Ferrari scoffs at rumoured cost of Alonso deal

kimi raikkonen fernando alonso f1 ferrari
Sep.30 (GMM) Ferrari has denied media reports about the impressive terms of Fernando Alonso’s new contract. Some Spanish reports this week suggested that the 27-year-old former double world champion will earn 25m euros per year, which is less than the retainer enjoyed since 2007 by the man he replaces, Kimi Raikkonen.

It has also been reported that in addition to Spaniard Alonso’s 3 year deal are contracted options for 3 further years, and that terminating Raikkonen’s contract is costing Ferrari a whopping 45m euros, partly paid for by the Spanish sponsor Santander.

“The numbers talked about have absolutely nothing to do with reality,” said a report on Ferrari’s official website. “It’s easy to write numbers, forgetting that the world has changed recently. At Ferrari a lot of calculating is done and attention is not only paid to the costs of the operational structure, but also as far as the drivers are concerned.”

The Ferrari report also scoffed at suggestions that Alonso is set to bring with him from Renault some of his preferred engineers. “It’s quite funny reading about the arrival of technicians, as if there weren’t any professionals in Maranello, able to plan and manage victorious single seaters and drivers,” said the Italian team.

Meanwhile, Alonso on admitted that he agreed earlier this season to switch to Ferrari in 2011. “We already had an agreement this summer starting in 2011, but then, (in) the last days, the picture changed and we decided to anticipate my arrival in Maranello by one year,” Spaniard Alonso said.

Team boss Stefano Domenicali confirmed the story about 2011, by which Alonso would change teams only after the current contracts with Raikkonen and Felipe Massa ended.

“With Fernando we started talking about a prospective (seat) for 2011, but then there were the conditions to anticipate the start of our relationship already as of the upcoming championship (and) we preferred to take the opportunity,” said the Italian.