Popular Italian sports daily La Gazzetta dello Sport is reporting this Sunday that Fernando Alonso has a secret deal with Ferrari to drive for the team in 2011, or earlier, reigniting rumours of a link-up between the two parties. Recent rumours have linked Alonso to Ferrari as far back as 2007, but with Massa and Räikkönen confirmed at the Scuderia until 2010, the Spaniard switched his allegence to Renault where he will continue in 2009.

The newspaper reports that the deal is not yet rubberstamped, with numerous get-out clauses for both parties, while Alonso could even find himself in a Ferrari by 2010, if a seat becomes available with the departure of either Massa or Räikkönen. Although rumours were rife throughout 2008 about Alonso joining the team in 2009, neither Ferrari nor Alonso definitively ruled out such a move, therefore leading to a barrage of similar reports and stories claiming deals had been signed, with today's story just the latest installment of the ongoing saga.

A Ferrari spokesperson refused to comment on the rumours, but told news agency Reuters: “We can only repeat that we have two drivers signed to the end of 2010”.