Alonso Returns Home To Renault

Double world champion Fernando Alonso announced his return to the French manufacturers Renault for the 2008 season according to the driver's personal website and an official press release from Renault.

Following months of speculation involving a variety of possible seats, team boss Flavio Briatore confirmed today that the former double champ will drive for the ING sponsored team next to former test driver Brazilian Nelsinho Piquet Jr. The later last raced in the GP2 championship against McLaren star Lewis Hamilton where he just lost out to the British driver.

The Spanaird, Alonso, won back to back world championships with Renault in 2005 and 2006. His experience with the team is vast and Briatore has promised Alonso clear number one status within the team.

Alonso's resigning comes just days after the verdict by the World Motor Sports Council who found Renault guilty of violating International Sporting Code 151(c) but handed out no punishment. The French team was found to be in possesion of detailed plans of the McLaren car, however, the council had no evidence that Renault gained any advantage.

Earlier in the season McLaren lost all constructor's points and were fined $100 million in a similar case. Had Renault faced the same fines it is likely that the French squad could not have swallowed the enormous financial penalty.

The announcement spells uncertainty for Heikki Kovalainen and Giancarlo Fisichella who are left without race drives in 2008. Fisichella has tested with back runners Force India F1 and awaits a decision by team owner Vijay Mallya. In 2007 Fisichella was bested regularly by rookie Kovalainen who gave the team consistent points scoring finishes. Kovalainen is linked to possible drives at Toyota and McLaren but now faces an uncertain future in F1.

Kovalainen Completes ING NYC Marathon

Congratulations to Renault driver Heikki Kovalainen on his completion of the ING New York City Marathon.

The Finnish driver/runner finished the race in 3:36:56 which was good enough for 5370th place. Kovalainen's pace is testament to the necessity of fitness in modern F1 racing as he finished ahead of approx 34,000 other runners.

The NYC Marathon was sponsored this year by Kovalainen's team sponsor, ING.

Kovalainen's future in F1 is cloudy for the 2008 season as several drivers await the news of where former double world champion Fernando Alonso will race in '08.

The Finn outpaced his older and more experienced teammate, Giancarlo Fisichella, this season and looks set for a race drive somewhere in the field as a desired young talent.

Breaking News: McLaren, Alonso Part Company

Fernando Alonso is a free agent in the Formula 1 talent pool following an amicable split from McLaren Mercedes. Ron Dennis, team boss at McLaren, promised a decision between the two parties within a couple weeks of the end of the season and has delivered.

Alonso leaves the squad after fulfilling just one of three years on his contract.

It had been speculated that the Spanish driver would only be allowed to nullify his three year contract if he were to join a privateer team but that appears to be false.

Alonso is free to join which ever team he wishes and the rest of the driver market is hinged on his decision.

The likely options on the table for the Spaniard are seats at Renault, Williams, Toyota, and even Red Bull.

One possibilty that shouldn't be overlooked is a drive at Honda F1. Rumors are swirling that the lack of determination from Rubens Barichello may land him a demotion to Jr Honda team Super Aguri.

Honda utilize a humungous budget and despite a horrid 2007 campaign could use said budget to turn things around in '08.

Hamilton's 1st Title Within Reach

Rookie sensation Lewis Hamilton continued his trek to the championship with another impressive win.

Round 15 at the Fuji circuit was one of the wettest on record - just the 4th ever to be started behind the safety car.

For nearly 20 laps Hamilton showed supreme skill by following behind the Mercedes CLK 63 AMG safety car and boy was it... boring. Once the pack was finally allowed out on its own the race was kept under control by Hamilton who led his teammate by 2 points in the standings.

When teammate Alonso violently crashed his McLaren into a lovely white wall Hamilton was gifted the luxury of a guarunteed lead no matter what his result.

The rain allows for strange things to happen including a wonderful performance by rookie Renault talent Heikki Kovalainen who took his first F1 podium position with a stunning second place.

Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen made it two Finnish drivers on the podium for the first time in the sports' history. His podium finish keeps him in third place for the championship but a distant 17 points behind Hamilton.

1. Lewis Hamilton
2. Heikki Kovalainen
3. Kimi Raikkonen
4. David Coulthard
5. Giancarlo Fisichella
6. Felipe Massa
7. Robert Kubica
8. Vitantonio Liuzzi *

*Liuzzi was found to have passed another car under yellow and penalized 25 seconds on his final time. The penalty bumped Spyker's Adrian Sutil to 8th gifting both team and driver with their first ever points scored. Scuderia Toro Rosso plan to appeal the decision.

Get off the pot!

After 11 rounds of the 2007 Formula 1 season, front runners McLaren and Ferrari are battling to the end with non-stop development hoping to get every tenth of a second from their cars.

BMW have a firm grip on 3rd place in the constructors standings. For everyone else the time has come to decide on the proper course of action for the remainder of the season.

Some teams may continue to develop their cars for a final push at the end. Toyota have slowly improved this season and hope to build upon their 12 points. More points equals more sponsor and television money for 2008.

Other teams will likely decide to conclude further major improvements of their challengers for 07 and begin to focus solely upon their 2008 machinery.

Renault have disclosed their intentions to shift their focus to next year.

One must start to assume that Honda, though not yet openly, have ditched their plans for improving the dismal 2007 car and begun work on recalibrating their wind tunnel for work on the 2008 machine.

Lookout for Spyker F1 this week as they debut their b-spec car in an attempt to close the gap to the back of the pack.