Fernando Alonso will not return to Formula 1 with McLaren, the team has confirmed.

The two-times world champion stepped down from his race seat at the end of last season but tested their current car in Bahrain earlier this year. Alonso has yet to confirm his plans for 2020, beyond an appearance in the Dakar rally, and McLaren has already confirmed Carlos Sainz Jnr and Lando Norris as its F1 drivers again for next season.

The introduction of sweeping new rules for the 2021 F1 season could have offered an opportunity for Alonso to return. However when asked by RaceFans whether McLaren intends to offer Alonso an F1 drive again, McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown said: “No.”

Alonso’s current contract with the team expires at the end of this year. However Brown said the team could offer Alonso a role in its other racing activities.

“At the end of the this year we’ll have a conversation about what the future may or may not look like. We’ve got an IndyCar team now. We continue to look at WEC. We’ve got Mika Hakkinen on a long-term contract as an ambassador.

“So I think we’ll sit down with Fernando at the end of the year and just talk about what does he want to do moving forward, what do we want to do moving forward and is there something there that working together makes make sense?”

Brown said he’s keen to keep Alonso as part of McLaren. “I think he’s an immense talent,” he said.

“Obviously, I’ve got a really good relationship with him and I think with the different racing activities that we’re doing, if there is something that we have that makes sense, to put Fernando in a car, I still think he is one of the fastest drivers in the world.

“We’re set with our direction on Formula 1 with our current drivers. But depending on what our other activities are, very open minded to continuing a relationship with Fernando.”

McLaren has already confirmed its two full-time IndyCar drivers for next year. However the team has raised the possibility of running an extra car at the Indianapolis 500, a race Alonso is keen to win.

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2019 F1 season