Jul.18 (GMM) Red Bull never seriously considered hiring Fernando Alonso for the 2009 season, team boss Christian Horner said at Hockenheim.

After confirming that current Toro Rosso racer Sebastian Vettel will graduate to the senior team next year, Horner was asked about speculation that Red Bull also held talks with former double world champion Alonso.

It is believed, however, that Red Bull's interest cooled because Alonso may only be looking for a one-year contract before switching to Ferrari in 2010.

"Fernando for us, on the terms that he was potentially looking for, would never have been an option," Horner confirmed.

The Briton hastily added that the team is happy with its 2009 lineup of Vettel, 21, alongside Mark Webber.

"To be honest (Alonso) was an option that we didn't even look particularly hard at, because in Sebastian we've got a driver very much for the future," Horner said.