F1: Alonso Rules Out Ferrari 2009 Switch

Formula 1

F1: Alonso Rules Out Ferrari 2009 Switch

SPEED Staff / GMM | Posted September 01, 2009 GMM Newswire

Fernando Alonso has confirmed he will not be racing for Ferrari in 2009. (Photo: LAT Photographic)

After Flavio Briatore dismissed the scenario as "impossible", Fernando Alonso has now hammered the last nail into speculation he might be drafted in to replace Luca Badoer at Ferrari for the last races of 2009.

"No, definitely not," the Renault driver said on Spanish radio Cadena SER in the wake of last weekend's Belgian Grand Prix.

The newspaper Diario AS however insists that conversations between Briatore and his Ferrari counterpart Stefano Domenicali did take place in the Spa-Francorchamps paddock.

It is believed that Briatore ruled out the switch, even though Alonso appears set to move anyway to Ferrari in 2010, because it might damage Renault's current search for a title sponsor for next year.

The rumor is that Briatore might have agreed to release Alonso had BMW-Sauber, searching not for a sponsor but for a savior for the entire team, agreed to release Robert Kubica to replace him.

As for his future beyond 2009, Alonso told Cadena SER that he hopes his plans can be finalized "soon" but did not know whether it would be "days or months".

F1 RaceCast Online Now! Follow Formula One live online timing & scoring, practice, qualifying, race coverage, commentary and more on SPEEDtv.com!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

SPEED Staff / GMM

MORE BY THIS AUTHOR

F1: Grand Prix News Briefs
Williams co-owner Toto Wolff has denied reports that Bruno Senna…
F1: FIA Had To Disqualify Hamilton In Spain, Asserts Whiting
FIA race official Charlie Whiting says the F1 governing body had…
F1: Williams Denies Cigarette Caused Barcelona Blaze
Williams' team manager denies a rumor that the Barcelona garage fire…