We have to consider Alonso, says Mercedes team boss

LONDON: Fernando Alonso would be on the list of possible replacements for retired Formula One world champion Nico Rosberg at Mercedes, despite his contract with McLaren, says team boss Toto Wolff.

“You have to consider Fernando,” the Austrian said.

“He is a driver I respect a lot. He combines talent, speed and experience. It’s all there. But he is in a contract with McLaren-Honda at the moment and we just need to weigh all the other options up.”

McLaren said on Monday that Alonso was happy where he was and they were not worried about the double world champion Spaniard leaving.

Rosberg leaves behind the most coveted seat in Formula One, with Mercedes winning 19 of 21 races this year and clinching both world championships for the third season in succession.

While big names like Alonso have been bandied about, all the top drivers are under contract with rival teams who are unlikely to countenance their departure for the sport’s most dominant team.

Alonso is, however, out of contract at the end of next year and that has also triggered speculation that Mercedes could opt for a stop-gap if serious about signing the 35-year-old, who partnered Lewis Hamilton at McLaren in 2007.

The favourite for the empty seat remains the team’s German reserve driver, Pascal Wehrlein, who raced for tail-enders Manor this year. Wolff said that whoever was signed, he would have the same terms to Hamilton.

“Both drivers will have equal status and equal opportunity to the best of our abilities.

“We owe it to the fans. You can’t have a pecking order,” he said. – Reuters