The past week has revealed how keen McLaren are to hang on to their ace driver Fernando Alonso, with Zak Brown believing that if the team can provide the Spaniard with a decent race car he will stay at Woking despite Renault keen to have him back in the team.
McLaren chief Brown told Sky in Bahrain, “If we give Fernando a good race car we will keep him, I’m confident of that. He really likes the environment. He’s been great to work with.”
“He’s frustrated but he’s a team player and he’s helping to motivate us and we want to give him, and Stoffel, a great car. I think a good race car and he sticks around.”
Shortly after it was announced, in the build-up to the Bahrain Grand Prix, that Alonso would ditch Monaco this year to focus on the Indianapolis 500 with McLaren and Andretti Racing – it also came to pass that Alonso’s management team have started talks with Renault.
It appears that the French manufacturer, with whom Alonso won his two F1 world titles, are keen to sign him for 2018 and beyond.
When told about the approach, Brown acknowledged, “I wouldn’t be surprised. I think everyone in the pitlane would like to talk to him that has a seat available.”
“You have conversations and we’re not going to put all our eggs in one basket. That would be irresponsible on our behalf as well.”
“But that is who we want in the car and we’ve agreed to pick up those conversations in the summer when we have a better sense of where we are.”
“I think he is going to stick to his word, we are going to stick to our word, and if he has some coffees with some friends along the way then that wouldn’t be any great surprise,” added Brown.
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