Verstappen reveals truth about Red Bull's Alonso offer

Max Verstappen has dismissed Fernando Alonso's claims that Red Bull wanted to hire the Spaniard to be his team-mate in 2019. After announcing he will leave Formula 1 at the end of the year, Alonso raised eyebrows in suggesting that Red Bull had twice made him an offer this year.

Alonso claimed that Red Bull had made him no fewer than six offers to race during his time in F1, although team principal Christian Horner and advisor Dr Helmut Marko both suggested he had not been approached for a drive since 2007.

Pierre Gasly was instead chosen ahead of Carlos Sainz Jr to partner Verstappen in 2019, with Daniel Ricciardo moving to Renault.

Although Verstappen was tight-lipped on the matter when Alonso initially made his claims, he has now come out to disagree with the two-time world champion's assertions.

“Alonso was not an option for 2019. It’s something I know,” Verstappen said at an event to open a supermarket in the Netherlands.

“I think I can get along very well with Pierre and I think they have also evaluated that, so I am satisfied knowing that they have chosen him.”

Alonso had been expected to sign a 2019 deal in IndyCar, however his World Endurance Championship commitments with Toyota and previous criticism of Honda could rule him out of teams that are powered by the Japanese marque.

In the recently concluded 2018 Indy campaign, half of the cars used Honda engines, complicating McLaren's attempts to enter a team that Alonso will drive for.

It has been reported in recent weeks that Alonso could even be forced to look for a seat in NASCAR – denting his hopes of winning the 'Triple Crown' for another year.

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