Alonso drops hint: 'It's so obvious'

SOCHI, Russia - Fernando Alonso has dropped a big hint about his future after Sunday's Russian GP.

Wild rumours in the past few days suggested the Spaniard was working on a sensational deal to join dominant Mercedes in 2015, in Lewis Hamilton's place.

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff told German television Sky at Sochi: "This is all bullshit. We have a driver line-up for 2015.

"We just don't want to go into contract negotiations (with Hamilton beyond 2015) during this intense phase, which is why there are these rumours. But we have said that at the end of the season, we will get together and renew the contract."

'JUST BE PATIENT'

Alonso has undoubtedly been in talks with McLaren-Honda for 2015, but the team has reportedly been trying to drive down his retainer and insisting upon a more than one-year term.

It has triggered rumours Alonso could go elsewhere in 2015 as a 'stopgap' - perhaps Williams or Lotus, both of which will have the field-leading Mercedes V6 next year.

But the 33-year-old has now been quoted by the US broadcaster NBC after the Russian GP that his next team will not be powered by Mercedes.

Alonso said: "My future is already set. Or already set in my mind for some months. Now we are finalising everything. You need to be patient, you need to wait a little bit.

"I cannot say anything until everything is completely done but it's good and I will do the best for my future and the best for the future of Ferrari because it is the team that I love.

"When you know it you will say 'it was so obvious you will do that'."