Horner reveals details of Alonso’s frustrated signing with Red Bull: “In 2008 the roles were already exchanged but there was the fear that we would be a provisional solution before Ferrari”

Everyone knows the conversations that took place during the last two decades between Fernando Alonso and Red Bull so that the Asturian ended up joining the ranks of the Milton Keynes team. In fact, in recent days Christian Horner explained that Verstappen’s environment prevented the Asturian from being a candidate to be a teammate of the four-time world champion.

However, the closest time Alonso came to defending the colors of the Austrian team was in 2008. Christian Horner In a talk with the media ‘The Race’, he said that, after the Asturian’s hasty departure from McLaren due to the bad atmosphere with Hamilton, the talks were progressing as planned to close the signing.

“Were we close to signing Hamilton or Alonso? With Fernando we were really close. The roles were already exchanged when he was leaving McLaren. But he was only ready to commit to a single season. Dietrich was very clear about his position: “Look, if we are going to commit to this, it has to be two or nothing.” AND “There was a fear that we were going to be just a stopgap solution before, you know, before Ferrari,” Horner explained.

“And then, of course, Flavio (Briatore), as his manager and team leader, insisted in 2010, when he wanted to replace Mark Webber: “Sign Fernando and you will win the championship with him”. But I would say that that first attempt in 2008 was the occasion in which we really came closest,” commented the Briton.

That frustrated signing could have changed the history of both Red Bull and Alonso. Surely it can be said that the Austrian team has done better without the Asturian than the other way around. In fact, If it weren’t for Newey’s winning car with the energy drink guysFernando would have more championship titles than those he achieved with Renault in 2005 and 2006.

However, it was not outrageous to prefer to wait for Ferrari next week. At that time, Red Bull had not won a single race yet. and betting on them was risky. Ferrari, on the other hand, had just won the 2007 title with Raikkonen and lost the 2008 title with Massa in the last lap. It was more logical on paper. But everything changed with the arrival of Sebastian Vettel in 2009 and the four consecutive titles that the German won between 2010 and 2013.