Flavio Briatore: 'Ferrari return not ruled out for Fernando Alonso'

Former Renault F1 team principal Flavio Briatore pictured on September 11, 2010
© AFP
Flavio Briatore says that a return to Ferrari cannot be ruled out for Fernando Alonso.

Flavio Briatore has said that a return to Ferrari cannot be ruled out for Fernando Alonso.

Briatore, the former Renault boss, continues to oversee Alonso's career in Formula 1.

The Italian was in Azerbaijan last weekend, and amid rumours about Spaniard Alonso's next move he was seen having dinner with Mercedes's Toto Wolff and Niki Lauda.

Yet Briatore said that Ferrari is also a possibility for 2018, even though Alonso appeared to burn the bridge back to Maranello when he left three years ago.

"He always got along with everyone and only had problems with Mattiacci," Briatore, referring to the now-departed former Ferrari boss, told Italian radio Rai.

"In this life you cannot exclude anything. Fernando is a bit like Senna, who had no problem with any team - he only needs a car capable of winning."

However, there could also be other options for Alonso.

Briatore said: "In Formula 1 there are only two teams racing to win - Ferrari and Mercedes.

"McLaren can only be a top team if they change engines. We'll see. Red Bull and Force India can have good races, as we saw in Baku."

Alonso picked up his first two points on 2017 at last weekend's Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

Stoffel Vandoorne of McLaren Honda in the paddock during previews ahead of the Formula One Grand Prix of Russia at Sochi Autodrom on April 28, 2016
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TeamPoints
1Mercedes250
2Ferrari226
3Red Bull137
4Force India79
5Williams-Mercedes37
6Toro Rosso33
7Haas21
8Renault18
9Sauber5
10McLaren2
DriversTeamPoints
1Sebastian VettelFerrari153
2Lewis HamiltonMercedes139
3Valtteri BottasMercedes111
4Daniel RicciardoRed Bull92
5Kimi RaikkonenFerrari73
6Max VerstappenRed Bull45
7Sergio PerezForce India44
8Esteban OconForce India35
9Carlos SainzToro Rosso29
10Felipe MassaWilliams-Mercedes20
11Nico HulkenbergRenault18
12Lance StrollWilliams-Mercedes17
13Kevin MagnussenHaas11
14Romain GrosjeanHaas10
15Pascal WehrleinSauber5
16Daniil KvyatToro Rosso4
17Fernando AlonsoMcLaren2
18Stoffel VandoorneMcLaren0
19Jolyon PalmerRenault0
20Marcus EricssonSauber0
21Antonio GiovinazziSauber0
22Jenson ButtonMcLaren0