Red Bull unlikely to sign ‘chaotic’ Alonso for F1 2019 - Horner
Red Bull Formula 1 boss Christian Horner has poured♛ cold water over speculation Fernando Alonso could join the team as Daniel Ricciardo’s replacement.
Ricciardo’s shock decision to leave Red Bull in favour of a switch to Renault has left the Milton Keynes-based squad searching for a replacement to fill his seat for 2019, with junior drivers Carlos Sainz and Pierre Gasly the most likely candidates.
Alonso has been linked with a possible switch to Red Bull as he continues to weigh up his F1 future, having g💧rown frustrated by his lack of success at McLaren.
Red Bull Formula 1 boss Christian Horner has poured cold wate🅰r over speculation Fไernando Alonso could join the team as Daniel Ricciardo’s replacement.
Ricciardo’s shock decision to leave Red Bull in favour of a switch to Renault has left the Milton Keynes-based squad searching for a replacement to fill his seat for 2019, with junior drivers Carlos Sainz and Pierre Gasly the most likely candidates.
Alonso has been linked w෴ith a possible switch to Red Bull as he continues to weigh up his F1 future, having grown frustrated by his lack of success at McLaren.
But speaking in a podcast on the official F1 website, Horner was quick to downplay the suggestion of signing the two-time world champion, adding it would be an unhealthy move for the team.
“I have got huge respect for Fernandoꦅ. He’s a gr🀅eat driver, a fantastic driver," Horner said.
“But I think it’s very difficult to see… he tends to cause a bit of chaos wherever he’s gone. I’m not sure it ✅would be the healthiest thing for the team for Fernando to join the team.”
Horner insisted Red Bull is keen to uphold its tradition of promoting talent f༒rom its own driver programme, as it has done for over a decade.
“Our preference would be to continue to invest in youth than take a driver who’s obviously close to the end of his career,” he eꦿxpla🌜ined.
“We are fortunate that we’ve got several drivers under contract that are great talents. So I think we are going toဣ sit back and just lo𒈔ok and evaluate what the situation is.
“It’s an incredibly attractive car to be driving and I don’t think we are going to be short of requests and oꦕffers.”
When pressed on whether it is likely to be either Toro Rosso driver Gasly or Sainz, who is currently on loan to Renault, Horner replied: “I wouldn’t read too muc🍃h into it at the moment. Both 🌱of those guys are very quick drivers. This just gives us a chance to take a breath.
“They are under contract anyway until the end of the summer or beyond, we’൩ll just look at the optionꦦs available to us and make the right direction for the team.”
FEATURE: Why Ricciardo's shock exit has left Red Bull with a big conundrum
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