FERNANDO Alonso, who is at daggers drawn with his teammate Lewis Hamilton, has
been told by team boss Ron Dennis that he can leave McLaren at the end of the
season.

But Formula One rivals Ferrari, surprisingly, are taking aim at Hamilton.
They are hoping to persuade Dennis' protege to switch camps at the end of
season with a stunning offer of ₤20 million (S$61 million) a year.

Ferrari chief Jean Todt is reportedly so impressed with Hamilton's rookie
season that he already regards the British driver as the "genuine successor" to
Michael Schumacher.

Hamilton is leading the championship with 80 points, seven more than
second-placed Alonso.

The 22-year-old is presently paid around ₤1 million a year, reported The Daily
Mail.

But, pressed about a potential lucrative Ferrari offer, he said: "I would not
find it difficult to say no because I'm not here for the money."

Ferrari's proposed move for Hamilton, reported yesterday by Italian newspaper
Tuttosport, comes in the wake of a massive row at McLaren between him and
Alonso - who are no longer on speaking terms.

The team's strategy for last weekend's Hungarian Grand Prix qualifying called
for Hamilton to let Alonso get ahead of him. He did not.

Alonso, feeling that Hamilton had compromised him, then deliberately loitered
in the pits, ahead of Hamilton, before their final runs.

By the time Hamilton's car was fitted with its final set of tyres, the Spaniard
had embarked on the lap that would win him pole position, and Hamilton had run
out of time for his own last attempt.

The FIA, motor sports' international governing body, then dropped Alonso five
places on the grid for his unfair tactic.

And the stewards decreed that no constructors' championship points would be
awarded to McLaren.

This increased tensions since hard-working staff back at the factory would lose
their bonus payments for the weekend.

Hamilton won the race from pole, leaving Alonso to describe the entire weekend
as "surreal".

The double world champion said: "We were first and second in qualifying and
nobody was happy. We went to complain about ourselves. It was one of the most
surreal moments I have experienced in Formula One."

Alonso did not confirm that he would see out his annual US$20 million (S$30
million) contract with McLaren - which has another two years to run.

When asked, he replied: "I don't know, I don't know."

But a McLaren source told The Times: "My understanding is that Alonso has been
told he can go because they're so fed up with him.

"Ron is just very pissed off with both of them."

Even before the row over the attempt to delay Hamilton, sources close to the
Spanish driver were making it clear that he was unhappy at the team.

He was dismayed at what he regards as McLaren reneging on their deal to make
him the lead driver.

The long-held McLaren tradition of allowing their two drivers to fight it out
for supremacy on the track is not going to change, Dennis insisted.

"If anybody does not want to be part of our values, ultimately they will have a
choice," he said. "But we will not deviate from our values."

Spanish newspaper Marca reported that Alonso has sought the advice of Renault
team chief Flavio Briatore, for whom he won the last two championships, on how
to break free from his contract with McLaren.