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Fernando Alonso spilled some beans on Thursday by revealing that he was offered a seat at one of the top three teams of Mercedes, Ferrari and Red Bull.
Earlier this month the McLaren driver announced his retirement from Formula One after being in the sport for a good 17 years.
In an interview with Sky Sports F1 on Thursday ahead of this weekend's Belgian Grand Prix, Alonso made it clear that he was offered Daniel Ricciardo's seat at Red Bull.
He said: "One of the top three teams have made me an offer a couple of times this year and it was not the case for me to join that adventure and at the moment Formula One is not giving me the challenges that I am looking for."
When asked by Sky Sports F1's Ted Kravitz if it was Red Bull who made an offer to Alonso on a couple of occasions, Alonso responded 'Yes'.
Red Bull think otherwise
Red Bull's Team Principal Christian Horner told F1's official podcast that the team ruled out the opportunity to sign up the Spaniard.
"I have huge respect for Fernando, he is a great driver, a fantastic driver, but it's very difficult...he's tended to cause a bit of chaos wherever he's gone," said Horner.
"I'm not sure it would be the healthiest thing for the team for Fernando to join. Our preference is to continue to invest in youth than take a driver who is obviously close to the end of his career."
Could Alonso return to F1?
Since Alonso's announcement to leave F1, rumours have already gone up in the air that he may return to the sport as earliest as 2020.
When asked on a possible second spell racing in F1, it looks as though there is no plan in place for the 38-year-old.
Alonso responded: “We’ll see. At the moment it is not an idea it is just goodbye. Life has shown me already a couple of times you cannot be a hundred percent of anything because in a couple of months or years maybe your opinion changes or your circumstances change.
"Maybe if I had a crystal ball maybe I can tell you a hundred percent I will come back one day or a hundred percent never come back.
"But right now I leave the door open - it's not in my mind to come back.
"Outside Formula One, I am discovering different series in motorsport that gives you different challenges and makes you a more complete driver which I have tried to find in 2018."
Have Red Bull missed out on not recruiting Alonso? Comment below...
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