages but is allegeably conditioned to having Nelson Piquet Jr. as a race driver.

This move also plays the rivalry market between America Movil and Telefonica who quit F1 in 2006 when Alonso switched to Mclaren sponsored by Vodafone.

Slim is present in GP2 through Embratel, America Movil’s subsidiary in Brazil, as backers of Bruno Senna who is set to move in 2008 to a Telefonica sponsored team. The battle between Telefonica and Slim has now permeated into auto racing and America Movil wants to make a first move into sponsoring Renault.”
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This means the boot for Fisichella but it would actually be good to see Nelsinho as a race driver alongside Alonso. If Piquet out performs Alonso that would probably be the end of him …. and we can expect significant whining along the way Heikki then most likely goes to Mclaren.