Formula 1 driver Fernando Alonso has no regrets about his failure to purchase the Euskaltel-Euskadi teams World Tour license and in an interview with L’Équipe the Spaniard has said that he preferred the idea of starting his own team from scratch for the 2015 season.

“I don’t know if it’s more exciting to build a team than to buy one but one thing is sure – it’s certainly more work,” Alonso told L’Équipe. “When the negotiations with Euskaltel collapsed at the last moment, I was sad at the idea of not being in the peloton in 2014. But on the other hand, if a deal had been done, we wouldn’t have been at a good level of competition next year. We were already at the end of September and it would have been too late to do what we’re trying to create now. So, right now, I’m rather happy.”

With Alonso, almost certain that his team will be in the World Tour in 2015, the rumour mill has been put into overdrive already with potential sigings such as Peter Sagan, Joaquím Rodriguez and Alberto Contador, despite the latter two having contracts that run out at the end of 2015.

“Alberto Contador still has at least two years on his contract: we have to look at the riders who will be free from the end of 2014. The list isn’t enormous, but we’re already speaking with some riders,” said Alonso. “What division will we be able to ride in next year as a 100 percent new team? It’s not clear yet but it doesn’t matter, we’ll adapt. The main thing is to be the best team.”

Whatever the final outcome of his team and regardless of who he signs, 2015 will most likely be another exciting and successful year for Fernando Alonso, both on the track and on the road.