If the rumors of Fernando Alonso are correct, then Red Bull may well have just signed the Spaniard on a two-year contract. If true then it would be an about-face considering the levels of criticism Alonso threw at Honda when the engine manufacturer failed to deliver during its return to McLaren.

Honda’s return to McLaren ended with an early termination of their engine supply contract, a decision instigated by McLaren. Fernando Alonso was sure that Renault power would make Mclaren perform at least on par with Red Bull. At the time, McLaren believed they had the best chassis on the grid and that the underperforming Honda engine was solely to blame for a string of failures and lack of performance. But as the 2018 season has progressed McLaren, now with Renault power, have not. Only stellar drives from Alonso has spared the embarrassment of being outperformed by the Honda powered Torro Rosso’s. However, those stellar drives from Fernando Alonso have often started mid-field, or further back, and ended with a points haul. Alonso has been considering quitting F1 in a search to find a competitive drive, this season McLaren allowed him to enter the Le Mans 24hrs which he won in a Toyota. But F1 is a small village, everybody knows one another and Alonso built a reputation for being to be difficult to work with, so we’re told. His options are running out, Renault has ruled out Alonso by signing Daniel Ricciardo for 2019 which leaves Carlos Sainz more than likely to join Red Bull. But Red Bull has yet to make a decision, unusual for a top team. Why have they not immediately signed Carlos Sainz, a Red bull academy driver whose reputation is on the rise? Therefore there may well be an opening at Red Bull, Fernando Alonso’s only viable alternative, but next season the team will be powered by Honda engines. UH-OH… Will Honda want Alonso on board after the criticisms leveled at them by Alonso? And Red Bull team principal, Christian Horner, has publicly stated that he is not interested in signing Alonso because of his difficult reputation. Or was Christian Horner playing his best ever poker face? Despite that difficult reputation Alonso is still considered to be the best driver on the grid. Even though McLaren has given him an uncompetitive car, Alonso has performed beyond the limits of his machine scoring points when others would not have. Horner may well accept Alonso’s reputed difficult temperament in return for his ability to consistently deliver. The big question is will the 2019 Red Bull Honda be competitive? Will Alonso be willing to wait? he is in the tail end of his F1 career and has openly stated he wants a competitive drive meaning he doesn’t want to continue doing development driving which is what he has effectively been doing for the last 3-4 years. Equally, Alonso may well opt to leave F1 and join the Indycar race series where he is sure to have a competitive drive immediately. So, in the end, the rumors we talk about are… maybe… just rumors. UPDATE: He’s gone, after 17 years in the sport Fernando Alonso today announced he will retire from F1 at the end of the 2018 season. His achievements are 2 world titles, 22pole positions, 97 podiums and 32 wins, he could have won more races and more driver titles but ultimately made decisions that may well have cost him. He alone made his decisions, but there will be no regrets from the Spaniard it’s not in his nature. His reputation is secured not from his two championships but winning in uncompetitive cars, his time at Ferrari demonstrated so. Stubborn, difficult and proud he was, nevertheless, Alonso remains one of the best drivers of his era. What we got from Alonso was quality, not quantity. A sportsman’s career is shortlived, as in life F1 will quickly move on to a new generation of drivers, For Alonso time just ran out.