Alonso's days with McLaren are numbered

Formula One Championship: The future of Fernando Alonso is being viewed as crucial to how Formula One's driver merry-go-round will conclude this season.

Alonso's days with McLaren appear numbered after a turbulent season, even if he should win a third successive title.

The 26-year-old played a critical part in the World Motor Sport Council's decision to fine McLaren a record $100 million and strip them of all points in this year's constructors' championship for their role in the spy scandal.

Alonso's threat not to reveal to the FIA details of emails exchanged with Pedro de la Rosa in return for number one status within the team enraged team principal Ron Dennis.

Dennis has not since spoken to Alonso following their bust-up on the morning of the Hungarian Grand Prix early last month.

As Alonso has also long been at odds with team-mate Lewis Hamilton this year, the reigning double world champion's future at McLaren appears untenable.

The Spaniard has been touted for a return to Renault, who helped him win his two world titles prior to his defection to McLaren.

That would almost certainly see Giancarlo Fisichella ousted at the French marque, with suggestions Nick Heidfeld would then move to McLaren from BMW Sauber.

Fisichella's manager, Enrico Zanarini, knows Alonso is key. as he said: It is all very confusing at this moment.

"Everyone is waiting to see where Alonso will race in 2008, and until we know we will just have to wait and see what will happen."

Meanwhile, Toyota's Jarno Trulli says that the McLaren drivers should have been thrown out of this year's title race.

"It's very difficult to judge the spy story. You never know the truth if you're not inside the team," the Italian said ahead of this weekend's Japanese Grand Prix.

"But if you disqualify a team you should probably disqualify the drivers as well, because they're all involved and work for the same team."

© 2007 The Irish Times

This article appears in the print edition of the Irish Times