Alonso: A 'winning car' is first priority in 2018

Fernando Alonso insists he has yet to think about his future in F1 if he is unable to secure a winning seat for the 2018 season.

Having re-joined McLaren at the start of 2015, Alonso has been faced with an uncompetitive car over the past three years and is now in the final year of his contract. While the 35-year-old has said he will not consider where he will drive next year until after the summer break, he has said his priority is to be in a race-winning car.

Speaking exclusively to RACER, when asked what he will do if a race-winning F1 seat is not available to him, Alonso replied: "We'll see; I think I have to also consider what will be the best option.

"As I've said many times, my abilities and skills are developed for Formula 1 cars and I want to win there. Next year I run out of contract with McLaren so I'm free to choose, I will try to make sure that I'm in a winning car next year. That is the first priority.

"If that is not available I will then think what is the best thing to do, but I hope I don't need to be in that position. I hope that I can be in a winning car."

When it asked if it would be an option to take a year out from F1 to race elsewhere if a winning seat isn't available, Alonso replied: "As I said, after the summer I will think.

Alonso: A 'winning car' is first priority in 2018

"Now, I don't know, I have no answers."

McLaren executive director Zak Brown appreciates Alonso's desire and says his team knows it has prove to the Spaniard that it has the potential to fight at the front next year.

"I totally understand his position," Brown said. "He's a two-time world champion that wants to be a three-time world champion, and he's only going to do that in a car that would win. As he said [in Spain], he would love to stay at McLaren. We've given him a great environment. he really enjoys it here. We've got to give him a winning car. It's hard to know when that will be other than we've designed lots of winning cars.

"We've seen other engine manufacturers make significant progress over the season, as you saw with Renault a couple of years ago where they started and where they ended up. As he said, he's going to wait until after the summer break which is what we've agreed. I think all we can do right now is put our head down and try and demonstrate that we're going to be in a position to win next year by the time he's ready to make a decision."