Alonso’s Missed Red Bull Move: A Reflection on Unpredictable Fortunes in Motorsports

Formula 1 veteran Fernando Alonso has revealed that he once came close to joining the Red Bull team, but the move ultimately did not materialize. The Spaniard, who is set to reach a remarkable 400 Grand Prix appearances, discussed this potential switch during an interview on the ‘Beyond The Grid’ podcast, brought to you by Salesforce, a Global Partner of Formula 1.

Alonso, who made his F1 debut with Minardi in 2001, went on to achieve tremendous success with Renault, winning back-to-back championships in 2005 and 2006. However, his move to McLaren in 2007 was marred by intra-team tensions, leading him to return to Renault in 2008. It was during this time that Alonso had the opportunity to potentially join the Red Bull squad.

As the two-time world champion explained, he had several discussions with Red Bull’s Adrian Newey and Christian Horner about the possibility of joining the team, particularly in 2008 when he was in a car park at Spa airport, talking about the potential move. Ultimately, Red Bull opted to sign Sebastian Vettel, who was then a test driver for BMW, and the rest, as they say, is history.

Alonso acknowledged that predicting the success of a move to another team can be a challenging task, as evidenced by Lewis Hamilton’s switch from McLaren to Mercedes in 2013. The Spaniard noted that while Red Bull had only achieved one podium finish with David Coulthard in Monaco at the time, the team went on to win seven or eight championships in the following decade, a feat that was not entirely predictable back then.

The 43-year-old racer, who is now committed to Aston Martin through 2026, expressed that he has no regrets about the missed opportunity to join the Red Bull team, stating that he never looks back on such decisions. Alonso’s unwavering commitment to each move he has made throughout his illustrious career is a testament to his professionalism and the unpredictable nature of motorsports.

As Alonso prepares to reach the milestone of 400 Grand Prix appearances, his reflections on the potential Red Bull move serve as a reminder that the fortunes of a driver and a team can be highly unpredictable, even for a seasoned veteran like Alonso. Fans and enthusiasts of Formula 1, Dakar, GT, and British GT racing will undoubtedly be eager to see what the future holds for this motorsports legend.

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