Where's Fernando Alonso Going?

As the news of the release of former 2 times world champion Fernando Alonso broke out, teams are rushing to snap up the Spanish drivers, aside from Fernando's previous team Renault, Red Bull, Williams and even BMW Sauber are reportedly trying to woo him over.

Toyota was also reported to have offered the Spaniard a wonderful offer, but was turned down.

According to AS Daily, a Spanish sports newspaper, Fernando would try to secure a short deal with one of the smaller teams in order to prepare for a transition to Ferrari in the near future, when either Kimi Räikkönen or Felipe Massa's contract is over.

Over at the Mclaren Mercedes camp, where they are now short of one driver, Lewis Hamilton has given some hints on who his future teammate might be. Naming a few candidates like Heikki Kovalainen, Nico Rosberg, Nick Heidfeld and Adrian Sutil, he said that the only prerequisite is that the teammate will have to be a 'team player'.

However, things will have to be seemingly put on hold as everyone waits for Fernando Alonso's eventual decision with bated breath.

Fernando Alonso Out of Mclaren

Shocking news of the season - Fernando Alonso is out of Mclaren.

It was yet another worse-kept secrets of a very messy season. Fernando Alonso has been a long-disgruntled employee of Mclaren Mercedes, right down from the moment when he realised that he would not get to enjoy his status as Numero Uno in the British Mclaren team. Often accusing the team of favouring rookie Lewis Hamilton, Fernando Alonso has surely not made his animosity with his team a secret.

In the Hungarian Grand Prix, he threatened team principal Ron Dennis that he would go to the FIA with the evidences that Mclaren's ex-employee Mike Coughlan had information from Nigel Stepney, if Ron Dennis does not accede to his request of favouring him over his teammate. An incensed Ron Dennis volunteered to call Max Mosley (and he indeed did) to show Fernando that he was ready to see through the ultimatum set by the Spaniard.

Fernando Alonso had another 2 years of contract left with Mclaren, but now he has been ordered to leave Mclaren Mercedes wtih immediate effect. Questions will be raised - where will he go? And most importantly, who would be the teammate of wonder-rookie Lewis Hamilton next season? Williams' Nico Rosberg, Renault's Heikki Kovalainen and Honda's Jenson Button are prospective choices, but it will have to be seen if the teams are willing to let them go.

Mclaren Appeal Set on 15th November

The appeal lodged by Mclaren is set to be heard by the FIA Court of Appeal on 15th November.

Mclaren had lodged an appeal against the results of the Brazilian Grand Prix, where Lewis Hamilton, who finished 7th, lost out on the Drivers' Championship title to Ferrari's Kimi Räikkönen by just one point. It was later found out that Williams' Nico Rosberg, BMW's Robert Kubica and Nick Heidfeld had fuel that was below the allowed temperature (it has to be at most 10 degrees below track temperature), thereby giving them a boost in their performance (lower temperature meant more fuel stored). Nico Rosberg, Robert Kubica and Nick Heidfeld finished 4th, 5th and 6th respectively.

If Mclaren's appeal is successful, it could mean that Nico Rosberg, Robert Kubica and Nick Heidfeld could all be stripped off their positions, thus handing the 4th position to Lewis Hamilton. Lewis Hamilton would then have enough points to beat Finnish Kimi Räikkönen and win the Drivers' Championship title on his debut season.

However, FIA president Max Mosley has played down speculations that Lewis Hamilton could be handed the Drivers' title even if the trio were found guilty.

Certainly, if the FIA decides to strip Kimi Räikkönen of his first title and hand it over to Lewis Hamilton, it would be a cruel blow to the Finn, as well as possibly cause an uproar against the FIA's decision.

Chinese GP Practice 3: Kimi Fastest But Hit By Reliability Issues

Practice 3 Times
01 K. Räikkönen Ferrari 1:36.100 15 laps
02 F. Alonso McLaren 1:36.126 13 laps
03 L. Hamilton McLaren 1:36.227 14 laps
04 F. Massa Ferrari 1:36.405 14 laps
05 R. Schumacher Toyota 36.959 18 laps
06 D. Coulthard Red Bull 1:36.964 13 laps
07 R. Kubica BMW 1:37.024 23 laps
08 H. Kovalainen Renault 1:37.106 14 laps
09 N. Heidfeld BMW 1:37.176 18 laps
10 M. Webber Red Bull 1:37.315 13 laps
11 N. Rosberg Williams 1:37.323 16 laps
12 V. Liuzzi Scuderia Toro Rosso 1:37.463 18 laps
13 J. Button Honda 1:37.564 19 laps
14 J. Trulli Toyota 1:37.679 20 laps
15 A. Davidson Super Aguri 1:37.732 15 laps
16 S. Vettel Scuderia Toro Rosso 1:37.759 19 laps
17 G. Fisichella Renault 1:37.791 17 laps
18 R. Barrichello Honda 1:37.920 20 laps
19 A. Wurz Williams 1:37.926 16 laps
20 T. Sato Super Aguri 1:38.577 16 laps
21 A. Sutil Spyker F1 1:38.868 20 laps
22 S. Yamamoto Spyker F1 1:39.517 21 laps

Source: PlanetF1

Kimi Raikkonen sets the fastest timing for the third practice session of the Chinese Grand Prix, however, it looks like he was hit by reliability issues as he went back early into the pits and spent some time talking to his engineers.

Fernando Alonso sets the second fastest timing for the third time of the weekend, and has beaten his teammate Lewis Hamilton again. Ferrari's Felipe Massa took the fourth spot.

Williams has indicated their decision to drop Alex Wurz from the team line up next season. In an interview, Frank Williams, team principal of the Williams team has said that while Wurz "has been reliable" he is not sure if he is going to give him a chance to race again in the next season.

Ralf Schumacher Set to Leave Toyota

Yet another of the worst-kept secrets of this crazy F1 season has been confirmed by the man himself - Ralf Schumacher, after 3 years of less-than-impressive performance, has decided to part ways with the Toyota team.

He has yet to announce where he is headed next, with no team having explicitly expressed their interest in the German driver. Ralf said that he would announce his plans at the end of this season, and has also mentioned that money will not be an important factor in his new job search.

Meanwhile, the Toyota team would be on the lookout for a new driver to replace Ralf. Nico Rosberg, from the Williams-Toyota team, looks to be a prospective candidate, but Toyota would face a fierce competition from Mclaren and any other team eager to land their hands on this rising star who has proven himself worthy (and pipped to be as good as Lewis Hamilton by team boss Sir Frank Williams) more than often this season.

But of course, now everyone will hold their breaths to see what reigning world champion (soon we probably wouldn't be using it on him anymore)Fernando Alonso would do. Renault has supposedly offered him a contract with a likely promise of the Number 1 status in the team (and probably partnering Heikki Kovalainen). If Fernando Alonso choose to take that, Renault would have to buy out the remaining 2 years of his contract with Mclaren, and Giancarlo Fisichella could be left without a job and Mclaren would be looking for a partner for Lewis.

It's all one big driver-movement circus.