Fernando Alonso believes there is “no chance” Max Verstappen will leave Red Bull at the end of the season.
Three-time F1 world champion Verstappen, the firm favourite to win this year’s championship too, has a contract with Red Bull until the end of the 2028 season, signed two years ago.
However, the recent turmoil within the Red Bull camp as a result of the never-ending saga involving team boss Christian Horner and a female colleague has placed Verstappen’s future at the team into doubt, despite being in the quickest car on the grid.
Mercedes boss Toto Wolff has made no secret that he would “love” to sign Verstappen to replace the outgoing Lewis Hamilton, while Aston Martin have also been linked with the Dutchman as they reportedly eye a move for Red Bull design guru Adrian Newey too.
Yet Alonso, out-of-contract at Aston at the end of the season, insists Verstappen won’t be going anywhere.
“If Max leaves Red Bull, maybe that has an impact [on me] but I think there is zero chance of that happening,” said Alonso, ahead of this weekend’s grand prix in Japan.
“So I think that’s something I’m not thinking too much about. What I want to do is just concentrate on my stuff here and just this race. [then] the summer to make a decision of if I keep racing around and if I [do] 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.”
Verstappen, also speaking in Suzuka on media day, insists he is not thinking about his future at all as he looks to bounce back from his retirement two weeks ago in Australia.
“From my side, I’m very happy with where I’m at and we want to keep it that way,” Verstappen said.
“I have a contract with Red Bull until 2028. After that, I first want to see if I actually want to continue,
“For me that’s the most important thing, it’s not so much about ‘where’. These kind of things I don’t really think about.”
Verstappen has a four-point lead in the drivers’ championship ahead of Charles Leclerc in second place ahead of round four of the season.
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