[smr2018test]
McLaren group executive director Zak Brown says he hopes Fernando Alonso will complete his motor racing career with the team.
“We’ve got a long-term agreement with Fernando,” said Brown at today’s test in Spain. “We won’t go [into] any further [detail] than that on any contractual terms.”
“He’s very happy here at McLaren. Quite frankly I’ve never seen him so happy in a racing environment as he is today.”
Alonso re-signed for the team for 2018 and will also contest the World Endurance Championship with Toyota. He took part in last year’s Indianapolis 500 in a McLaren-entered car as he seeks to complete motor racing’s ‘triple crown’ by winning that race and the Le Mans 24 Hours.
Brown suggested he could continue to pursue that goal with the team.
“We’ve got long-term plans together,” said Brown. “He’s obviously got desire to race in other forms of motor racing.”
“I’d like to think he’ll finish his career at McLaren. Not just in Formula One but however long he’d like to drive we’d like to race with him”
McLaren is emabarking on a crucial year after splitting from Honda and becoming a Renault customer. Brown said the mood in the team is “great” ahead of the new season.
“Everyone’s very happy to be at the race track and back watching and staying tuned in at the factory. Our shakedown went really well and everyone is excited for the new season.”
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2018 F1 season
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faulty (@faulty)
26th February 2018, 18:57
Y’all are doing a mighty fine job, Zak. Mighty fine!
Sensord4notbeingafanboi (@peartree)
26th February 2018, 21:20
McLaren is ending Alonso’s career.
Adri
26th February 2018, 18:58
Do you think guys that Renault power unit has improved a lot? If so, RedBull and Mclaren may fight frequently for podiums.
I know it’s soon to judge, but both teams (and also Renault) seem to have closed the gap with Mercedes and Ferrari.
Baron (@baron)
26th February 2018, 19:15
If he doesn’t get this team up the sharp end this season, his career end may come sooner than he thinks..
Big Joe
26th February 2018, 19:44
@baron
he was only just re-signed with other drivers becoming available for the same period: the truth is there is no one else out there who would have taken the Honda engined Mac any higher: he just has to keep driving the same he has his whole career and hope the car developmnet plays into the driver`s hands
KimiRaikkonen1207 (@kimiraikkonen1207)
26th February 2018, 19:26
I think I just had a small heart-attack! I misinterpreted the title as Zak Brown firing Alonso – now that I think about it that makes no sense and I don’t know why I was worked up about it…
Esploratore (@esploratore)
27th February 2018, 0:19
Ahah, funny, actually gives the chance of misinterpreting; I didn’t though, since alonso is like 36 I think and I see him racing for 3 more years max, doubt he wants to do like schumacher and continue over 40 in an age where he will actually be visibly slower than at peak.
Joao (@johnmilk)
26th February 2018, 19:34
It would make a little bit more sense if the sentence is re-arranged, to something like “Brown wants McLaren to end Alonso’s racing career”
Big Joe
26th February 2018, 19:48
@johnmilk
only if you dont read the rest of the article.
that`s the opposite of what he`s saying, which states Alonso has a long contract and is very happy. He also has another career at Toyota
Markp
26th February 2018, 20:01
He will have to finish at McLaren. Top teams don’t want him or need him and slightly better teams like Force India cannot afford his wages.
Krommenaas (@krommenaas)
26th February 2018, 20:18
Renault might, and if they’re not a top team yet this year they’ll almost certainly be next year.
Big Joe
26th February 2018, 20:22
I bet Ferrari Mechanics on bonus pay would take him back in a flash and we know Wolf doesnt want Alonso as not to upset Lewis, so they`ve gone second tier as per Ferrari. If the McLaren/Renault is as good as neutral F1 fans are hoping, then Ferrari and Mercedes are sacrificing 2 cars by not going for two top drivers.
Also if you`d paid attention youd have noted the performance bonuses Alonso earnt pretty much paid Alonso`s salary. So as per the underpowered Renault in 2008 when he out scored Lewis for almost the 2nd half of the season, he`s worth every Euro cent.
Big Joe
26th February 2018, 20:32
This myth of Alonso not being wanted has to stop here. Not a single driver has replaced Alonso and done any better at any of his ex teams. Nor did any of those teams look any happier or better run since he left. The jury is still out on Vettel, yet he`s just enjoyed a bette car and less competition than Alonso ever did.
Alonso left Ferrari for a bigger company in Honda and Renault are bigger than Ferrari, this is the biggest partnership in F1 with mega rich owners. Zak Brown is also quoted as saying his performances earnt back his salary.
Markp
26th February 2018, 23:12
In F1 Ferrari are the biggest. Although floated on stock market the controlling share is from a company bigger than Renault and Honda put together.
No one that counts wants him. Only McLaren. Better and Hamilton each have double his titles. Ferrari seem to be in a more stable and competitive situation without him and he would not want to be near Hamilton who would break the myth he has created since Hamton beat him as a debutant over the whole of 2007.
Esploratore (@esploratore)
27th February 2018, 0:24
Don’t think alonso would mind being hamilton’s team mate, he even said it, and imo it’s not clear cut who could come out on top, hamilton had an excellent rookie year and alonso a sort of off season in 2007.
Hamilton is a better qualifier and wet weather performer, but alonso is probably more consistant, he doesn’t have those off races as often like hamilton had in early 2017, so remains to be seen, however very unlikely we get the chance to see it since top teams don’t want to upset their star drivers.
Big Joe
27th February 2018, 10:23
Alonso beat Hamilton in an inferior car for the second half of 2008. Hamilton in fact almost bottled that season and has never since looked as impressive than when alongside Alonso in 2007.
You claiming Ferrari are more stable since Alonso left is hilarious and shows your bitterness and anti-driver attitude that has never been welcome on this site.
Joao (@johnmilk)
27th February 2018, 12:15
Big Joe love your arguments, everytime someone goes against what you are saying they are immediately classified as biased, anti-Alonso and that they are not welcomed to this site.
This narrative only shows how weak your point was to begin with. Just learn to accept people opinions and that they might differ from yours.
Relax mate
Don Dahler
26th February 2018, 20:16
He’ll end his racing career full time in IndyCar, never having won the 500 and no triple crown.
Vargas (@)
26th February 2018, 23:33
Well, that’s precisely what McLaren have been doing to Alonso for the past three years.
JettC
27th February 2018, 9:45
Look at the colour of that Macca! Press shots did it absolutely no justice.
Big Joe
27th February 2018, 10:22
Alonso beat Hamilton in an inferior car for the second half of 2008. Hamilton in fact almost bottled that season and has never since looked as impressive than when alongside Alonso in 2007.
You claiming Ferrari are more stable since Alonso left is hilarious and shows your bitterness and anti-driver attitude that has never been welcome on this site.
Markp
27th February 2018, 13:43
You get nothing for half seasons. Hamilton won the title in 2008. He beat Alonso in the same car in his 1st year although very close. As a Ferrari fan I feel more comfortable with Vettel as the lead driver and so do Ferrari. If Red Bull Merc or Ferrari wanted Alonso they would of got him during the horrendous 3 years he has just gone through.
Big Joe
27th February 2018, 14:32
Red Bull and McLaren have the best driver pairings.
This is Merc and Ferrari’s loss if the Renault equal them on power. Bottas and Raikonen are no where near Alonso’s, Riccairdo’s or Verstappen’s standard. Both Merc and Ferrari are favouring their number ones thats why they couldnt look at Verstappen or Alonso. Lewis or Seb leave those teams they’re going to panic.
Markp
27th February 2018, 19:02
In my opinion Vettel is better than all RB and McLaren drivers with more titles than all their drivers combined. So far he has had a far better career although looks like Max could surpass all. Vandoorne has done nothing in F1 where Raikkonen is a world champion. Combined RB drivers look like they have enormous potential but McLaren have a driver past his sell by date and an unproven driver at in F1 terms who did not show even the slightest sparkle last year. Bottas showed flashes at Williams and is a race winner at Merc so for me is head and shoulders above Vandoorne at this stage. Merc and Ferrari would take Alonso if they needed to but they believe as I do they have better main drivers. All opinions but the 2 top teams seem to have the same view as me.