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Alonso seeking 'safe project' for 2018

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Which each passing race Fernando Alonso appears to be drifting further away from McLaren, diminishing the chances of the Spaniard remaining at the Woking-based outfit next year.

It's been a miserable three-year period for the two-time world champion with hardly anything to show for it.

Alonso is adamant however that he will be racing in Formula 1 next season, making it "clear to all my fans" as he spoke to the media yesterday in Baku.

"I'm not going to sit down with anyone until September," Alonso told Spanish radio Cadena Cope.

"But I want to go to a safe project, not a risky one. I would like to be in a place I can be competitive from day one and win.

"After 16 years, with everything I have achieved, I would like to be competitive in my last years in Formula 1," the 35-year-old added.

Alonso also said he thinks the 2018 'silly season' will be more unpredictable than many F1 insiders are expecting.

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"I know there are more moves than we all probably know," he said.

"It seems that some teams are already set for next year, but I do not think it is 100pc confirmed," Alonso added.

"I think there will be a lot of changes in 2018."

Despite his troubled times, Alonso feels his driving is as strong as ever and points to the performance gap with team mate Stoffel Vandoorne, a young man who won in every single junior category he raced in before graduating to the big time.

"I think I've never had a start of the season like this year, in terms of how competitive I felt in the car," Alonso said.

"I never started with a difference with my teammate as this year, ever, and it's a teammate that won in all the other categories, when they have equal cars, until Formula 1, so... I have a very good reference, you know.

"I'm definitely at probably my best, so that's okay in terms of keeping motivation and keeping hunger for success, despite the results - because you know and you feel that you are in a very good moment of your driving career."

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.