Hmm. Pat Symonds has said good things about Fernando Alonso and wished him all the best, but it doesn't look like Pat's boss feels the same way. From Planet F1:
Flavio Briatore believes 2007 Renault driver Heikki Kovalainen will be the next Formula One superstar and the one who dethrones Fernando Alonso.
Renault claimed back-to-back titles at the season-ending Brazilian Grand Prix with Alonso, however, it was the Spaniard's final race as a Renault driver as next season he's off to McLaren. Kovalainen has already been announced as his replacement.
Briatore, though, believes the Finn will replace Alonso in more ways than just as a Renault driver.
"With Alonso we found the anti-Schumacher, and with Kovalainen I hope to find the anti-Alonso. For me it's a new challenge," Briatore told the Gazzetta dello Sport newspaper.
As for Alonso, the Renault team boss claims that the Spaniard has seen the last of title-winning days.
"Alonso won't be the same without Renault, who have given him two titles in two years," he said. "(This year) Alonso was stratospheric. A war animal.
"But after years at Renault he wanted a change, and I couldn't do anything about it."
Briatore also revealed that given the chance he would have returned to the past and the man who gave him his first two World titles, Michael Schumacher.
"I'm sorry Michael has quit," the Italian said. "Otherwise, I would have signed him again."
Also:
Fernando Alonso believes he has a shot of winning a hat-trick of Formula One titles next season providing new team McLaren can rediscover their consistency.
After five years with Renault, Alonso leaves departs as the sport's youngest ever double world champion, retaining his title on Sunday with a second-place finish in the Brazilian Grand Prix at Interlagos.
There is no doubt Renault's reliability has proved the bedrock for Alonso to become one of only eight men to win successive titles.
Now he heads to a McLaren team that for the first time in a decade failed to win a race during the season, and were a long way behind Renault and Ferrari in the constructors' championship.
McLaren and boss Ron Dennis face a long, hard winter if they are to ensure Alonso has a chance of challenging next year.
The Spaniard is acutely aware McLaren had a poor season by their very high standards, but given the vagaries of Formula One, there is every chance they will be at the front again.
With Alonso replacing Kimi Raikkonen, who is off to Ferrari, the 25-year-old said: "McLaren had some good races this year.
"Kimi finished second in Monza after qualifying on pole, while in Bahrain he was third after starting at the back of the grid.
"There were obviously some races when they were not very good, so they have been up and down.
"But, hopefully we will find some consistency. If we are regularly on the podium, why not fight for the championship?"
It was noticeable Alonso was already referring to McLaren as "we" with the title-winning champagne barely dried on his racing overalls.
No wonder Renault team boss Flavio Briatore was so dismissive when asked whether he was sorry to see Alonso leave, curtly replying: "I don't want to talk about that."
Alonso did himself no favours in announcing before last Christmas he was on his way to McLaren, a move that hardly endeared him to the team.
That is why he recently made the comment about feeling "alone" at various times this season, and why he is eagerly anticipating working with McLaren.
Even though he is champion again, the switch affords him the opportunity to revitalise himself and prove - like Michael Schumacher at Ferrari - he can also revitalise an ailing team.
"I've no regrets about leaving Renault," insisted Alonso.
"I knew 2006 would be a good season for us, and Renault should be on top, fighting for the championship.
"I knew there was the possibility of becoming champion again and we were ready to take the chance.
"But I feel, for the next three years with McLaren, I will have the opportunity to have a good car.
"Hopefully I will find new motivation with McLaren. It's a new challenge with new people and a new way to work.
"This is really very important for me and I'm looking forward to this new thing."
Unlike Briatore, there are those at Renault sad to see him go, including head of engineering Pat Symonds, who has been an instrumental figure in Alonso's success these past two years.
"We've known Fernando has been leaving since Christmas, but it hasn't really entered our minds because we've had such an intense year," said Symonds.
"I guess in the coming weeks, as we reflect on things, then we will start to think about it, but for sure I'm sorry to see him go.
"I guess things change, and there's certainly no bad feeling or anything. I know he is going to be a good competitor to us over the years to come, and we'll enjoy it."
How strong a competitor remains to be seen, as there are many who believe he will come close to breaking Schumacher's many Formula One records if given the right package.
Alonso, though, intimated he is unlikely to be around another 12 years when he reaches 37, the age at which the German retired on Sunday.
When asked whether he could match Schumacher's seven world titles, Alonso replied: "I don't think so because I will not be that long in Formula One."
That prompted Sunday's Brazilian Grand Prix winner Felipe Massa to rib him by saying: "Come on! So why not stop now?"
A smiling Alonso said: "It is a good moment, but I am going to continue."
Hmmm. Maybe Alosno's comments about lack of team support were justified after all.
Also, with all the talk about Hekki, there's no mention about Fisi. Not that it's any surprise - Fisi was always "the guy driving the other car" anyway.