McLaren Mercedes have launched their new car, the MP4-23, today in Stuttgart, Germany. They are the second team to unveil their 2008 car.

The launch has coincided with driver Lewis Hamilton’s birthday. “It’s Lewis’ birthday today – we’ve gone to a lot of trouble,” Ron Dennis explained. “He is 23, it is the MP4-23 and he will carry 23 on the car – but that is more by accident than judgement I must say!”

The driver shuffle is about to begin with the news that Fernando Alonso will be leaving McLaren. In a statement released by McLaren-Mercedes, the team has confirmed that they came to a mutual agreement to end Alonso’s three year contract early.

Alonso denies Dennis rift

During the espionage saga hearing, Ron Dennis revealed that he was no longer on speaking terms with Fernando Alonso after the pair had an argument during the weekend of the Hungarian Grand Prix. However Alonso has now spoken out saying that he was surprised to hear Dennis’ words and he denies that the two are not speaking.

Given the intensity of the drama off the track over the past fortnight you’d be forgiven for feeling a bit deflated after witnessing the action on it. The Italian and Belgian Grand Prix just about captured the interest of the sport’s regular viewers but would have no doubt done little to satisfy the needs of new followers lured in by the intrigue of Mclarengate.

After the Hungarian Grand Prix, McLaren were docked constructors’ championship points for their part in the pit-lane fiasco. Last week, McLaren were thrown out of the constructors’ championship for 2007 over espionage claims by Ferrari.

McLaren remain defiant having been found guilty by a Paris court of spying on their main competitors Ferrari, and subsequently excluded from the 2007 F1 Constructors’ Championship and fined a record $100 million USD. This evening, Ron Dennis, Team Principle of the McLaren team, and CEO and Chairman of the McLaren Group, sent a clear message that no punishment, however severe, would ever dampen the Woking based teams desire to go racing.

McLaren have been fined $50,000 by stewards in Monza after they ran a new lightweight gearbox in Hungary that had not been crash tested.

New evidence from the Spy saga that has come to the attention of the FIA could involve current World Champion Fernando Alonso.

The FIA announced that the board will reconvene on Sept 13th to question McLaren further, and the squad has already of being found guilty without charge being in breach of Article 151c of the international sporting code, for possession of documents that belonged to Ferrari back in July.

After both McLaren drivers stayed away from the Istanbul Park circuit on Thursday and had a meeting to help clear the air, the McLaren believe the pair have found a ‘constructive’ way forward.

Following on from the news that both McLaren drivers chose to stay away from the Istanbul Circuit on Thursday, rivals have been voicing their thoughts on the situation.