The Mercedes boss Toto Wolff has disclosed that he attempted to bring Fernando Alonso as a possible replacement for Lewis Hamilton in 2025, but the Spaniard showed no interest in the offer. Wolff believes Alonso could have had a much more illustrious career and more than two world titles if he had managed his choices differently. This revelation comes after Alonso confirmed his decision to join Aston Martin instead of Mercedes for the 2025 season.
Formula 1 fans were abuzz with speculation after news broke that Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff had approached two-time world champion Fernando Alonso about potentially replacing Lewis Hamilton in 2025. However, Alonso ultimately declined the offer, choosing instead to join Aston Martin.
Wolff, speaking to the media, expressed his disappointment but also admiration for Alonso's decision. "We believe Fernando is still one of the best drivers in the world," he said. "We made him an offer that would have seen him join us in 2025, but he ultimately decided it was not the right move for him."
Alonso, who had previously raced for McLaren and Ferrari, explained his decision in a statement. "I'm very grateful to Toto and Mercedes for their interest," he said. "However, I believe that Aston Martin is the right team for me at this stage in my career."
Sources close to Alonso indicate that he was not interested in playing a supportive role to Hamilton, who is still performing at a high level. Alonso, known for his competitive spirit, reportedly wanted a team where he would be the undisputed lead driver.
Fernando Alonso's career has been a rollercoaster of triumphs and disappointments. After winning two world championships with Renault in 2005 and 2006, he made several controversial moves that many believe hindered his chances of further success.
In 2007, Alonso joined McLaren but clashed with teammate Lewis Hamilton. The acrimony between the two drivers contributed to a difficult season for the team.
Alonso then switched to Ferrari in 2010, where he enjoyed some success but was unable to challenge Sebastian Vettel for the world championship. In 2015, he surprisingly returned to McLaren, where he has struggled for form in recent years.
Toto Wolff, on the other hand, has led Mercedes to eight consecutive constructors' championships. Under his leadership, Lewis Hamilton has won seven world titles.
1. Why did Fernando Alonso reject Mercedes' offer? Alonso reportedly wanted to be the lead driver on a team, which Mercedes could not offer him with Lewis Hamilton still performing at a high level.
2. Why did Mercedes want to replace Lewis Hamilton? Hamilton is 38 years old and will be 40 in 2025. Mercedes is planning for the future and believes Alonso would be a suitable replacement.
3. What are Alonso's chances of success at Aston Martin? Aston Martin is a mid-field team with potential for growth. Alonso has proven his ability to elevate teams, so he could potentially lead them to greater heights.
4. Will Lewis Hamilton continue to race for Mercedes beyond 2025? Hamilton has not yet announced his plans for the future. However, he is still performing at a high level and has shown no signs of slowing down.
5. What are Alonso's options if he retires from Formula 1? Alonso is a versatile driver and could potentially pursue a career in other racing series such as endurance racing or rally. He has also expressed interest in management roles in motorsport.
Brazilian striker Joao Pedro proved his worth as he scored two crucial goals to lead Chelsea to victory in the Club World Cup semi-final match against Fluminense. Despite his ties to the opposing team, Pedro showed his class and skill as Chelsea secured a spot in the final against either Real Madrid or Paris Saint-Germain. With his impressive performance, Pedro's £55 million price tag seems like a bargain for Chelsea. The win also earned the team an additional £22 million, adding to the £60 million they had already secured for participating in the tournament.
Spanish tennis player Carlos Alcaraz secured his spot in the Wimbledon semi-finals for the third year in a row after defeating Britain's Cameron Norrie in a dominant performance on Tuesday. Alcaraz will now face American Taylor Fritz in the semi-finals, with a potential shot at winning his fourth consecutive title this season. Despite facing a tough opponent, Alcaraz is confident in his game and plans to rest and relax with his team and family before the big match.
The city of Jessheim, Norway will host the 2025 Paralympic Winter Games Qualification Tournament from 5-10 November 2025. The six-team round-robin tournament, hosted by the Norwegian Ice Hockey Association, will determine the top two teams that will earn qualification spots for the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games. With strong competitors such as Slovakia, Norway, Korea, and three teams from the B-Pool World Championships vying for spots, the tournament is shaping up to be an exciting and intense event.
Marble Sands, trained by Fergal O'Brien, beat out odds-on favorite Rare Edition in the Listed Sidney Banks Memorial Novices' Hurdle. Despite his previous loss in the Grade 1 Challow Novices' Hurdle, Marble Sands is now being considered for the Ballymore Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham after his impressive performance. Harry Cobden also had a successful day, winning the 2m novice handicap hurdle with Artistic Choice and the 2m3½f handicap hurdle with Sonigino for trainer Paul Nicholls.
On his birthday, let's take a look at what made Sourav Ganguly one of the most influential and transformational captains in Indian cricket history. Ganguly's bold leadership, fearless attitude, and eye for young talent have left a lasting impact on the team. He taught them to believe, to fight, and to never be afraid of defeat. Without his contributions, the careers of Virender Sehwag, Yuvraj Singh, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, and MS Dhoni may have turned out very differently. Ganguly's legacy has forever changed the culture of Indian cricket, breaking down barriers of hierarchy and bringing a new level of confidence and aggression to the team.
South African cricketer Wiaan Mulder's unbeaten knock of 367 not out has put him in an elite club of players who have scored 350 or more in a Test match. He is also only the third batsman in Test history to hit 100+ runs in two different sessions of the same innings. With this, he has also broken records for the highest individual South African score in Tests and the highest Test score in Zimbabwe.
On his 44th birthday, MS Dhoni, affectionately known as 'Mahi' by fans, received a flood of well-wishes from fans and former teammates. Among those sending their regards was cricketer Deepak Chahar, who shared a special bond with Dhoni both on and off the field. As one of India's most successful cricket captains, Dhoni has amassed impressive records in all formats, including leading the Indian team to the top of the ICC Test rankings and securing five IPL titles with the Chennai Super Kings.
After a lot of debate and speculation about whether Akash Deep's delivery that clean bowled Joe Root in the recent England-India Test match was a no ball or not, the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) has officially stated that it was indeed a legal delivery. Despite some confusion regarding the positioning of Deep's back foot, the MCC has clarified that the first point of contact of the foot with the ground is what determines a no ball, not subsequent positioning. The dismissal was a crucial breakthrough for India, helping them to seal a convincing series-levelling win against England.
Akash Deep led the charge for India against England in the second Test at Edgbaston, becoming the first visiting fast bowler to pick a five-wicket haul in the fourth innings at the venue. He finished the match with an impressive 10 wickets and also reached a unique milestone of being the first bowler in 49 years to dismiss four of England's top five batters in an innings on his own. Shubman Gill also played a crucial role in India's victory, earning the player of the match award for his 430 runs throughout the Test. This historic win brings the series level at 1-1 and cements India's dominance in the longest format of the game.
South Africa's stand-in captain Wiaan Mulder created history on the second day of the second Test against Zimbabwe by becoming the fifth-highest individual scorer in cricket history with an unbeaten 367*. Mulder, who also holds the record for the highest individual score by a Proteas batter in Test cricket, came dangerously close to surpassing Brian Lara's legendary 400*, but decided to declare the innings at 626/5. Despite missing out on breaking Lara's record, Mulder's scorching strike rate of 109.88 is the best among all triple-centurions in Test cricket.