Categories: F1 News, Reports and Race ResultsMcLaren

Alonso admits ‘temptation’ to leave F1

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Fernando Alonso says there is a “temptation” for him to race in another category outside F1 with the way the sport is at present.

The double world champion returned to McLaren on a three-year contract at the start of this season to help the team at the start of its new partnership with Honda. While McLaren has been largely uncompetitive so far this season, Alonso insists he is enjoying the challenge of trying to return the team to the front of the grid but admits he is unhappy with the way F1 has changed in recent years which is making him consider a change.

“I love motorsport, all the categories,” Alonso said. “It’s true that Formula One is not exactly the same or as exciting as it was in the past, at least to me, to drive the cars two or three seconds faster than a GP2 car.

“So for me right now is just huge motivation and a fantastic project that I’m in now with McLaren-Honda. My first go-kart was a McLaren-Honda replica and now I’m in a real McLaren-Honda.

“So I’m enjoying this process of getting competitive starting from zero, but with no testing, with these tyres, with these limitations, with next year’s calendar for example, there is the temptation for other categories yes, it’s true.”

Alonso was close to driving for Porsche at Le Mans this season but was eventually not allowed to take up the seat.

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Andrew Lewin

Andrew first became a fan of Formula 1 during the time when Michael Schumacher and Damon Hill were stepping into the limelight after the era of Alain Prost, Nigel Mansell and Aryton Senna. He's been addicted ever since, and has been writing about the sport now for nearly a quarter of a century for a number of online news sites. He's also written professionally about GP2 (now Formula 2), GP3, IndyCar, World Rally Championship, MotoGP and NASCAR. In his other professional life, Andrew is a freelance writer, social media consultant, web developer/programmer, and digital specialist in the fields of accessibility, usability, IA, online communities and public sector procurement. He worked for many years in magazine production at Bauer Media, and for over a decade he was part of the digital media team at the UK government's communications department. Born and raised in Essex, Andrew currently lives and works in south-west London.