Fernando Alonso Was Once Offered a Swap Deal With Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton While Driving For Ferrari

Aston Martin’s new recruit Fernando Alonso once shockingly revealed that he had an opportunity to sign for Mercedes when he decided to leave Ferrari for McLaren at the end of the 2014 season.

The Spaniard has often found himself on the wrong team at the wrong time. And his failure to sign for the Silver Arrows may have just been another one of those.

Mercedes dominated the turbo hybrid era from 2014 to 2021 as they won a record eight consecutive Constructors’ Championships. The team’s star driver, Lewis Hamilton, also won six of his seven world championships during this time.

Fernando Alonso reveals he had an opportunity to sign for Mercedes

In a conversation with Spanish radio station Cadena Ser (as quoted by ESPN) in 2016, Fernando Alonso revealed that there was a swap deal available with star Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton before he decided to join McLaren.

When asked about the same, the 41-year-old said, “Yes, that offer was there. The circumstances meant that it came up, but Ferrari didn’t want it at that point.”

Alonso added that the Prancing Horse was keen on extending his contract until 2019. However, he was not keen on extending his deal because he had been exhausted, ‘both physically and mentally’.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant (@astonmartinf1)

Alonso revealed that he had reached the stage of desperation to leave Ferrari. He said it had been extremely ‘stressful’ for him to see the Prancing Horse finish as the runners-up on five occasions.

The Spaniard explained that this felt like a ‘funeral’ as Ferrari is a team that is always expected to win. Hence, when that did not happen, it was ‘very demanding’ for him to speak to the fans and the media. Alonso concluded his remarks by explaining how he enjoyed being at McLaren even though they finished ’10 positions’ behind Ferrari.

Also Read: Lewis Hamilton Claims FIA Spoiled Everything Mercedes Star Worked for In Recent Past

Alonso finally seems to have gotten one career choice right

Fernando Alonso shocked F1 fans around the world last year when he announced that he would be moving to Aston Martin this season. It was a bold move for the Spaniard as he decided to leave Alpine, which finished fourth in the 2022 Constructors’ Championship for a team that finished seventh last year.

However, after the 2023 season opener in Bahrain, Alonso seems to have proven all the critics wrong. The 41-year-old finished an outstanding third in his first race for Aston Martin, raising hopes for the rest of the season.

Also Read: Lewis Hamilton Claims To Make ‘Genuine Change’ In Motorsport With His Season Opener Race in Desert