Amid a wave of wild rumours predicting a Fernando Alonso-Max Verstappen pairing at Red Bull in 2024, two expert pundits have played down the likelihood.
Following Aston Martin's stellar start to 2023, the Formula 1 world couldn't help notice that two-time Alonso, 42, was also in a stellar mood for the first half of the season.
That mood has now dipped amid the team's late-season performance slump, although Alonso told Fox Sports Mexico that it's easy for him to stay motivated "once I'm inside the car".
But he also admitted: "I like being competitive, I like being fast and I hate to lose."
With Sergio Perez struggling at Red Bull, his dominant teammate Verstappen recently admitted Alonso is a driver he sees as a "role model" who he admires.
It's all come together in the form of this week's speculation about a sensational Alonso-Perez seat swap for next year.
Miguel Portillo, a F1 journalist for Spanish broadcaster DAZN, doubts it.
"It's crazy to put two 'GOATS' on the same team," he insisted.
"You'd have to make things very clear, like 'guys, we are going to fight until the end and destroy everyone, but this is our number 1'.
"If you don't do that, you're lost, because in F1 you want to win so much that it can turn against you," Portillo added.
Another well-known Spanish F1 pundit, commentator Antonio Lobato, agrees.
"It would be nice to bring together the two best drivers in the same team," he told the Spanish sports daily Marca. "But it's just an idea or a dream because there's not much chance of that happening.
"Red Bull insists that Checo is staying next year because he has a contract. But the only real option for him not to be there would be to put (Daniel) Ricciardo in."
As for the Alonso rumours, Lobato added: "There's nothing to it. His entourage is even telling me they're worried about the tension this could generate at Aston Martin."
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