For many, Pitpass included, the idea of Fernando Alonso taking over Nico Rosberg's seat at Mercedes was mouth-watering.

Not only does the old dog still have plenty of life in him, and at least one more title, it would be fascinating to see how he measures up against former teammate Lewis Hamilton, now that the pair have grown up a little.

Last time around the feuding duo almost brought McLaren to its knees, the Spaniard, like many in the sport, unprepared for just how talented the British rookie really was.

Now they have both moved on, Hamilton has three titles to his name while Alonso is still recognised as one of the very best out there, if not the best.

While the prospect of Vettel, Ricciardo or Verstappen partnering Hamilton was exciting, Alonso in the other garage would have been the stuff of movies, the pair have history.

Toto Wolff admits that he too would have loved to see Alonso in the second Silver Arrow, but after all those years of squabbling between Hamilton and Rosberg, the Austrian wasn't prepared for more fireworks.

"If I put myself in the fans' shoes, I'd like to have Fernando in there, the old rivalry of 2007 happens again," he told BBC Radio 5 Live. "But from a team perspective, it's just something that wouldn't go.

"There's history," he continued, "and that year was particularly painful for Mercedes, being the partner of McLaren.

"Of course, people mature and people change," he admitted, "and it would have been an exciting line-up, but maybe just a tiny bit too exciting for us."