Sochi, Russia: An enigmatic Fernando Alonso said he would not be driving a Mercedes-powered car next year after finishing a frustrated sixth for also-rans Ferrari in Sunday’s inaugural Russian Grand Prix.
The two-time champion Spaniard has been strongly linked with McLaren-Honda for 2015.
Asked directly by reporters if he would be in a Mercedes-powered car next year, he said: “I don’t think so, but for me the options are quite clear.
“As I said in Suzuka, when you know the options, you will say ‘it was so obvious’. Wait and see.”
He added: “My future is already set — or already set in my mind for some months. Now we are finalising everything, it is not a big thing.
“You need to be patient, you need to wait a little bit. I cannot say anything until everything is completely done, but it’s good.
“And I will do the best for my future and the best for the future of Ferrari because it is the team that I love.”
Speculation surrounding Alonso’s future intensified in Japan last weekend, when four-time champion Sebastian Vettel confirmed he was leaving Red Bull at the end of this year and his team chief Christian Horner said he believed he had signed already for Ferrari.
That encouraged a belief that Vettel will succeed Alonso at winless Ferrari — who are heading towards their worst season for two decades — with the Spaniard switching to McLaren.
In Sunday’s race, he had a clear view of the speed of the McLaren team as they produced their best performances since the season-opening race in Australia in March.
Briton Jenson Button and his teammate Dane Kevin Magnussen finished fourth and fifth ahead of Alonso.
“I don’t think it was possible,” he said. “I tried to follow Jenson in the first stint, but I was completely on the limit and I think they were controlling the pace.
“Then after the stop, I exited behind Kevin and I tried to push, but he was pulling away easily...It was a very demanding race for us and we had to do a lot of fuel saving.
“We had a small problem with my pit-stop, which I really think didn’t affect our final position. Sixth was the result we deserved and we need to do better.”
