JUNE 10, 2018

Will Alonso drive a McLaren in 2019?

Former F1 driver Sebastien Buemi thinks Fernando Alonso's next move could be to Formula E.

Former F1 driver Sebastien Buemi thinks Fernando Alonso's next move could be to Formula E.

Alonso passes the 300 grand prix mark in Canada this weekend, but next weekend he will tackle Le Mans and he is linked with a full-time Indycar seat for 2019.

"I am proud to have been here for so much time and to have had so many teams trust me. I hope I mark my next milestone next week," he said in Montreal.

And Buemi, Alonso's teammate at Toyota, said: "He seems to be quite interested (in Formula E). He asks a lot about it and he knows a lot about it."

Certainly, Alonso seems to be tiring of formula one.

"Two Ferraris, two Mercedes, two Red Bulls, two Renaults, two Force Indias. This is a world championship of constructors, not drivers," he said after qualifying.

Indycar is another option for Alonso, with McLaren's Zak Brown confirming that the British team is looking at entering a team.

"Fernando will drive a McLaren next year," is all he would say.

Staying in F1 is yet another possibility for Alonso, but the trajectory at McLaren does not appear hopeful.

In Canada, Alonso qualified just 14th.

"This is not the car we expected," confirmed team boss Eric Boullier. "We have to turn off our weakness of too little grip in the slow corners.

"If we can do that, we have a lot of potential."

Brown said he is hopeful that Alonso will commit to the project for 2019, though.

"Yesterday we had a talk over a glass of wine ... well I drank wine," he laughed. "Fernando still has a great desire to race, but in my opinion he has not made a decision about 2019.

"I am sure that he will remain in McLaren and participate in this or that project.

"It's impossible to put pressure on a man like Fernando," Brown added. "He will look at the options and make a decision, I think right after the summer break."

(GMM)