Toto Wolff has revealed that Fernando Alonso turned down an approach from Mercedes earlier this year before committing his long-term future to Aston Martin.
Alonso was on Mercedes' radar as the team weighed its options for 2025 following Lewis Hamilton’s unexpected decision to part ways with the Brackley squad to move to Ferrari.
Both young protégé Andrea Kimi Antonelli and outgoing Scuderia charger Carlos Sainz were often cited as strong candidates for Hamilton’s seat – and indeed they still are.
But Alonso was also earmarked by pundits as a possible successor before the two-time world champion extended his contract with Aston in mid-April, a move that took him out of the running for the coveted Mercedes seat.
“Of course, at the beginning of the year we considered the option of Fernando Alonso, but at that time Fernando was not interested in driving for Mercedes,” Wolff revealed, speaking to Spain’s Mundo Deportivo.
“Also, he was offered a long-term contract at Aston Martin. That’s how we perceived it at the time.”
Despite conversations with rival teams, Alonso chose to stay with Aston Martin, highlighting his satisfaction with Team Silverstone’s long-term vision and project.
Reflecting on Alonso’s career in F1, the Mercedes boss acknowledged that the Spanish driver deserved more than the two world titles he currently holds.
While Alonso's talent is undeniable, the Austrian suggested that his career choices may have limited his championship potential.
“Even if there are drivers in history who have more titles than Fernando, Fernando would have had many more titles if he had managed his career differently,” commented Wolff.
©AstonMartin
Alonso’s rejection of Mercedes’ interest may have also been rooted in the German outfit’s persistent struggles at the time and its inability to field a race winning car.
But fast forward several months, after tireless efforts to right its ship, Mercedes has returned to the winner’s circle with successive victories in Austria and last weekend at Silverstone.
Yet Wolff insists his team’s resurgence will have no bearing on its driver choice for 2025.
"It doesn't influence our thinking,” Wolff said last weekend.
"I've always said we need a car that goes quick and when we have a car that goes quick, we put the driver in and we get interesting. Interesting for many drivers.
"But, in a way, I think we need to stay calm and continue the season, continue to focus on the car and then look at whether the options are still the same and... but it's not like this [winning races is] changing everything and [turning] upside down."
Andrea Kimi Antonelli
Although Antonelli was touted as Mercedes’ favored option for 2025, the 17-year-old’s lacklustre campaign in the FIA Formula 2 Championship appeared to weigh on his chances of a promotion to F1 for next year.
But the Italian’s crushing win in last weekend’s sprint race at Silverstone, in very challenging conditions, has undoubtedly revived his odds.
"F2 is so difficult this year because the car... you can see that him and Bearman are struggling a lot with the car and he isn't happy with his driving and not [having] the pace in the race,” Wolff said.
But seeing him on Saturday walking over the water, at times two seconds quicker than everybody else, you can see the talent and the ability and the potential this young guy has.
“Winning that race I think took a lot of weight off his shoulders. Today it was a DNF but it wasn't his fault."
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