I wonder if the bridge between Ferrari and their star driver Fernando Alonso, a pillar of strength behind the wheel, is on the brink of collapse.

The Spaniard, twice the world champion and the top paid driver in Formula One on around £30 million (Dh180.41 million) a year, and the Italian grand prix legends, fronted by head honcho Luca di Montezemolo, appear to be at odds.

I have seen similar embryonic differences in other team partnerships develop into irresolvable problems and I suspect we may be heading for a showdown that could lead to Alonso jumping off the Prancing Horse.

Mighty Montezemolo, unyielding, uncompromising and unused to being disobeyed, has reprimanded Alonso like a naughty schoolboy for no more serious a sin than his tweets on Twitter. And the president has slapped a ban on Alonso’s cyber ramblings, especially any that concern Ferrari business on track or off it.

Alonso, as he has done, may tweet away about his girlfriend, his eyebrows or his need for a more aerodynamic hair quiff after a wayward tuft emerged through his cycling helmet — but, from now on, he may reveal nothing or say anything critical about Ferrari, its performance or its personnel.

Montezemolo’s edict to the 32-year-old, a winner 33 times from 215 starts, is: “I forbid it. Alonso can write anything he wants on Twitter, but when it comes to things concerning Ferrari, I will not allow it.

“Otherwise, we risk creating situations that could upset the atmosphere and the peace within the team. And, in my opinion, that has been very important this year. We must first and foremost have the need to watch our behaviour.”

Alonso’s response to his master’s voice has not been tweeted, nor will it be unless he wants to respond to what I am told is a serious interest in his future from rivals McLaren and defiantly ignore Montezemolo’s orders.

The word reaching me is that McLaren, just a year away from an intruiging tie-up with Japanese engine giants Honda on their return to the F1 fray, would love to set up a dream team of Alonso with Jenson Button. So much so that under-fire team boss Martin Whitmarsh, who has overseen the most disastrous McLaren season for 33 years, has already made overtures to the Spanish flyer.

And Alonso, notably insistent on being any team’s number one, will, I am sure, wont’ like to fret about that status when Kimi Raikkonen, another claimer of the top spot, joins Ferrari from Lotus for next season.

Even F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone feels the exit door could be opening, as he says: “People think that the name Ferrari is enough to win. But I don’t know if the problem this season, when I hoped Alonso would win the championship, has been with him or Ferrari.

“One thing is sure: if he doesn’t believe the team can give him the car he wants, he will lose his enthusiasm.”

This hot intrigue is set to run and run throughout the winter lay-off.

— The writer is a motorsport expert based in the UK