Fernando Alonso says he will remain at McLaren in 2018 “if we are winning before September”, as speculation mounts over his future with the team.
Alonso returned to McLaren upon its reunion with Honda in 2015 but is now in the final season of a three-year deal, and title ambitions have not been realised, with the operation yet to score a point in 2017 amid a lack of reliability and performance.
Alonso and senior management have both agreed not to enter contract talks until after Formula 1’s summer break, with five races set to take place within that time frame, starting with the Canadian Grand Prix this weekend.
Alonso, though, upon his return to the Formula 1 paddock following his Indianapolis 500 foray, raised the bar for the team prior to contract discussions.
“We have to win,” Alonso said on his future. “If we are winning before September or something like that, [when] I will make a decision, then I will stay.”
When suggested that such ambitions were unrealistic, due to the partnership's current situation, Alonso said: “I mean, you never know, you cannot be 100 per cent now in June about one decision for next year that you don’t even start to consider.
“What we all want is to win; Zak [Brown’s] comments about Honda, is probably what you expect Zak to say.
“He wants to win and he wants to put McLaren on a contender position for the championship.
“After three years we are not in that position, so things have to change, I guess for the team. It’s the same with me, I want to win.
“I joined this project because I wanted to be World Champion, and we are not in that position, so if you don’t see things changing, if you are not in a competitive position, maybe you change project.
“That’s the only thing I can say now. Until I sit down in September, October or whatever, after the summer, as I’ve always said, I cannot say 100 per cent about anything now.”
Alonso also confirmed that he would leave Formula 1 if the calendar ever expanded to 25 events, with new owners Liberty Media keen to explore the possibility of adding more races.
“I think I started when the calendar was 16 races, plus the tests, now we keep increasing the [number of] races year after year,” he commented.
“We are in a number that is quite demanding already, the life you have, between the preparation, sponsor events, tests, commitments you have, plus 20 or 21 races is already enough.
“If there are 25 or 26 racers or whatever maybe it’s good in one aspect and bad in other aspects in how demanding your life becomes.
“At this point in my career I consider a good quality in life is more important than to do more seasons in F1.
“If the calendar stays 20, 21 [races], this range we know, I will be happy to continue, if it increases like NASCAR, 40 [or] 50 races, it’s not for me, it’s better for other drivers.”
