Formula 1: Did Red Bull Racing really offer Fernando Alonso a contract?

Reports recently surfaced that Red Bull Racing offered Fernando Alonso a contract to replace Pierre Gasly for the remainder of the 2019 Formula 1 season.

Following the Hungarian Grand Prix, the most recent Formula 1 race and the final race before the 2019 summer break at the beginning of August, Aston Martin Red Bull Racing team manager Helmut Marko stated that the team would retain their driver lineup throughout the remainder of the season.

This effectively shut down all of the rumors that Pierre Gasly might be replaced after a lackluster first 12 races of his first season driving for the Milton Keynes-based team.

Days later, Red Bull Racing announced that they would be promoting Scuderia Toro Rosso rookie Alexander Albon to Gasly’s seat and that Gasly would be demoted back to Toro Rosso.

Marko also recently responded with one word as it pertained to whether or not the team would be interested in signing Fernando Alonso, whose representatives had previously made known that he was “available” for the team.

That one word?

“No.”

Days later, reports emerged that Red Bull Racing offered Alonso a contract to replace Gasly — and three races before the summer break, no less.

Here is what this report, featured in Spanish newspaper Mundo Deportivo, had to say.

"“Red Bull contacted Alonso in Silverstone to offer him the place of Pierre Gasly. It was not Fernando who made the offer to Red Bull, it was the team led by Christian Horner who was interested in the approach,” the report continued. “But the answer to the approach was none other than a resounding ‘no’.”"

More from Formula One

It would surprise absolutely nobody if these reports were true considering the fact that Marko literally just told a straight-up lie about retaining Gasly for the rest of the season.

But given past history, it’s hard not to question these reports.

Last year, Alonso was rumored as a potential replacement candidate for Daniel Ricciardo at Red Bull Racing. Ricciardo made the shocking decision to sign a two-year contract with Renault, which led him to leave the team after the 2018 season ended.

Red Bull Racing team principal Christian Horner claimed that Alonso tends to cause a bit of chaos wherever he goes, to which Alonso responded by saying that Red Bull Racing offered him a contract for the 2019 season and five other contracts throughout his career as well.

Alonso demanded an apology from Horner, who claimed that only one contract was offered to the 38-year-old Spaniard and that this contract was offered to him all the way back in 2007.

Alonso retired after the 2018 season ended, but he has made clear that he would not rule out returning to the sport under the right conditions, particularly if he were to be offered by a team capable of winning races and championships.

Here is what he had to say about the matter earlier this year, according to News.

"“In the future I am open to interesting proposals. If I decide to return to F1 it is only if there is a real chance of winning the world championship. I am not interested in projects that start from scratch. I want a winning car right away.”"

Top 10 Formula 1 drivers of all-time. dark. Next

Red Bull Racing are certainly capable of winning races and they are definitely ascending to a championship level in their first season using Honda engines after ending their 12-year partnership with Renault. So either there was never a contract offered to Fernando Alonso, or this still isn’t good enough to warrant a return to Formula 1.

If it’s the latter, he may never be back in the sport, something that he has also stated is a possibility, as he is “not waiting or looking for anyone to call”.

Home/Formula One