Red Bull once had the opportunity to sign Fernando Alonso for their team. However, the top bosses of the Austrian team declined to bring the Spanish driver on board owing to a strange “philosophy” mismatch. This decade-old revelation has come out in the open after the two-time world champion was recently linked to a potential Red Bull move in 2025.
Christian Horner, Red Bull’s team principal, revealed what went through the minds of the team’s bosses. According to the F1 insider, Horner was interested in bringing Alonso to the team. However, Helmut Marko and the late Dietrich Mateschitz vetoed it. Marko said, “Alonso doesn’t fit our philosophy. We will staff Red Bull Racing with our young drivers.”
Notably, Horner wanted to bring Alonso in as Mark Webber’s replacement. The Aussie was retiring at the end of the 2013 season, and Horner wanted Alonso to partner up with Sebastian Vettel to carry forward their winning momentum.
However, the Red Bull fraternity moved according to their philosophy and fielded a driver from the academy. They brought in a young Daniel Ricciardo to the team. Their winning momentum went away regardless, because of the change in regulations which sent them below Mercedes in the pecking order.
Alonso was struggling at Ferrari too at that point, but Red Bull wasn’t much better. Fast forward to 2024 and Red Bull is the most dominant team on the grid. So, could the 42-year-old spend the final year(s) of his career alongside Max Verstappen?
Can Red Bull field Fernando Alonso alongside Max Verstappen?
Sergio Perez’s contract runs out at the end of the 2024 season and the Mexican’s seat at Red Bull is not guaranteed. Therefore, if Red Bull part ways with the 34-year-old driver, Fernando Alonso might come knocking.
However, there is a catch. Alonso is a driver known for his ruthlessness on the track. He could choose to give Verstappen a run for his money, which could affect the dynamics at the team, where the Dutchman has been the clear number one for years.
On the other hand, Alonso could be a short-term solution for Red Bull before they join hands with Ford in 2026. He could become a valuable asset in their bid to win the constructors’ championship. And if he plays the team game, Verstappen could benefit from it too.
However, Red Bull may still choose to stick to their philosophy. There are young drivers like Liam Lawson and Yuki Tsunoda waiting on the sidelines. Whether they choose youth or experience, remains to be seen.
