Formula 1 team McLaren is edging toward a deal with Lewis Hamilton's Mercedes to supply its engines next season -- a partnership McLaren hopes will "keep Fernando Alonso" at the team, according to Jonathan McEvoy of the London DAILY MAIL. McLaren will reportedly drop current engine partner Honda after "patience with the Japanese manufacturers' uncompetitive and unreliable engines finally ran out" -- a separation that will cost McLaren £78M ($99.5M). McLaren's long-standing shareholder Mansour Ojjeh "talked at length in the paddock" ahead of Sunday's Canadian Grand Prix to Mercedes non-exec Chair Niki Lauda and Motorsport Dir Toto Wolff about the "new arrangement." Those close to the expected deal said that there "are obstacles to overcome -- such as Mercedes' wisdom in supplying their market-leading engines, which took Hamilton and Nico Rosberg to three successive world titles, to a potential championship rival" -- but they are "far from insurmountable." News of the deal "is expected before the summer break in August," though the engines would be supplied next year "rather than for the end of this season." McLaren's frustration with Honda "was exacerbated by Alonso's engine failure while he was in a point-scoring position" toward the end of the race in Montreal (DAILY MAIL, 6/12). F1I.com's Andrew Lewin reported Mercedes is "remaining tight-lipped" over a reported engine deal. Wolff: "At the moment, I do not want to participate in these rumors and discussions" (F1I.com, 6/13).
