By Phil Huff
December 5 2007

Fernando Alonso could well be out of Formula 1 for 2008 as team after team turn down the Spaniard, with Honda being the latest to reject the double world champion. Stories linking Alonso to the Brackley team surfaced recently, but were swiftly denied by the Honda Racing F1 PR team. Now, with the intervention of new team boss Ross Brawn, the door appears to be very firmly closed.

"We would be the wrong team for Alonso next year," Brawn told Auto motor und Sport in Jerez this week. A claim of a factory visit and seat fitting was also denied, with a spokesperson saying "Fernando has not visited our factory, and Honda Racing confirmed their drivers for the 2008 season back in July."

Since that July time, new team principal Ross Brawn has also backed Barrichello, as well as team mate Jenson Button. "My view is that both the team's drivers are more than capable [of winning grands prix]," commented Brawn. "On his day Rubens was as quick as Michael [Schumacher] and Jenson is outstanding. They are as good as anyone. Let's hope we can give them the material to do the job."

Rubens was quick to back up Ross's statement, adding "my contract with Honda is bullet proof. If Fernando and Honda have spoken about a possible job for 2008, then it must be as a test driver."

With only a seat at Renault being a realistic possibility, and Renault boss Flavio Briatore seemingly running out of patience, a test drive role may be Alonso only option to drive an F1 car in 2008.