Alonso’s Renault move draws closer
A space in the Renault team may have opened up.
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| Giancarlo Fisichella: Keen on Force India? [GALLO/GETTY] |
Double world champion Fernando Alonso’s potential return to Renault appears to have gathered momentum as Giancarlo Fisichella prepares to switch to a rival team.
The Renault driver, who partnered the two-time world champion Alonso for two years, stated his interest in joining Force India after testing for the rookie team at the Circuit de Jerez.
The 34-year-old Italian driver isn’t guaranteed his seat at Renault with team boss Flavio Briatore already saying that he would make a driver change for the 2008 season, with Heiki Kovalainen’s place also uncertain.
“Let’s say that it’s all open, because there’s no final decision on anything yet,” Fisichella said.
“I wanted to test with another team to have another road open for me, but it may still happen that Renault calls me back in a couple of days, as it can also happen that they tell me we’re finished.”
Force India has already signed Adrian Sutil for 2008 but is looking for a second driver with Christian Klien and Ralf Schumacher also said to be in the running.
“I believe I can still give a lot to whatever team I race with,” Fisichella said.
Alonso, who won back-to-back titles with Renault, left McLaren last month after a tumultuous first year with the British team.
The Spaniard was not given the preferential treatment he expected over rookie driver Lewis Hamilton and finished third in the drivers’ standings behind world champion Kimi Raikkonen and Hamilton.
Any potential move by Alonso could also depend on the results of Renault’s World Motor Sport Council hearing on Thursday.
The French team is accused of having unauthorised possession of documents detailing McLaren cars.
Renault, Red Bull and Toyota have all been linked with a move for the 26-year-old Alonso.