'Alonso is never going to let himself be crushed by Verstappen'

Christijan Albers does not see Fernando Alonso joining Red Bull Racing alongside Max Verstappen. According to the former F1 driver, Alonso will only do so if he is sure Verstappen will leave Red Bull.

Fernando Alonso has been linked with a seat at Red Bull Racing in recent days. GPblog learned that this would mainly come from Alonso's mouth and Red Bull Racing denies that there would be talks with the Spaniard. Albers does not see it happening at all that Alonso will step in at Red Bull while Verstappen is still driving there.

Why Alonso will never be Verstappen's teammate

"This is just an 'emergency plan' from (Christian) Horner in case Verstappen leaves. You absolutely cannot put the two side by side. That won't go well at all. Then everyone can say Alonso has calmed down, but that really won't work out. Alonso is really not going to let himself be finished in his last year of driving F1," Albers said in De Telegraaf's F1 podcast.

"He is never, never, never going to do that alongside Max Verstappen," Albers later reiterates in the episode. "Alonso can only be an option if Verstappen leaves. I never see Alonso next to Verstappen. Alonso is not going to get crushed in the last year of his career."

There is still a chance of Verstappen leaving Red Bull Racing. There is now talk of a ceasefire, but in the background, peace has not yet been signed between the various camps. If Horner stays on as team boss, there is a chance that Verstappen will switch to Mercedes. In that case, the way would be cleared for the possible arrival of Alonso, if that is what Red Bull is really waiting for.