Fernando Alonso claimed that he was approached by Red Bull team for the next season. Red Bull denied engaging two times world champion for a position available at their team.
The 37-year-old Spaniard claimed he was offered before he announced his retirement from Formula 1. He said he was approached for Ricciardo’s vacant seat, who is joining Renault next season.
“F1 is not giving me the challenges I’m looking for. It was not the case for me to join this adventure,” said Alonso.
While Alonso’s claims were rejected by the Red Bull and said it never happened. Helmut Marko, Red Bull motorsport boss, said Spaniard “doesn’t fit with us”.
Marko added, “We were negotiating with him in 2007 or 2008. His demands were very tedious back then.
“If you look at his history, in McLaren and Ferrari, it was always a one-man show.”
Earlier, Alonso explained his reasons to retire from Formula 1. He has been expressive about his ambition of winning ‘triple crown’. Triple crown is referred to victories in three events, i.e. the Monaco Grand Prix, the Le Mans 24 Hours and the Indy 500.
Triple crown has only been achieved by Graham Hill.
Alonso said: “The triple crown is something I have been saying for a couple of years now.
“To be the best driver in the world there are two possibilities: winning eight world championships – quite unlikely now for me – and the second is to taste different series and different cars.
“In sports cars I am doing OK. On the Indy 500, I felt competitive last year and there are other series that can put you in a different level in motorsport.”
Alonso rejected the speculations of his return to F1.
He said, “Right now, I am thinking it is goodbye. Life changes very quickly. I don’t have a crystal ball to know what will happen. For me, it is bye-bye, but who knows in the future?”
He commented about future possibilities, “The possibilities for next year, there have been few, or a lot – depends on how you look at it.
“I did not stay because there are only two teams that can win and they continue with their drivers for the following years.
“And the F1 we see now is the not the F1 I dreamed of when I was a kid or when I started in 2001.
“When you come to the same place for so many years and repeat the same thing, it is easier to be not so emotional about the challenges and that is the reason now.”
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