F1 News: Fernando Alonso makes Max Verstappen Red Bull departure prediction

Fernando Alonso platica con Max Verstappen — Photo: © IMAGO

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Alonso makes Verstappen Red Bull departure prediction

Fernando Alonso weighs in on the rumours surrounding Max Verstappen's future with Red Bull

Yara Elshebiny

Friday 5 April 2024 13:57

Aston Martin's Fernando Alonso gave some interesting predictions about Max Verstappen's future ahead of the Japanese Grand Prix.

With Lewis Hamilton's shock move to Ferrari in 2025 throwing the F1 driver market into a frenzy, speculation has swirled about who will fill the coveted seat at Mercedes.

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Verstappen, the reigning world champion and current frontrunner in 2024, has emerged as the top target for Toto Wolff's Silver Arrows.

The team's dominance over the past decade has been built around Hamilton, and Wolff is clearly looking for a driver with the potential to replicate that success.

Verstappen, undoubtedly one of the fastest and most talented drivers on the grid, would be a perfect fit for the team and could usher in a new era of Silver Arrow supremacy.

However, Alonso, himself a driver whose name has been tossed around alongside Carlos Sainz and F2 driver Kimi Antonelli as a possible Hamilton replacement, has offered his thoughts on the Verstappen situation.

Max Verstappen has been linked with a Mercedes move

Fernando Alonso's contract expires at the end of 2024 season

Alonso dismisses Verstappen chances of leaving Red Bull

Ahead of this weekend's Japanese GP, the Spaniard addressed the Verstappen rumours.

The two-time world champion seems unconcerned about Verstappen's potential move, focusing instead on his own performance and decision about his racing future

"If Max leaves Red Bull, maybe that has an impact (on me) but I think there is zero chance of that happening," he said. "So I think that's something that I'm not thinking too much about.

"What I want to do is just concentrate on my stuff here and just this race, before, the summer, to make a decision of if I keep racing around, and if I keep racing, where will be the best possibility.

"That stress that is happening, I know the rumours and things like that. We are not into those too much, I'm not into those for sure."

Max Verstappen Lewis Hamilton Ferrari Mercedes Fernando Alonso Japanese Grand Prix