Todt pours water on Alonso rumors
The Ferrari boss, in an interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport, responded to speculation that Spaniard Alonso, frustrated with his situation alongside Lewis Hamilton in 2007, had already started to make eyes at the Prancing Horse.
Todt said Alonso is a "great driver" but insists that Ferrari is not on the driver market.
"There were some contacts (with Alonso) in the past, but nothing became of it. Plus, our drivers – who are very good – are only 26 and 27 years old …
"The day will come when I leave and some others make the decisions that I do now. But I do not believe that Alonso will drive for Ferrari under Jean Todt," he said.
The 60-year-old Frenchman also played down Kimi Raikkonen's struggle to get up to speed this year, reminding the Italian sports daily that the Finn achieved "pole and victory" on his first attempt in a red car.
Todt added: "And after three grands prix he led the world championship. In Monaco he would have been up there without his error in qualifying, and Montreal was a lottery."
He refused to say if he thought Michael Schumacher would be doing a better job, explaining only that the seven time world champion "stopped and we respect that".
But "if he had wanted to drive on for three more years, he would have been able to do it!"
06/15/07 (GMM) Fernando Alonso in Indianapolis shunned speculation that his next destination in pitlane will be Ferrari.
The Italian sports newspapers La Gazzetta dello Sport and Corriere dello Sport reported in unison that the reigning world champion does not intend to put up with the current atmosphere at McLaren and is already making eyes at F1's Maranello based team.
Alonso, who "sees red", according to La Gazzetta, has a multi-year McLaren contract until minimally 2008.
He responded on Thursday: "I am not going to waste time talking about rumors that come from the speculations of the press. I am not going to play their game."
The 25-year-old also rejected headlines revealing "civil war" with his team and rookie teammate Lewis Hamilton.
"I have never said anything that is against the team," Alonso told Spanish reporters.
"All I said is that I do not feel totally comfortable, and this is normal.
"If there is a problem then it must have began in Monaco, when my teammate said something that ended up with an investigation of the FIA."