F1 champion Fernando Alonso almost got McLaren staff the SACK with outrageous move

Alonso, Hamilton, McLaren, Mercedes, 2007, generic — Photo: © IMAGO

F1 News & Gossip

Fernando Alonso almost got McLaren staff the SACK with outrageous move

Fernando Alonso raced for McLaren in 2007 and again in 2015-2018

Sam Cook Digital Journalist

Sports Journalist who has been covering motorsport since 2023

Sunday 11 January 2026 18:56

Former McLaren F1 engineer Mark Slade has revealed an incredible story about two-time world champion Fernando Alonso.

McLaren signed Alonso for the 2007 season off the back of the Spaniard having claimed back-to-back championship success with Renault in 2005 and 2006, and Alonso came within a single point of making it three in a row in 2007 with McLaren.

However, that does not tell the full story, with Alonso rather publicly falling out with the Woking-based outfit as the season went on, and sparking a fierce rivalry with rookie team-mate Lewis Hamilton which still to this day threatens to boil over.

Article continues under video

Hamilton had joined the team as a 22-year-old rookie, and being a two-time champion Alonso expected number one driver status. However, the two stars were embroiled in a fierce championship battle, finishing level on points and missing out by a single point to eventual victor Kimi Raikkonen.

And there was also the off-track drama that followed the 2007 season, with the spygate scandal gripping the sport and leading to an even more fractured relationship between Alonso and McLaren.

Alonso would leave the team after just one season, and rejoined Renault, before heading back to McLaren in 2015, when team principal Ron Dennis had left the team and everything seemed a bit more harmonious.

Now, Alonso's former racing engineer Slade has revealed an incredible story about how Alonso tried to get the McLaren team on his side in 2007, alleging that he tried to pay staff members €1000 each.

"I went to the garage, got the guys and said: ‘Can we all just gather? Fernando wants to have a quick word with us,’" Slade began in an appearance on Peter Windsor's YouTube channel.

"And he appeared at the back of the garage with a bunch of envelopes and said: ‘At Renault, I used to like to share in my winnings with my guys on my car and it’s not something I’ve done at McLaren so far, but I’d just like to show my appreciation for you being on my car and doing such a great job.’

"He handed these envelopes out and we opened them and I think there was 1000 euros in each envelope. I was kind of gobsmacked.

"I think we were just sort of nonplussed, we didn’t really know what to say. So we just said: ‘That’s really kind, thanks. Thanks very much.’

"And he was very humble. He was just saying: ‘No, I really appreciate your help.’"

McLaren staff almost sacked for Alonso generosity

Slade continued with his story: "We went off and did our thing and, a little while later, Dave Ryan came into the motorhome with a face of thunder.

"And he’s like: ‘What the hell just happened in the garage?' 'Well, Fernando just did that.’ And he said: ‘Yeah, I thought that’s what’s happened. Basically, you’ve got to give us all the money. You’ve got to give the money to me. You’ve got to give the money to the team. It’s completely outrageous, we can’t have that in this team.’

"I was like: ‘Oh, ok. Really sorry. Didn’t know that.’ “And he basically said: ‘Anyone that doesn’t hand their money back is going to get sacked.’

"It was made known and everyone gave their envelopes back. I believe the envelopes were basically given to back to Fernando and he was told never to do it again."

It's one of many incredible stories that have come out about Alonso's tumultuous 2007 season with McLaren, including Spanish journalist Antonio Lobato recently suggesting that Alonso was scared to drive the car after he'd been arguing with the McLaren team.

F1 Lewis Hamilton McLaren Fernando Alonso