Renault makes Alonso highest-paid driver, will earn $2.6 mil per race

[EJ25RUN]

From Autoblog

Back in the 2005 and 2006 Formula One seasons, Fernando Alonso thoroughly trounced Michael Schumacher for the title. Since then, however, Alonso hasn't beaten many of Schumacher's records, but the two-time champion can now rest easy – in a big, solid gold chair – knowing that he's finally making more than Schumi.

Although finances in F1, as we've reported before, are secrets as closely guarded as technical breakthroughs, reports now indicate that Alonso's deal to return to Renault has made him the most highly-paid driver in or out of F1. If the reports are to be believed, Alonso will make $46 million this season. That's only from his contract with Renault and does not include assuredly lucrative sponsorship deals, and only stands if Alonso stays for a second year. The amount is a symbolic $1 million more than what arch-rival Kimi Raikkonen reportedly makes at Ferrari and more than double what his former team-mate Lewis Hamilton pulled in last year driving for McLaren. In fact, Hamilton reportedly resigned with McLaren for $138 million over the next five years, which breaks down to $27.6 million per year or $1.53 million per race in 2008. Alonso will be earning $2.55 million per race this year, and if renewed for next year will beat even the lucrative $86 million two-year offer Schumacher got to stay at Ferrari through 2008.

Its ok but Michael Schumacher earned 27 Million last year.....HE'S BEEN RETIRED SINCE 2006!

[Elbow]

Wow...dunno what else to say lol

[StraightSix]

IMO, there couldn't be a more over-paid driver in F1...

[Frög]

wish i was him.. best job, best pay.. wow..

[EJ25RUN]

IMO, there couldn't be a more over-paid driver in F1...

i disagree... because of the Hamilton situation most people stopped liking him.

He is a great driver. Every great driver stumbles sometimes.

Michael Schumacher in 1997 ..... Alain Prost in 1989.

Even with these we still see them as fighting champs. What would you do if your whole team seems as if they turned against you.

Think about this, the final race of the 2007 season where Hamilton lost the championship. If Alonzo pulled, crashed, whatever Hamilton would have won. Imagine if your team would want to see that happen.

He is a competitor and knows what it takes to be world champion. That's why its that large of a check and he deserves it 100%.

[man]

These "reports" are never official. Drivers' salaries are never made public. And if this report is true, then it's fairly possible that Raikonnen earned an estimated $51 million last year. And Schumacher's highest estimated was $61 mil...

[StraightSix]

i disagree... because of the Hamilton situation most people stopped liking him.

He is a great driver. Every great driver stumbles sometimes.

Michael Schumacher in 1997 ..... Alain Prost in 1989.

Even with these we still see them as fighting champs. What would you do if your whole team seems as if they turned against you.

Think about this, the final race of the 2007 season where Hamilton lost the championship. If Alonzo pulled, crashed, whatever Hamilton would have won. Imagine if your team would want to see that happen.

He is a competitor and knows what it takes to be world champion. That's why its that large of a check and he deserves it 100%.

I don't think Alonso is really a world champion class driver. He's good, there's no doubt about that. Alonso's personality is terrible and I haven't seen anything in Alonso's driving in the past couple of seasons that backs up his claim to that title.

I just don't think that Alonso is that great to command such an alledged salary. I suppose we'll see what happens with him at Renault this season.

[Mike Lowrey]

Alonso = Whinny Little B*tch

He will just make alot of money doing it.

[DinanM3atl]

I don't think Alonso is really a world champion class driver. He's good, there's no doubt about that. Alonso's personality is terrible and I haven't seen anything in Alonso's driving in the past couple of seasons that backs up his claim to that title.

I just don't think that Alonso is that great to command such an alledged salary. I suppose we'll see what happens with him at Renault this season.

His two titles would say otherwise...

[OnURleft]

Kimmmy babe f.t.w.

[StraightSix]

His two titles would say otherwise...

Even a blind squirrel finds a nut sometimes.

[DinanM3atl]

Even a blind squirrel finds a nut sometimes.

Ummmm I know the "Alonso is a whiny ***** and he isn't THAT good" bandwagon is the new hip thing man but come on.

Two Championships? And you use the even a blind squirrel finds a nut sometimes. Most of the blind squirrels die because they can't find food. Do you really think if Alonso wasn't THAT good he would be in F1? Even have a chance to test for F1? Come on man.

Sebastian Loeb isn't THAT good either right?

[EJ25RUN]

I don't think Alonso is really a world champion class driver. He's good, there's no doubt about that. Alonso's personality is terrible and I haven't seen anything in Alonso's driving in the past couple of seasons that backs up his claim to that title.

I just don't think that Alonso is that great to command such an alledged salary. I suppose we'll see what happens with him at Renault this season.

No.

Alonzo's Personality.... WTF are you talking about.

Senna was hated because of his personality. He was probably the most cocky F1 driver ever. He had the mindset that "i'm supposed to win and no one else."

In fact Alonzo's personality is one of his biggest tools to get at the competition. I've followed F1 closely for the past 15 years and Alonzo's uprise was Schumacher's end.

In 03 for those that remember the Hungarian GP, he had to fight of Schumacher for the first 20 laps until he began to pull away for his first win.

Then in 2007 his victory over Massa at the Nurburgring solidified his greatness as well.

There is very good reason why he is two times world champion. He beat Micheal Schumacher. A 7 times world champion and a figure of dominance.


A lot of guys have no idea what you are talking about.

You say "I don't like his personality"

He doesn't care....He probably wishes you hated him more.

In F1, people like Alonzo improve the rest of the sport as they have to learn his ways. You guys really don't know F1 and are just talking out of your a$$.

Even a blind squirrel finds a nut sometimes.

A blind squirrel doesn't beat Schumacher twice and ruin his retirement season.

Go watch some more Nascar..... it's all about "personality" so it will suit you well.

[DinanM3atl]

+1

Pwnzor'd

[v-empire]

kimmy's attitude is worst! but he gets the job done. baller ice man!

fernando is pimp for partying night before and winning races drunk.

F1 season is cummin', i will no longer have time for women at night ... call me in the mornings, ladies!

[EJ25RUN]

kimmy's attitude is worst! but he gets the job done.

fernando is pimp for partying night before and winning races drunk.

F1 season is cummin', i will no longer have time for women at night ... call me in the mornings, ladies!

do you have a sn from 03 cause that's what i just saw?

[v-empire]

i posted under someone else's account... so i deleted it and logged in to my own.

[EJ25RUN]

i posted under someone else's account... so i deleted it and logged into my own.

i see.

i dont know why i posted that?

[v-empire]

i see.

i dont know why i posted that?

it doesnt matter, forgiven. how about a bukakke party?


this year's F1 season is gonna be insane, i can feel it...

i get to see the world behind a f1 CockPit in HD

turn those surround sounds up!

[EJ25RUN]

it doesnt matter, forgiven. how about a bukakke party?


this year's F1 season is gonna be insane, i can feel it...

i get to see the world behind a f1 CockPit in HD

turn those surround sounds up!

Not me.....No HD system....No Tivo so ill have to try real hard to see every race.

[StraightSix]

Damn boys, you guys get your panties in a wad when someone disagrees with you.

Being cocky and driven is certainly some of what makes a good driver successful, but Alonso is an absolute ass about it. Last season really cemented my poor view of Alonso, and the season before is where it all started. Alonso two seasons prior was pretty quick to blame his team, Renault, for losing races claiming that the team didn't want him to win the WDC because he was leaving and going to McLaren. That's just plain crappy behavior and poor sportsmanship. Last season, was more of the same kind of crappy sportsmanship.

Now, riddle me this, if Alonso is such a superior driver, and McLaren was clearly the chassis to beat last season, why did Kimi win the WDC? Ferrari was straight up raped at Monoco last year, and Kimi's season last year started with a yawn.

Also, the statement that people like Alonso improve F1 because other drivers have to mimic what he does is just asinine. Every driver, from karts to F1, has a particular driving style. Auto racing requires that every driver maximize his, or her, abilities in a particular chassis. The object then becomes doing what is best for that particular driver in that particular chassis and copying another driver's style most likely won't work out well.

Anyway, I still don't think Alonso is so great as to command such an astronomical salary.

[DinanM3atl]

Inner team workings or lack of workings and a rookie driver(who is not all that great himself) handed Kimi the WDC. Had nothing to do with Alonso's skill. Kimi was right there during the season doing the best he could. He set himself up so that if Lewis faltered he would be there, and guess what, Lewis as I said faltered and Kimi wins.

I would love to see Lewis in a RBR car and see how he fares. If I hear one more time about he told Ron Dennis "I will race for you" I am going to break something.

[StraightSix]

Inner team workings or lack of workings and a rookie driver(who is not all that great himself) handed Kimi the WDC. Had nothing to do with Alonso's skill. Kimi was right there during the season doing the best he could. He set himself up so that if Lewis faltered he would be there, and guess what, Lewis as I said faltered and Kimi wins.

I would love to see Lewis in a RBR car and see how he fares. If I hear one more time about he told Ron Dennis "I will race for you" I am going to break something.

Kimi ended up having a great season. Hamilton made a couple of rookie mistakes and lost the WDC for himself. But, where was Alonso? Alonso was third in points going into the last race and finished third in the points, iirc (yup, just double checked). If Alonso is as great a driver as you guys contend shouldn't he be able to overcome "inner team workings or lack of workings"?

[EJ25RUN]

Damn boys, you guys get your panties in a wad when someone disagrees with you.

Being cocky and driven is certainly some of what makes a good driver successful, but Alonso is an absolute ass about it. Last season really cemented my poor view of Alonso, and the season before is where it all started. Alonso two seasons prior was pretty quick to blame his team, Renault, for losing races claiming that the team didn't want him to win the WDC because he was leaving and going to McLaren. That's just plain crappy behavior and poor sportsmanship. Last season, was more of the same kind of crappy sportsmanship.

Now, riddle me this, if Alonso is such a superior driver, and McLaren was clearly the chassis to beat last season, why did Kimi win the WDC? Ferrari was straight up raped at Monoco last year, and Kimi's season last year started with a yawn.

Also, the statement that people like Alonso improve F1 because other drivers have to mimic what he does is just asinine. Every driver, from karts to F1, has a particular driving style. Auto racing requires that every driver maximize his, or her, abilities in a particular chassis. The object then becomes doing what is best for that particular driver in that particular chassis and copying another driver's style most likely won't work out well.

Anyway, I still don't think Alonso is so great as to command such an astronomical salary.

Answers =

1. Crappy behavior poor sportsmanship cause your moving teams?

~Prost to Ferrari in 90
~Montoya to Mclaren 2 years before it happened.
~There are many more examples.

2. Why did Kimi win the WDC? WINS.

He won six time to Alonzo's and Hamilton's 4.

After winning the opening round, Räikkönen couldn't win for the next six races. After the victory at Magny Cours he won 4 more times. Kimi deserved the World title. Dont get me wrong. I was desperete for him to win it after '03.

At the same time Lewis Hamilton was proving his worth to the world.

Yes Alonzo had to look and wonder how a rookie could do this but, he wasn't the only one ~ (The rest of the world was shocked). Remember Prost in 88?
After Europe, Hamilton became human again and we all know the rookie mistake of the era at China.

Remember this discussion is about Alonzo's worth. Talent and $ wise.

3. Alonzo not improving the breed?

Are you really gonna tell me that Hamilton's determination to pass Alonzo at Brazil and ultimately loss the world title wasn't cause beating Alonzo was the Fillet Mignon on the delicious feast that was to be his world title?

4. The salary and "too much of it"

You do realize the biggest force in this decision was Carlos Ghosn who told Alonzo he wants commitment to two seasons for the deal to happen? Now Carlos has been called "the savior" of Nissan and the #1 Man in the Industry two times over. He is the one that approved this deal to happen.

So understand that Carlos saw Alonzo talented, fast, special, and deserving enough of this paycheck.

[DinanM3atl]

Kimi ended up having a great season. Hamilton made a couple of rookie mistakes and lost the WDC for himself. But, where was Alonso? Alonso was third in points going into the last race and finished third in the points, iirc (yup, just double checked). If Alonso is as great a driver as you guys contend shouldn't he be able to overcome "inner team workings or lack of workings"?

So 3rd in the premier motorsports arena is bad? Damn...

[EJ25RUN]

So 3rd in the premier motorsports arena is bad? Damn...

More to the point. This guy has no idea how hard it is to win a race muchless a championship in Formula 1. Last year 4 guys stood atop the podium. (Alonzo was one of them)

I hate to bring this up as well. It really really irritates me about the people on forums that talk down about a drivers capabilities.

Are you an F1 driver? No
Will you ever be? No
Straihtsix talking about a 2 time world champion having any value? Hell No

[DinanM3atl]

I am working my way there. Can't get a test day from even Force India! haha

[StraightSix]

More to the point. This guy has no idea how hard it is to win a race muchless a championship in Formula 1. Last year 4 guys stood atop the podium. (Alonzo was one of them)

I hate to bring this up as well. It really really irritates me about the people on forums that talk down about a drivers capabilities.

Are you an F1 driver? No
Will you ever be? No
Straihtsix talking about a 2 time world champion having any value? Hell No

This guy does have a prety good idea what it takes to win a championship.

Furthermore, any discussion by fans of a sport that aren't actaully in the sport is really pretty much rubbish. None of us will likely ever test an F1 car, so are any of us really all that qualified to make judgements about any driver's ability......not really, but we're going to make them because we're race fans and humans.

To be clear, my opinion is that Alonso doesn't deserve that exorbitant salary that he's getting next year. Obviously, he has the talent and ability to make a career out of F1. You guys both talk like Alonso is the next Schumacher but I just don't buy it.

[EJ25RUN]

This guy does have a prety good idea what it takes to win a championship.

Furthermore, any discussion by fans of a sport that aren't actaully in the sport is really pretty much rubbish. None of us will likely ever test an F1 car, so are any of us really all that qualified to make judgements about any driver's ability......not really, but we're going to make them because we're race fans and humans.

To be clear, my opinion is that Alonso doesn't deserve that exorbitant salary that he's getting next year. Obviously, he has the talent and ability to make a career out of F1. You guys both talk like Alonso is the next Schumacher but I just don't buy it.

but we have valiant points to prove what we say. As a spectator you do have a right to make opinions about a sport but your opinions have to be based on facts and it seems to me your doubting him just cause of his personality and you cant understand a driver is judged in the car and not outside of it.

[DinanM3atl]

This guy does have a prety good idea what it takes to win a championship.

Furthermore, any discussion by fans of a sport that aren't actaully in the sport is really pretty much rubbish. None of us will likely ever test an F1 car, so are any of us really all that qualified to make judgements about any driver's ability......not really, but we're going to make them because we're race fans and humans.

To be clear, my opinion is that Alonso doesn't deserve that exorbitant salary that he's getting next year. Obviously, he has the talent and ability to make a career out of F1. You guys both talk like Alonso is the next Schumacher but I just don't buy it.

Some don't think Mr. Schumacher is that great himself and he is just a "cheater". Go figure

[EJ25RUN]

Some don't think Mr. Schumacher is that great himself and he is just a "cheater". Go figure

if you aint cheatin you aint tryin

[StraightSix]

Some don't think Mr. Schumacher is that great himself and he is just a "cheater". Go figure

But this particular discussion isn't about Schumacher.

Also, I'm pretty sure that the facts presented aren't valiant. They might be valid, however. But, are they really facts, when we get down to it?

Think about this, it is Ghosn opinion that Alonso is worth the $2.6million per race for two years and thus the deal was brokered. Maybe Alonso will prove that he's worth that kind of money over the next several seasons. *I* just don't see it, based on observations I've made watching the past couple of seasons.

[EJ25RUN]

But this particular discussion isn't about Schumacher.

Also, I'm pretty sure that the facts presented aren't valiant. They might be valid, however. But, are they really facts, when we get down to it?

Think about this, it is Ghosn opinion that Alonso is worth the $2.6million per race for two years and thus the deal was brokered. Maybe Alonso will prove that he's worth that kind of money over the next several seasons. *I* just don't see it, based on observations I've made watching the past couple of seasons.

Ok.....Your 1 eye out of the hundreds of millions in F1's audience.

[StraightSix]

I'm not alone in my thinking. Although, I try to avoid drawing conclusions based solely on others' opinions.

[EJ25RUN]

I'm not alone in my thinking. Although, I try to avoid drawing conclusions based solely on others' opinions.

Ok coarse not.


But i still stick with my thoughts. I really could care less how much F1 drivers get paid. I really think Motogp riders deserve as much if not more.

But i digress.... Alonzo is a world class driver and in 08 even though in a lesser car, he will make the podium.

[StraightSix]

We'll see. I think the 2008 season will be very interesting. Especially with the rule change removing traction control and engine braking.