Photo. Sutton-Images

Splito in Oviedo. Ferrari star and two-time world champion Fernando Alonso and wife Raquel del Rosario are going separate ways. In a joint statement both confirmed, “They will still be friends.”

Raquel is lead singer for rock band El Sueño de Morfeo and married ‘muy macho hombre de España five years ago after he clinched his second championship as a Renault driver. They met each other in a program for Spanish radio station Cadena SER.

The statement issued by the couple was, “After five years of marriage, we have decided to end our relationship as a couple. We are separating from marriage, but never as friends, and there is still a very strong affection and mutual admiration to ensure the happiness of the other.

“With this statement, addressed to all who follow our careers, we wish to bring an end to any speculation. With it, we ask that the media respects our personal lives which, as you know, we have always been keen to protect.”

This is the second high profile separation in Formula 1 this year. Earlier in the season another music star, Nicole Scherzinger of Pussycat Doll, dumped her world championship winning boyfriend, Lewis Hamilton.

Frentzen & Fisichella Going Radical

A new series called i1 Super Series is being launched in India featuring Radical sports cars entered under the names of various Indian cities. Each team will feature two drives with one driver being Indian national or having Indian origin, like Neel Jani who has an Indian father.

The first pre-season test took place at the fabulous Yas Marina circuit in Abu Dhabi yesterday.

Heinz-Harald Frentzen and Giancarlo Fisichella were the pace setters. Karun Chandok clocked the third fastest time while Jean Alesi, Matthias Lauda and Neel Jani completed the top six.

Indian Armaan Ebrahim, who will race in Indy Lights next season, was seventh.

Other names linked to F1 include Vitantonio Liuzzi, Alex Yoong, Sakon Yamamoto and Mika Salo.

Swiss Miss Cyndie Allemann is the only female racer in the series.

The i1 Super Series is known as IRL – sans Tony George – The Indian Racing League. Season opener is on January 22 at Sepang Grand Prix circuit in Malaysia.

For more information please visit www.i1superseries.com

 

— Nasir Hameed

 

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