Alonso and Verstappen in Red Bull: Marko’s final ‘no’ | FP

Perez still in Red Bull

After the numerous rumours of the last few months, Sergio Perez has been reconfirmed by Red Bull. A confirmation that reflected the most recent rumors about the options presented to the Mexican driver, even if in recent months there has certainly been no shortage of names of possible candidates who could have replaced the three-time world champion Dutchman starting from Zandvoort.

The Alonso hypothesis

However, rumours dating back to last year – denied by the person concerned – regarding the hiring of Fernando Alonso. A scenario that the Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko he always excluded regardless.

Why not?

The Austrian, interviewed by formel1.dewas very clear about why a possible relationship between Alonso and Vestappen would only create tension within the team: “There have been conversations, but as I said a harmonious working environment is very important to Max, and I think that probably it wouldn’t have been the case with Alonso – he explained – I think that it would have been very difficult for a team. Alonso would be the oldest world champion in the team, Max the youngest, and they are generations apart. I don’t think Alonso does sim racing or gets into a simulator on a plane straight after a Grand Prix. So they are two opposite personalitiesboth excellent pilots but also different personalities, and when it comes to seeing who is faster neither of them is very modest. It would therefore be very, very difficult for a team to take a positive direction.”

Contacts with Alonso

In conclusion, Horner went back to the early years of Red Bull’s activity in F1, when there were actual negotiations with the Spaniard: “We spoke to Alonso in the early years of Red Bull – he recalled – I don’t think he thought we were capable of producing cars that could compete to win the World Championship. And it didn’t work.”