Negotiations in “advanced stage”
The news is one that will make the walls shake, even if in a market session that has already certified Lewis Hamilton's move from Mercedes to Ferrari for 2025 one can no longer be surprised by anything: Fernando Alonso and Red Bull would be one step away from signing an agreement for next season. This bomb was relaunched by several German media, who are obviously among the main observers of what is happening inside the walls of the Austrian Red Bull.
According to the site F1-Insider the negotiations between the two-time world champion and Christian Horner are already in progressadvanced stage“. But confirmations also come from other sources: Ralf Schumacher, commentator of Sky Deutschlandreported similar information, claiming that “Horner has always been a big fan” of Alonso and that at the moment “they seem to be there great intentions to bring Fernando to Red Bull next year in order to have another strong driver if Max Verstappen leaves the team“.
The alternative to Verstappen
In fact, Alonso's hiring would fit fully into the complex power play which has been emerging for some time now within the world champion team. Horner would put a driver he is very close to on his team and send a clear message to Max Verstappenwith which it is clear that relations have deteriorated after the chaos of the internal investigation and the clashes with Jos Verstappen and Helmut Marko.
The Dutchman could agree to challenge Alonso on the track – with whom he has an excellent relationship – but he would do so with much more to lose and with the awareness that Horner could 'side' for the Asturian. A champion Alonso – with or without Verstappen at his side – would be confirmation that it is the team structure that makes the difference rather than the individual driver. Or Max could pack his bags, but Horner would still have a hungry champion on his team eager to seize the last great opportunity of his career to win a title.
Alonso, the big opportunity
If for Horner this is one win-win situationthe same goes for Alonso, who would have nothing to lose from a move to Red Bull and – indeed – could really dreaming of reaching his much-desired third career World title. Those who wouldn't want Alonso on the team at all would be instead Helmut Markowho already in 2013 got in the way of the Spaniard's arrival as Mark Webber's replacement and who could thus have a further reason to definitively break away from the Red Bull family, to the full advantage of Horner's hegemony. Taking Alonso, a 42-year-old driver, would in fact be the tombstone for Milton Keynes' youth project.
In the past Alonso had been close to a move to Red Bull several times, but the deal never materialised. Now the clues are all there: just before racing in Melbourne the former Ferrari driver had said want to decide your own future”before the summer“. Furthermore, Alonso, responding to a question regarding Red Bull's possible interest in him, had taken refuge behind a “no comment“. So, he hadn't denied it.
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