A Spanish media report has claimed McLaren is wanting to offload Fernando Alonso at the end of this season and replace him with Valtteri Bottas.
Diario Gol believes the British team wants to reduce their costs by cutting the reported 40 million Euros they currently pay the double world champion each year after the decision to split with Honda and join Renault also proved very costly to their budget.
The likely very speculative piece even suggested McLaren only kept Alonso as they feel “in debt” to him after the troubled three years with the Japanese manufacturer.
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A move for Bottas, who is only on a single year deal with Mercedes, would then free up a seat for Daniel Ricciardo to switch from Red Bull, triggering Carlos Sainz to be called back from Renault.
The ultimate result for the 36-year-old would be a last hurrah with the Enstone team he won his two world titles at in 2005 and 2006.
Frankly, this early in the season, it is preposterous to think there is any truth to their claims, particularly as Renault would have to allow Alonso to continue his WEC superseason participation with Toyota, but it is an example of the kind of scenario that might play out when the serious ‘silly season’ begins later in the year.
