Alonso free to leave Ferrari at the end of the season?

Is Fernando Alonso’s future in red assured? Several Italian media outlets, foremost among them the magazine Autosprint, reveal that the Spaniard might not drive for Scuderia Ferrari in 2015.

Indeed, if the Maranello team has expressed its desire to extend the lease binding the two parties after 2016 – its normal term – Alonso could invoke a performance clause possibly included in his contract and then be free to leave.

This clause would allow the double world champion to break the commitment if Ferrari does not finish in the top three of the constructors’ championship. Obviously, such a contractual provision, if it exists, has not been made public.

In the constructors’ standings, precisely, Ferrari has dropped to fourth position following the German Grand Prix, overtaken by the Williams team (121 points against 116). Ahead, the two teams, Mercedes (366 points) and, to a lesser extent, Red Bull (188 points), seem unattainable in regular conditions.

*Autosprint* even reports that Fernando Alonso may have already sought to make contact with Mercedes, without offering his services to the brand with the star. Leo Turrini, an Italian journalist who specializes in and is close to Ferrari, indicated on his blog that the 32-year-old driver had not yet responded to the extension proposal for his contract with the Reds. Is it a way to put pressure on the Scuderia for a renewal? The hypothesis seems highly probable.

The Mercedes team has just extended Nico Rosberg’s contract, which was originally set to run until the end of the 2015 season. Recruiting Fernando Alonso would mean a departure for Lewis Hamilton, which currently seems quite unlikely, even though there were rumors a few weeks ago of McLaren showing interest in the 2008 world champion.