Whitmarsh travels to Madrid to visit Alonso exhibition

  • Published on 03 Dec 2013 12:10
  • comments 0
  • By: Rob Veenstra
McLaren may not have given up on signing Fernando Alonso for its new Honda-powered era beginning in 2015. Team boss Martin Whitmarsh, who openly tried to woo the Spaniard back to Woking for the 2014 season, this week skipped attending the prestigious Autosport Awards in order to travel to Madrid.

In the Spanish capital, Alonso was launching an exhibition featuring the memorabilia of his entire career collected by his father. Indeed, Whitmarsh was photographed with Alonso alongside representatives of the two-time world champion's other F1 bosses, including Giancarlo Minardi, Stefano Domenicali and Flavio Briatore.

Daily Mail correspondent Jonathan McEvoy said Whitmarsh was so keen to attend Alonso's exhibition that he delegated McLaren's managing director Jonathan Neale to collect the trophy in London to mark the team's 50th year in F1. "It is understood that Whitmarsh is keen to develop a channel of communication to Alonso with an eye on bringing in the Spaniard for the 2015 season," said McEvoy.

The news ties in with the latest comments made by F1 chief executive Bernie Ecclestone, who said he was disappointed with Alonso's performance for Ferrari this year. "I thought he gave up a little bit which is proof that he was looking for another team," Ecclestone wrote in the foreword to the official 2013 season review.

But at the very same time, Alonso's manager Luis Garcia Abad denied the 32-year-old has already agreed to move to Honda-powered McLaren for 2015. "What you're saying is formula one fiction," Abad, also in Madrid, told Spanish radio Marca. "You cannot have two signed contracts, as when you sign one, you must notify the body that controls it. So it is technically impossible. And an unsigned agreement is not an agreement."

Asked if Alonso intends to fulfil the terms of his entire Ferrari contract, which runs to 2016, Abad answered: "Fernando has said the same this year in three press conferences in different languages." (GMM)

Replies (0)

Login to reply

BE Grand Prix of Belgium

Local time 

BEGrand Prix of Belgium

Local time 

World Championship standings 2024

Show full world champion standings

Test calendar

See full test schedule

Related news

Give your opinion!

Will Bottas challenge Hamilton for the world championship in 2020?

Formula 1 Calendar - 2024

Date
Grand Prix
Circuit
-
Bahrain
29 - Mar 2
Bahrain
7 - Mar 9
Saudi Arabia
22 - Mar 24
Australia
5 - Apr 7
Japan
19 - Apr 21
China
3 - May 5
United States of America
17 - May 19
Italy
24 - May 26
Monaco
7 - Jun 9
Canada
21 - Jun 23
Spain
28 - Jun 30
Austria
5 - Jul 7
United Kingdom
19 - Jul 21
Hungary
26 - Jul 28
Belgium
23 - Aug 25
Netherlands
30 - Sep 1
Italy
13 - Sep 15
Azerbaijan
20 - Sep 22
Singapore
18 - Oct 20
United States of America
25 - Oct 27
Mexico
1 - Nov 3
Brazil
22 - Nov 24
United States of America
29 - Dec 1
Qatar
6 - Dec 8
United Arab Emirates
See full schedule

Formula 1 Calendar - 2024

Date
Grand Prix & Circuit
29 - Mar 2
7 - Mar 9
Saudi Arabia Jeddah Street Circuit
22 - Mar 24
Australia Albert Park
5 - Apr 7
19 - Apr 21
3 - May 5
United States of America Miami International Autodrome
17 - May 19
24 - May 26
Monaco Monte Carlo
7 - Jun 9
21 - Jun 23
28 - Jun 30
Austria Red Bull Ring
5 - Jul 7
United Kingdom Silverstone
19 - Jul 21
Hungary Hungaroring
26 - Jul 28
23 - Aug 25
Netherlands Circuit Zandvoort
30 - Sep 1
Italy Monza
13 - Sep 15
Azerbaijan Baku City Circuit
20 - Sep 22
18 - Oct 20
United States of America Circuit of the Americas
25 - Oct 27
1 - Nov 3
Brazil Interlagos
22 - Nov 24
United States of America Las Vegas Street Circuit
29 - Dec 1
6 - Dec 8
United Arab Emirates Yas Marina Circuit
See full schedule

Driver profile

  • Team Aston Martin
  • Points 526
  • Podiums 9
  • Grand Prix 148
  • Country ES
  • Date of b. Jul 29 1981 (42)
  • Place of b. Oviedo, ES
  • Weight 68 kg
  • Length 1.71 m
Show full profile

Team profile

Show full profile
show sidebar