Silly season speculation links Alonso to RedBull-Ferrari!!

**PURE PASSION** · 20th September 2015, 11:30

Wild speculation is being bandied about in the Singapore paddock about Fernando Alonso’s future.

McLaren supremo Ron Dennis has insisted the Spaniard is on a fixed contract for 2015, 2016 and 2017 without exit clauses, but Italian and Spanish media sources this weekend have insisted those clauses do exist. And so the talk has legs…

Alonso was spotted coming out of the Red Bull motor home at a recent race, and now the Italian insider Leo Turrini says he has heard a whisper from within the 34-year-old’s own camp that a Ferrari-powered car might tempt him next year.

Another veteran Italian journalist is quoted by the Spanish newspaper AS: “With this Ferrari, Fernando would be fighting for the title, just as he did in 2012.”

At the same time, Alonso admitted to Spanish reporters that, amid his negotiations with McLaren a year ago, “expectations were higher” that 2015 would turn out better than it has.
The knock-on effect of the performance slump for the works Honda camp is financial, with reports suggesting Jenson Button will only be kept if he agrees to forego his scheduled EUR 4 million pay-rise.

Alonso, meanwhile, is currently the highest-paid driver in the entire sport.

When asked about the fact that McLaren will take an income hit for 2016, boss Eric Boullier said in Singapore: “I cannot give a full guarantee, but it is 99.9 per cent that we will soon make a number of statements (about new sponsors).

“If we cannot finish the season in a position that we consider normal, the amount of money from FOM will be less and we have to find ways to compensate for this,” he added.

At least for Honda, one way to raise money would be to sell its ‘power unit’ to a customer team or two, although Yasuhisa Arai has admitted talks are not currently taking place.

Boullier said: “We (McLaren) have factory team status and that will not change. To be honest, this (Honda finding a customer) could happen in 2017, and why not? This would mean that the Honda engine is so good that other teams are also interested, and so in this scenario it would be a positive.”

**Brembo** · 20th September 2015, 12:01

Good luck to Alonso , he's far to great a driver to be where he is. Red Bull Ferrari sounds like he will fit right in. Seb, Alonso, Lewis out for blood !! F1 needs the lift.

**Stormy** · 20th September 2015, 16:13

So...he left Ferrari in order to join a downgraded Ferrari, hmm. Gotta say, he is making miserable career choices. I think he is better put in Mclaren, they have enormous budget and experience, they may be a title contender in two or three years. While Red Bull with a lesser Ferrari engine, will never be able to attack the title.
But Alonso is a major factor in the sport, he knows what he is doing i guess. But this all may be a silly speculation so...

**Greig** · 20th September 2015, 16:45

I would think the Red Bull budget is way more impressive than McLaren's. McLaren may well be a title contender in the next 2 or 3 years just as much as they might not be and just as much as Red Bull might be.

**Stormy** · 20th September 2015, 17:00

Originally Posted by Greig

I would think the Red Bull budget is way more impressive than McLaren's. McLaren may well be a title contender in the next 2 or 3 years just as much as they might not be and just as much as Red Bull might be.

Yeah definitely, maybe Red Bull can make a bigger budget then Mclaren, but bigger then Mclaren and Honda together? That is debatable, because Red Bull have thousand other things to think of on other fronts.
But who knows, if Mateschitz wants...
By the way, obviously the budget at Red Bull its not the problem, their problem is that they don't have an exclusive engine partner. That will keep them from being a title contender.
I think they are more waiting for VW to take them over and in the meanwhile win a couple of races and podiums rather then being champions again.

**Greig** · 20th September 2015, 17:12

Exclusive engine partner will not guarantee being a title contender either.

**Stormy** · 20th September 2015, 17:31

Originally Posted by Greig

Exclusive engine partner will not guarantee being a title contender either.

Nope it wont, but at least that engine manufacturer will work only for them, thus raising the chances to have the best engine on the grid.
When your rival is giving you engines its clear you won't be in a position to be a threat. You will be like Williams...

**Greig** · 20th September 2015, 17:34

Originally Posted by Stormy

Nope it wont, but at least that engine manufacturer will work only for them, thus raising the chances to have the best engine on the grid.
When your rival is giving you engines its clear you won't be in a position to be a threat. You will be like Williams...

I think RBR is looking for a very short engine deal from Ferrari, perhaps just a year. So they might well be in a position to challenge just as much as McLaren might be in 2/3 years.

**Stormy** · 20th September 2015, 17:43

Originally Posted by Greig

I think RBR is looking for a very short engine deal from Ferrari, perhaps just a year. So they might well be in a position to challenge just as much as McLaren might be in 2/3 years.

Yeah you are right about that, if RBR find an exclusive distributor sure. But Honda already started to develop the engine so in my opinion they will be able to be a challenge earlier then Red Bull.
And what about the speculations that VW are taking over Red Bull? VW will struggle a lot with the engine at first, so at the beginning they will not be competitive at all. Alonso will go through the same thing he is going this year with Mclaren Honda. So i think he should stay one more year at least with Mclaren to see how things are developing there. But of course, he knows best.

**Greig** · 20th September 2015, 17:51

I don't think he knows best but it's pretty hard to predict the future for him just as much as it is for me and you.

Many said Lewis was making a mistake joining Merc.

**Stormy** · 20th September 2015, 19:11

Originally Posted by Greig

I don't think he knows best but it's pretty hard to predict the future for him just as much as it is for me and you.

Many said Lewis was making a mistake joining Merc.

Hah, yeah maybe he doesn't know best :D
But still, he knows something more then we can possibly know from our point of view, but yeah, it really looks like he makes some really bad decisions.
By the way i didn't thought Lewis was making a mistake, since Mercedes made their team i knew they would be a title contender one day. Its Mercedes, not a force to be reckon with definitely

**WS6TransAm01** · 20th September 2015, 19:21

Alonso is such a premodana, my god! Such a miserable douche. I'm glad he is where he is. He wanted to throw Ferrari away like a used diaper because of one bad year. Fine. Pound sand and good riddance to him. I hope he DNFs each and every of the remaining 6 races and stays at McL to DNF again next year. It's what he deserves for dissing Ferrari.

**Ste** · 20th September 2015, 19:24

Originally Posted by WS6TransAm01

Alonso is such a premodana, my god! Such a miserable douche. I'm glad he is where he is. He wanted to throw Ferrari away like a used diaper because of one bad year. Fine. Pound sand and good riddance to him. I hope he DNFs each and every of the remaining 6 races and stays at McL to DNF again next year. It's what he deserves for dissing Ferrari.

He wants to win. Simple.

**GamD** · 20th September 2015, 19:32

Originally Posted by Ste

He wants to win. Simple.

He went to the wrong team then.

**Fireblade** · 20th September 2015, 19:35

Silly season indeed. Red Bull already have two excellent drivers in Ricciardo and Kvyat, and two impressive youngsters waiting in the wings at TR. Why would they want to sign Alonso, who will be 35 next year and has a history of turbulent behavior? As badly as they often behave in some respects RB do seem genuinely dedicated to nurturing their own drivers rather than hiring someone elses.

**Greig** · 20th September 2015, 19:38

Originally Posted by WS6TransAm01

Alonso is such a premodana, my god! Such a miserable douche. I'm glad he is where he is. He wanted to throw Ferrari away like a used diaper because of one bad year. Fine. Pound sand and good riddance to him. I hope he DNFs each and every of the remaining 6 races and stays at McL to DNF again next year. It's what he deserves for dissing Ferrari.

Yeah your tantrums are much more classy

**vcs316** · 20th September 2015, 19:38

Originally Posted by Greig

I think RBR is looking for a very short engine deal from Ferrari, perhaps just a year. So they might well be in a position to challenge just as much as McLaren might be in 2/3 years.

Alonso needs to stay with a manufacturer team if he has to maximize his chances of winning. Yes, Honda is an exclusive supplier to Mclaren but its engine is horrible. Neither Mercedes nor Ferrari will take Alonso so he is left with 2 choices. Either stay at Mclaren or go to either RBR or Lotus (incase Renault takes over the team).

**PadGeT** · 20th September 2015, 19:52

Red Bull doesn't want to pay Alonso's salary.
They want their own academy drivers in their car (cheaper solution) and wont invest in marquee drivers.
As much as Alonso wants to be in that chassis, he probably will never get that chance.

**Hornet** · 20th September 2015, 20:03

Originally Posted by WS6TransAm01

Alonso is such a premodana, my god! Such a miserable douche. I'm glad he is where he is. He wanted to throw Ferrari away like a used diaper because of one bad year. Fine. Pound sand and good riddance to him. I hope he DNFs each and every of the remaining 6 races and stays at McL to DNF again next year. It's what he deserves for dissing Ferrari.

I think it's ironic to call someone a prima donna with a ranting tone like that.

Originally Posted by GamD

He went to the wrong team then.

The reality is that no one can ever accurately tell how each season would turn out. The history of the sport would show us that.

So while it's easy to say he made a horrible decision, we are only saying that now after we are aware of the outcome. Going back to last season, no one could have predicted that Ferrari would made such a huge jump, that Honda would be that bad, or that Renault would go backwards so far even RB would rather use a Ferrari PU.

**WS6TransAm01** · 21st September 2015, 01:48

Just sick of the guy. Whaaaa I didn't win with Ferrari so I'm going to be a devicive force in the team and then just drop 'em like a bad habit.

He was never a Ferrari driver. He was never a part of the team. He was always out for himself and I could not be happier with his current situation.

I don't have to be classy about it. I'm just a fan, not the public face of a Formula 1 team.

**Giallo 550** · 21st September 2015, 02:26

The overwhelming majority of the tifosi were nuts about Fernando Alonso between 2010 and 2013. Seems like a lot of sour grapes to me. I don't understand why many of us just can't be happy with Sebastian Vettel because he has had an incredible amount of success filling Alonso's seat.

**Stormsearcher** · 21st September 2015, 06:54

Originally Posted by WS6TransAm01

Just sick of the guy. Whaaaa I didn't win with Ferrari so I'm going to be a devicive force in the team and then just drop 'em like a bad habit.

He was never a Ferrari driver. He was never a part of the team. He was always out for himself and I could not be happier with his current situation.

I don't have to be classy about it. I'm just a fan, not the public face of a Formula 1 team.

Arent you taking this a bit too personal? Or you are just a SV fanboy who hates FA for no valid reason.

And you tell me which driver on the grid does not look out for himself? Their window, in terms of age, to win championships is small.. naturally they will want the best package. "drop em like a bad habit"??? He came so close with us thrice and every time with a car that was way inferior to the RBR. I dont blame him for looking at other projects, afterall, for 5 years all he got was promises for us. And its not like he lost interest the way kimi has. He pushed the car till his last race.
So get a reality check and post something sensible.

**vcs316** · 21st September 2015, 08:50

Originally Posted by Stormsearcher

Arent you taking this a bit too personal? Or you are just a SV fanboy who hates FA for no valid reason.

And you tell me which driver on the grid does not look out for himself? Their window, in terms of age, to win championships is small.. naturally they will want the best package. "drop em like a bad habit"??? He came so close with us thrice and every time with a car that was way inferior to the RBR. I dont blame him for looking at other projects, afterall, for 5 years all he got was promises for us. And its not like he lost interest the way kimi has. He pushed the car till his last race.
So get a reality check and post something sensible.

There will always be haters mate. Just ignore such posts.

**Brembo** · 21st September 2015, 10:40

Flavio Briatore is Alonso's mentor, mgr. He's being directed towards the big millions $$$. He's going to be 35 yrs. old. F1 drivers don't work untill their 65. Make it while you can. It's not like Alonso can follow Lewis later on in a career in Hip Hop and still make millions.

**FFFerrari** · 21st September 2015, 12:16

While I appreciate Fernando as a driver (and more importantly a former Ferrari driver), his personality has always rubbed me the wrong way. Also, the way he talks about Ferrari after leaving the team is not cool. He made a poor choice going to McLaren-Honda, even if it brings a lot of cash into his bank account. Nobody is interested in him at the moment, all eyes are on Lewis and Sebastian and that is what drives him nuts. He wants to be the center of the attention, he wants to be fighting for the championships and the reality has hit him that he won't get that for many years if the sticks with McL.

Too bad for him all the top teams are locked, even Red Bull. RBR doesn't want to pay the big bucks to the marquee level drivers, they use their own academy to fill in their spots. Fernando will likely retire from McL after his contract is up or even sooner. And I doubt that I will miss him.

**Stormy** · 21st September 2015, 13:20

Originally Posted by FFFerrari

Fernando will likely retire from McL after his contract is up or even sooner. And I doubt that I will miss him.

You never know. Mclaren and Honda can be very resourceful. I'm very keen to see their performance next year.

**Silent Bob** · 21st September 2015, 14:16

Originally Posted by Stormsearcher

Arent you taking this a bit too personal? Or you are just a SV fanboy who hates FA for no valid reason.

And you tell me which driver on the grid does not look out for himself? Their window, in terms of age, to win championships is small.. naturally they will want the best package. "drop em like a bad habit"??? He came so close with us thrice and every time with a car that was way inferior to the RBR. I dont blame him for looking at other projects, afterall, for 5 years all he got was promises for us. And its not like he lost interest the way kimi has. He pushed the car till his last race.
So get a reality check and post something sensible.

Well as a Ferrari fan, the fact that he bailed on the team when he still had a contract could be viewed as a valid reason. That could make people a little bitter.... as well as the many times he's stated that Ferrari may only ever be a second place team.

**Tony** · 21st September 2015, 14:33

This thread is going to get derailed very quickly guys/gals if we don't get back on topic :)

I wouldn't be surprised if this is all based off of Alonso trying to negotiate another switch to Red Bull whilst venturing into their motorhome. They probably have no interest in this whatsoever...

**ferrari4life** · 21st September 2015, 14:41

while i am absolutly certain that SV is a better person to have in Ferrari and will help our team immensely and bring us back up to the top. I have to wonder what Alonso would have been doing in this car. He would have probably been beating at lease Nico regularly. There is no doubt that he is the best driver on track.

I am happy he is stuck at McLaren...he would be a threat anywhere else.