Alonso - Red Bull row deepens: 'Maybe Toro Rosso made him an offer' - Horner

Christian Horner jested that Fernando Alonso may have received offers to drive for Toro Rosso in 2019 as the row between the two-time Formula 1 champion and Red Bull continues to deepen. Alonso has claimed that he twice rejected offers to drive for Red Bull in 2019.

An interview in which Horner said Alonso was not considered as a potential replacement for Daniel Ricciardo due to the "chaos" he would bring to the team has clearly irked the Spaniard, who will leave F1 at the end of the year.

Alonso claimed on Thursday that he had turned an offer from Red Bull down, and in an interview with Sky Sports released on Friday he said he had snubbed as many as six approaches from the team in his F1 career.

READ MORE: Alonso says Horner apologised for 'chaos' comment

Horner and Red Bull chief Helmut Marko have insisted that Alonso's claims are wide of the mark and the Red Bull team principal offered a withering response to the veteran racer's latest claim.

He told Sky Sports: "I'm not quite sure, maybe Franz [Tost, Toro Rosso team principal] has made him an offer...

"There was no offer from Red Bull Racing this year. Fernando Alonso is a great driver, one of the best grand prix drivers out there, but he just doesn't fit the profile of our team - the investment we have in youth and junior team with Toro Rosso.

"It's sad for him to leave F1 but there was certainly never any offer on the table from Red Bull Racing.

"I had a couple of conversations with Flavio [Briatore] that was obviously looking around but there was an enquiry that came from FOM immediately following Daniel's announcement but the situation was always very, very clear that Fernando just doesn't fit in our thoughts, in our future, so there was never any offer.

"Why Fernando's chosen to say that to you, I'm not quite sure. I'm not sure whom he had the offer from."