Mercedes ’do not need Alonso’ - Lauda

Fernando Alonso’s hopes of joining a winning F1 team for 2018 appear to be waning.

Earlier, his manager Flavio Briatore suggested the Spaniard was targeting Mercedes or Ferrari, after three years of struggling with McLaren-Honda.

But Ferrari president Sergio Marchionne said in Austria last weekend that the Maranello team is "not interested" in linking back up with its former winning driver.

Niki Lauda, the Mercedes team chairman, is quoted by AS newspaper: "I do not think Ferrari wants to have him again.

"He left with a contract, which is the same as what happened with him and McLaren-Mercedes," the F1 legend told the Spanish sports newspaper.

As for the possibility of Alonso joining the Mercedes works team, Lauda said: "We have drivers who do their jobs, so if we win with Hamilton and Bottas, why do we need a replacement?"