Paolo Bettini was chosen by Fernando Alonso to build a top team. It was a big project and prompted the Italian to leave his position as Italian national coach. In March, everything was ready but the expected team was never turned into reality. Now Bettini explained La Gazzetta dello Sport what happened and has offered his version of the events. He has no bitterness towards Alonso for the lost year and claims to have received a handshake and an apology from the Spanish racer.

After four seasons as Italian national coach, Bettini accepted the offer for two years, with an option for a third year to captain theAlonso project. They reached an agreement "quickly." "I vividly remember the dates in late 2013. On December 18, we had talks, on the 23rd there was an exchange of emails, on the 26th I received the proposal. On the 27th I called president Di Rocco to inform him that I had decided to leave the national team. And on January 7, I met with Fernando and manager Luis Garcia Abad in Madrid," he recalls. His job was to be the manager. "I had to build the team. Sporting directors, riders, staff management, sports consultancy.  I worked with enthusiasm, passion, it was an exciting challenge. In late March, everything was ready, with the names and an indication of the budget from Alonso," he explains.

However, the delays soon started to surface: "Because they year started badly for Fernando. His job is to be a Formula One racer. Ferrari made some changes that everyone knows about and he started to focus on a change of teams. It was a crucial year for his career and he had to concentrate on that. There was no place for such a fascinating project that was also complicated. The whole system got stuck.” In this regard, he prefers not to talk about the alleged veto from Garcia Abad. "It is true I had to worry about other things," he says.

His contract was for two years with an option for a third, according to La Gazzetta. “There will be a legal solution but I don’t care. “We are in standby.Fernando still ‘sees’ his team happening in the future. I know well that it seems very unreliable because he also already tried to take over Euskaltel, but we’ve spoken many times and I can assure you that he’s capable and passionate. He’s also proud, and he doesn’t want the story to end this way,” he says.

Their last meeting was in December: "It was a frank conversation, we looked each other into the eyes and he apologized personally. He spoke with sincere emotion. We left on a good note. No problem and no controversy. If I am needed in the future and he will contact me, I will see if I am still free and will have the right conditions. Inevitably there will be more distrust. In fact, he admits he was wrong when he decided to leave his position as national coach. “Had I known that the team would not take off, I would have remained with the Italian national team. But it does not make sense to consider that now and for me it was not a lost year. I have contacted some companies and have other projects in my head,” he said.