1
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner claims that Fernando Alonso came very close to joining Red Bull for the 2009 Formula 1 season. That year, Alonso raced for Renault after rejoining in 2008 and held talks with the energy drink team over a possible deal.
"We got very close to signing Alonso," Horner said. "Helmut [Marko] and I went to see his management at the end of 2008 for the '09 and '10 season, and we offered him a two-year contract. He would only sign up for one year. We said Red Bull’s position was a two-year deal or nothing, and he wouldn’t commit to that."
Red Bull was trying to fit a replacement for David Coulthard, who retired from the sport at the end of the 2008 season. With Alonso rejecting the deal, that meant it was Sebastian Vettel who took up the seat, going on to win four world titles with the team.
Horner also revealed that Alonso's management was looking for a deal that would see him join Red Bull midway through the 2009 season: "Halfway through 2009, I had an approach to say ‘Could he join mid-season?’. They thought he could win the championship in the car."
"He had another conversation in the back of an Alfa Romeo at Spa airport several years late," added Horner. "[But] the most serious discussion was the first one, and then it missed its chance."
Fergal Walsh
Grand Prix of BelgiumLocal time
Grand Prix of BelgiumLocal time
Bahrain International Circuit - Winter testing
M. Verstappen
V. Bottas
M. Verstappen
173,661 comments on Alpine F1
72 members have this team as their favourite
Tweets about Fernando Alonso
235,946 comments on Renault 26 members have this team as their favourite Tweets about Renault
Bahrain
Bahrain
Bahrain International Circuit
Bahrain
Bahrain International Circuit
Portugal
Autódromo Internacional do Algarve
Spain
Circuit de Catalunya
Monaco
Monte Carlo
Azerbaijan
Baku City Circuit
France
Paul Ricard
Austria
Red Bull Ring
Austria
Red Bull Ring
United Kingdom
Silverstone
Hungary
Hungaroring
Belgium
Spa-Francorchamps
Netherlands
Circuit Zandvoort
Italy
Monza
Russian
Sochi Autodrom
Singapore
Marina Bay Street Circuit
Japan
Circuit Suzuka
United States of America
Circuit of the Americas
Mexico
Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez
Brazil
Interlagos
Australia
Albert Park
Saudi Arabia
Jeddah Street Circuit
United Arab Emirates
Yas Marina Circuit
Replies (1)
Login to replymcbhargav
Posts: 1,332
There were many what ifs and there will be many more to come. Just another day in office in F1.