15/09/2007
NEWS STORY
Despite growing speculation that his time with McLaren is limited, Fernando Alonso looks set to remain with the Woking team for the duration of his "multi year" contract.
Speaking to BBC Sport, the World Champion's manager Luis Garcia said: "We have an agreement. We are not negotiating with anybody and our plan is to continue here."
Asked if Alonso will honour the contract, which has him at McLaren until the end of the 2009 season, Garcia replied; "He has to."
In recent days it has been claimed that Alonso threatened to go to the FIA and reveal that Mike Coughlan was using Ferrari data for the Woking outfit's benefit, leading to Ron Dennis calling the Spaniard's bluff, before he himself went to the governing body.
Garcia denies that the Spaniard ever threatened the British team: "It's not true, and it's not possible," he said. "The facts say it is not true because it happened in a different way."
Dennis has admitted that he contacted the FIA on the morning of the Hungarian GP, revealing that he had new information relating to the spy saga. It is claimed that previously Alonso had demanded outright number one status or else he would spill the beans. The Guardian claims that a witness heard the World Champion say "either make me No 1 or let me go," before threatening to go to the FIA with his information.