Fernando Alonso 'on the brink' of signing a two-year contract to return
Friday 14 November 2014 08:32, UK
McLaren are finally expected to decide upon their 2015 driver line-up this week as both Jenson Button and Kevin Magnussen wait to learn whether or not they will partner Fernando Alonso next season.
The Spaniard is predicted to visit the team’s Woking base and seal his return to the team, seven years after his solitary season as a McLaren driver ended in bitter acrimony and a swift divorce.
But with necessity driving both parties into reconciliation, Alonso is poised to put pen to paper on a deal reputed to be the largest in the history of F1. Eric Boullier confirmed to Sky F1 last week in Brazil that the team were conducting direct negotiations with Alonso and Sky Sports News HQ understands that the Ferrari driver is on the brink of signing a two-year contract.
Which just leaves the identity of Alonso’s next team-mate still to be determined. Although Button sounded resigned to his fate when he spoke to reporters on Thursday, it’s understood that his management team were reassured over the weekend that a final decision on the team’s line-up had still not been taken.
Numbers make Magnussen the favourite to be retained. At 22 years of age, the highly-rated Dane is a decade younger than the 34-year-old Button. He’s also a significantly cheaper option, with some reports suggesting that McLaren have already concluded they cannot afford to pair Button with Alonso. Their money-no-object pursuit of Alonso has, it is claimed, presented a substantial objection to keeping Button for a sixth season.
Nevertheless, Button’s candidature has a pointed reply of its own – with a tally of 106 for the season so far, he has scored almost twice as many points as Magnussen. The Englishman impressed again at the weekend in Brazil, guiding his McLaren to fourth place, five positions ahead of Magnussen.
He can do no more – and nor can his legions of supporters. As McLaren continue to procrastinate, a tidal wave of support for Button has spread across social media, although the prospect of Ron Dennis, the notoriously taciturn McLaren chief, being moved by an outpouring of public sentiment remains remote.
If he is dropped by McLaren, Button will most likely leave F1 for a new career in sports car racing. It's a path which was trodden by Mark Webber a year ago following his exit from Red Bull to drive for Porsche at Le Mans and, in response to Button tweeting a plea for patience on Wednesday morning, the Australian responded:
‘Matey just sign that sports car contract and get on with it. Be mega to have you with/against us next year.’
