Dennis reveals rift with Alonso

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mjk1

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#1 mjk1
Member since 2003 • 10309 Posts
McLaren boss Ron Dennis has revealed he and driver Fernando Alonso have not spoken since the Hungarian Grand Prix.

At the time, Alonso threatened to reveal evidence in the spy row, which eventually led to McLaren being fined and losing their constructors' points.

Dennis told last week's 'spygate' hearing, whose transcripts are now public: "We're not on speaking terms.

"We've not spoken. The relationship between Fernando and I is extremely cold - that is an understatement."

At the weekend's Belgian Grand Prix, Dennis said: "My job is to win the World Championship, my job isn't for people to love and hug me.

"If I have difficult relationships with people I have difficult relationships with them."

Contacted after the transcripts were made public, a McLaren spokeswoman said she did not know if Dennis and Alonso spoke last weekend.

The relationship between Alonso and Dennis was put under severe strain after a bust-up on the morning of the Hungary race on 5 August.

That was the day after the controversial qualifying session that led to Alonso being dumped from pole to sixth on the grid after being found guilty of deliberately blocking team-mate Lewis Hamilton.

During the row, Alonso threatened to go to the FIA with evidence, but Dennis then phoned FIA president Max Mosley himself.

At the resulting hearing in Paris last week, McLaren were fined £49.2m and stripped of their constructors' championship points.

Dennis also revealed that Alonso had deliberately not attended the Paris hearing, even though the Spaniard had been asked to by the team.

"Mr Alonso is not here because he does not want to be here," Dennis told the hearing.

"He does not speak to anyone much. He is a remarkable recluse for a driver. He is not here by choice.

"Moreover, he said he had other things to do by previous arrangement. I cannot force him to come. We asked him to come."

Hamilton did travel to Paris to support his team, and transcripts from the hearing also revealed that the Briton's lawyer argued the rookie should not be thrown out of the world drivers' championship.

"Lewis Hamilton has done nothing wrong," the driver's counsel Mark Phillips QC told the World Motor Sport Council.

"He has driven brilliantly and is leading the drivers' championship. If McLaren were banned from competing in the remaining races, Lewis Hamilton would not be able to compete in the final four races.

"He would lose the points that he has so brilliantly won over the last few months, to the sheer delight and excitement of millions of ordinary motor racing fans.

"Let him get back to the track, to become the first rookie world champion in Formula One history."

While Hamilton's position at McLaren seems assured, the latest revelations cast further doubt on Alonso remaining with the team for the remaining two years of his contract.

SOURCE: BBC SPORT

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KimisApprentice

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#2 KimisApprentice
Member since 2006 • 2425 Posts
Thats never a good sign...
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VexxatuVexx

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#3 VexxatuVexx
Member since 2003 • 13348 Posts
Alonso will stay the 08 season at McLaren but i'm sure after he will go somehwere else. How do u expect to win when u don't even talk to ur team members, machanics. He should've stayed at Reault.
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aloushi87

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#4 aloushi87
Member since 2003 • 2515 Posts

That's just bad.. I don't how Alonso's manager said that Alonso is staying at Mclaren after all this..