Spotted over at Alpine at least twice during the Canadian Grand Prix weekend, F1’s rumour mill went into overdrive but PlanetF1.com understands that Fernando Alonso’s visit to his old team was nothing more than lunch.

Alonso, who left Alpine at the end of 2022 to join Aston Martin, raised a few eyebrows in the Sky booth in Montreal after spending a bit of time in the Alpine hospitality.

Fernando Alonso was spotted at Alpine in Montreal

Speaking during FP3, Sky F1‘s David Croft said: “Where there’s an Alpine story about driver movement there’s a Fernando Alonso rumour as well.

“Those rumours once again surfacing this morning in the paddock. Fernando Alonso has been into the Alpine motorhome four times during the course of this weekend.

“Is something going on that could see Fernando Alonso back at Enstone again for a fourth time? Watch this space on that one, that’s just the paddock rumour.”

Former Alpine executive director Marcin Budkowski weighed in on the speculation as he revealed he’d personally seen Alonso visiting Alpine twice over the Montreal weekend.

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“Yesterday morning I spoke with my former colleague from Alpine, and Fernando walked out of the hospitality area,” Budkowski, who left the team in 2022, told Eleven Sports.

“Later on, I had a meeting there with the person responsible for the Alpine academy, discussing young Polish drivers. And as I was leaving, Fernando was sitting at a table with his girlfriend, who works here as a journalist. His trainer and some people from his entourage were also there.

“So that was the second time I saw him, and now you [the journalist] are saying that someone [Sky] has apparently seen him even four times.”

Musing over the possible reasons for Alonso’s visit, Budkowski surmised that Briatore would “probably like” Alonso back at the Enstone team as it would help line his own pocket as Alonso’s manager.

“Flavio would probably like to have him back in the team, so for sure he’s talking to him to keep that option open, just in case something happens at Aston and Fernando can end up at Alpine,” he said.

“It’s always amusing, because in motorsport, as we know, conflicts of interest are quite common. Even though things have improved a lot since the ’80s and ’90s, we should remember that Flavio is Fernando’s manager. So if Alpine were to hire Alonso, part of his salary would go straight into Flavio’s pocket.”

However, PlanetF1.com understands that the double World Champion’s visit was nothing more than stopping by for lunch.

Aston Martin team principal and CEO Andy Cowell was quizzed on it when he spoke with Sky Sports pundits Nico Rosberg and Simon Lazenby.

“Happy for Fernando to wander into any garage,” insisted the Aston Martin team boss, who last year extended with Alonso through to the end of the F1 2026 season.

“He knows lots of people up and down the pit lane, and also happy with the fact that he’s contracted to us next year and hopefully will stay with us long term as an ambassador with us.

“And it’s great working with Fernando, as you know, it’s always good to have a competitive person that pushes, just like you [Rosberg] used to at Mercedes, and pushes the team on and galvanises the team.”

The 2016 World Champion went out to quip that Briatore “doesn’t really care about contracts too much”.

Cowell replied: “What are you saying?”

Rosberg: “Flavio likes to get what he wants.”

Lazenby stepped in, “No comment coming from Aston Martin.”

Alonso won both of his World titles with the Enstone team when it still ran under the Renault banner in 2005 and 2006.

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