Formula One world champion Fernando Alonso [Images] will race for McLaren in the 2007 season, the team said on Monday.

• Special: Alonso's winning formula

The 24-year-old Spaniard became the youngest Formula One champion when he won the title with Renault this year, also helping the team to the constructors' title ahead of McLaren.

"We always make it clear that we want to be the best and the only way of achieving this objective is by attracting the best people, the best drivers...," McLaren team principal Ron Dennis said in a statement.

Alonso was quoted as saying: "To become part of a team with such a desire to succeed and passion for performance is a dream come true for any Formula One driver.

"Obviously I will be sad to leave Renault but sometimes possibilities come along which are just too good to miss."

The departure of Alonso, whose personal manager is Renault's team principal Flavio Briatore, will raise further questions about Renault's long term commitment to Formula One.

Finnish championship runner-up Kimi Raikkonen [Images] and Colombia's Juan Pablo Montoya [Images] will race for McLaren next season.

Raikkonen, howver, is out of contract at the end of 2006 and has been coveted by Ferrari [Images] as a long-term replacement for seven-times world champion Michael Schumacher [Images].

"We are in discussions with our current drivers Kimi Raikkonen and Juan Pablo Montoya regarding the 2007 season," Dennis added.

"Both Juan Pablo and Kimi are extremely talented, professional and competitive Formula One drivers and they have and will continue to concentrate on our joint challenge for the championships."

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