Brown: Alonso F1 return possible… in a third car!

©McLaren

McLaren boss Zak Brown says if Fernando Alonso wanted to return to F1 with the Woking based outfit, it would need permission to run a third car.

Alonso retired from Grand Prix racing at the end of last year but left the door open for a possible return in the future as the Spaniard indulges in various other motorsport ventures.

While a return to active duty in F1 is likely a remote prospect, should Alonso set his sights on racing once again with McLaren, it would not be in place of either Carlos Sainz or Lando Norris, with both drivers performing to the team's entire satisfaction.

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Asked by Germany's Auto Motor und Sport how he would react if Alonso solicited an F1 drive with McLaren, Brown offered a tongue-and-cheek response.

"Then I first have to ask Chase Carey if I can use three cars," Brown replied.

"We have long-term contracts with our current drivers and are also very satisfied with them.

"Fortunately, Fernando has not yet called. There are currently no cockpits available.

"Our current drivers have done super well so far. They have achieved Q3 in fifty percent of the cases and give us good feedback.

"Moreover, they get along well, so I don’t have to worry about fear when they fight each other."

McLaren currently sits at the head of F1's mid-field in the Constructors' standings, but Renault's double points finish in Montreal coupled with a pointless sting by the papaya squad in Canada now sees the French team breathing down McLaren's neck.

Brown admits that McLaren's P4 presently flatters his team but there is no doubt that the outfit is in an uptrend.

"The team is performing great, that’s why we are fourth. We don’t have the fourth car, but rather the sixth," added the McLaren boss.

"But thanks to our good pit stops, the strategy and of course our drivers, we are now doing well.

"Moreover, other teams have helped us with mistakes. Anyway, our F1 team has certainly taken a step forward."

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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.