While Fernando Alonso is very much part of the McLaren family, there is no Formula 1 car for him unless they allow teams to field three cars as the team are more than content with their current drivers who CEO Zak Brown believes are key to the future of the team.
Alonso, fresh from adding a second Le Mans victory and the WEC crown to his CV, is still at the peak of his career at 37 and in an ideal world would still be driving with a top team in F1.
Destiny decided otherwise and right now, after his final race as part of the Toyota Gazoo Racing WEC programme, the Spaniard's future is not yet confirmed but he has hinted at a "big project" on the horizon.
That big project may well be that he spearheads McLaren's foray into the hypercar-based WEC which kicks into effect from 2020. But at this point, a return to F1 with the team is not on the cards for Alonso.
Instead, Carlos Sainz is on a multi-year contract with the team and has adapted well to the team that have embraced his enthusiasm, while Lando Norris is proving to be the real deal as he impresses in his first season in the top flight.
In a wide-ranging interview with Auto Motor und Sport, Brown said of his two drivers, "They're doing a great job. Fifty percent of the time they have made it into Q3. Their feedback about the car is very good. They get along well and I don't worry when they battle each other on track."
"I feel like they're both driving for the team. Lando has not made a rookie mistake yet. Carlos is thriving here. Previously, he always drove with one-year contracts. Now he can plan for the future with us."
"That makes it easier for him, compared to Red Bull where he was under much more pressure. I believe that our way of doing things gets more performance out of our drivers."
Nevertheless, it cannot be denied that the shadow of Alonso looms large over Woking and when asked what would happen if the veteran of 311 grand prix starts came calling for an F1 seat, Brown said, "Then I'd have to ask Chase Carey if can run three cars!"
"Both our drivers are under longer-term contracts and we are happy with them. Fortunately, Fernando has not called yet... And if he does? "There are no cockpits available at McLaren right now," replied the team boss.
Big Question: Would three-car teams be good for F1?
https://www.grandprix247.com/2019/05/05/alonso-im-a-strategist-and-have-a-project-i-cant-tell-you-about/
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