Alonso says farewell Renault and hello to Ferrari

Sep.30 (GMM) Ferrari on Wednesday announced that Fernando Alonso has signed a three year contract to race for the famous Italian team beginning in 2010. The 27-year-old Spaniard will replace Finn Kimi Raikkonen, who was contracted to stay with the Maranello squad for one more season.

kimi raikkonen fernando alonso ferrari “With common consent, we have agreed to terminate the contract binding me to Ferrari to the end of 2010,” Raikkonen, who is expected to move to McLaren, is quoted as saying in the Ferrari press statement. (Right: image manipulation showing Alonso as Ferrari driver and Raikkonen as McLaren driver)

El Pais newspaper in Spain believes Raikkonen will receive 45 million euros for the split: substantially more than his agreed 2010 retainer. “I am very sad to be leaving a team with which I have spent three fantastic years,” said the 29-year-old, who won the drivers’ championship at the end of his first season with Ferrari in 2007. “I have always felt at home with everyone here and I will have many happy memories of my time with the team,” Raikkonen added.

kimi raikkonen fernando alonso f1 ferrari Alonso told Ferrari.com: “I’m very happy and very proud to become a Ferrari driver. Driving a single-seater from the Prancing Horse is everybody’s dream in this sport and today I have the opportunity to make this dream come true. Above all I want to thank Ferrari Chairman Luca di Montezemolo, who really wanted this 3-year contract. We already had an agreement this summer starting in 2011, but then, the last days, the picture changed and we decided to anticipate my arrival in Maranello by one year.

The years at Renault were fantastic: together we won four World Titles (two Drivers’ and as many Constructors’ Championships) until this day, 21 Grands Prix. I wish the team all the best and let’s hope we gain some good results in the last races this year.

fernando alonso felipe massa f1 ferrari After this season I will put all my effort in the next season: I’m sure that, together with Felipe, we’ll offer Ferrari and the fans from all over the world some great satisfaction. I can’t wait to start working with my new team.”

Ferrari F1 boss Stefano Domenicali said about chosing the Spaniard, “We’re happy that we made this agreement with Fernando, who is not only a driver of great talent, but also victorious, as he has shown many times throughout his career, also under difficult conditions. His contribution will be very important to bring Ferrari back to the level where it has to be, to fight at the top.”

fernando alonso f1 renault On how they came upon the decision to hire Alonso he said, “As Chairman Montezemolo said recently, all the great champs want to come to Maranello sooner or later. With Fernando we started talking about a prospective for 2011, but then there were the conditions to anticipate the start of our relationship already as of the upcoming championship, we preferred to take the opportunity.”

With regards to the 2010 team line-up Domenicali stated, “Next to Fernando we’ll have Felipe Massa, who is recovering very quickly to his best physical condition, with Giancarlo Fisichella as the surrogate driver. We believe that this is the best possible couple for a team like ours: Fernando and Felipe are two victorious drivers and they integrate very well with each other and with the team.”

setfano domenicali kimi raikkonen felipe massa f1 ferrari He also shed light on how the team managed to get Raikkonen to agree to shorten his contract that was et to run anoother year. “We spoke with Kimi and agreed to end our contract one year ahead of schedule. The three years together were very intense and successful, culminating with the extraordinary win of the World Championship in 2007 and the decisive contribution to conquering two consecutive Constructors’ titles. This year, although with a car not part of the best on the track, Kimi has shown especially in the second half of the season, what he is able to do: he has given a lot to Ferrari and he received a lot. I’m sure that he fernando alosno f1 ferrari will remember this time together with us as one of the most beautiful times in his career, just like we will remember him with affection and admiration as a driver with such extraordinary talent and such an honest, transparent and loyal man deserves.

Domenicali said of the remaining three races, “We are in the third place in the Constructors’ standings, but we know that it will be difficult to keep it. We’ve seen that there are many teams still developing the cars, while we are putting all our energy in the project for 2010. Furthermore, more than in any other season before, there are many teams fighting for the win, while there are only so many places on the podium. Kimi and Giancarlo have the right stimuli to give it everything in the last three races.