Fernando Alonso responds to Red Bull rumours after being dragged by...

Rumoured to be in the running for Sergio Perez’s Red Bull seat along with Carlos Sainz, Fernando Alonso says nothing said about his future today is more than “a guess and rumour.”

Out of contract with Aston Martin at the end of this season, former HRT team boss Luis Pérez-Sala believes Alonso is on the shortlist to replace Sergio Perez at Red Bull should the reigning World Champions opt not to extend with the Mexican driver.

But on his part, the Spaniard says that’s “guesses and rumours” as he has yet to decide if he even wants to continue racing.

“Nothing to comment because everything I say now is just a guess and rumours,” he told the media in Melbourne.

But whatever happens next, the 42-year-old is adamant he is the master of his own destiny.

“I’ve been always that way,” he insisted. “Sometimes it did help me, sometimes it did hurt me, to be the owner of my destiny.

“I chose when to go from a team, when to join a team, I chose when to stop F1. And I chose when to come back.

“And now I will choose what I do next year. I will not follow what others do, they don’t dictate my destiny. I will do it on my own. For good or for bad, this is the way I am.”

Alonso revealed in Melbourne that he is no closer to making a decision than he was at the previous race in Saudi Arabia.

“It didn’t change much,” he said. “And it will not change in the next few weeks or races.

“I don’t want to wait maybe until summer, because I think that will be unfair for me, and for the team, if they have to find more options, and things like that.

“But I don’t want to rush as well, and to make a decision while my head is not into next year.

“My head is so focused now on the things that I will love to test on the car after the learnings of the first few events. Everything is so exciting about the performance that if I need to think about next year it’s like, ‘Ah, this is not the right time now to think.’”

But when the right time arrives, Aston Martin is his first choice.

“As I said at the launch of the car, when I make that decision, the first office that I will go is to the Aston Martin office,” he said.

“And that will be my priority, my loyalty to them. I’m thankful for the opportunity they gave me two years ago.