Fernando Alonso to decide future after McLaren’s Renault switch

Singapore: Fernando Alonso is waiting for McLaren to confirm their switch from Honda to Renault engines before he clarifies his own Formula One future.

McLaren are expected to announce at the Singapore Grand Prix on Friday an end to their troubled three-year partnership with the Japanese manufacturer and a new deal with Renault starting next season.

Alonso, who won his two world championships with the Renault team in 2005 and 2006, has made having a competitive engine a condition of his staying at McLaren. His contract expires at the end of the season.

The Spaniard is expected to extend his three-year stay at the team, but he was giving little away on Thursday.

"I will think what is the best option," Alonso told reporters.

"As I said many times whatever I do next year is because I want to win. At the same time I want to give time to my team.

"After they (McLaren) take decisions, I will take mine,” the 36-year-old added.

Alonso has spent the last three years mired at the back of the field.

He scored his last win at his home Spanish Grand Prix in 2013, with Ferrari, and has scored a meagre 75 points since he rejoined McLaren at the start of their partnership with Honda in 2015.

The Spaniard has finished no higher than 10th in the overall standings in that time.

With his dream fading of winning a third world title to equal hero Ayrton Senna, Alonso has set his sights on completing the `Triple Crown` by chasing victories in the Indy 500 and 24 Hours of Le Mans to add to his Formula One title.

The 36-year-old skipped Formula One’s blue-riband Monaco Grand Prix, a race he has won before, to compete in the Indy 500 last year, with the race ending in frustration and a blown Honda engine with 21 laps remaining of the 200.

He has said he was considering offers from other series, but that his priority remained Formula One.

"You just need to be patient and wait a couple of weeks," he said on Thursday.

"For my fans and motorsport lovers they will have a fantastic 2018 season. The plan is ongoing and very good things are coming."