Fernando Alonso’s contract with McLaren-Honda expires after this season, but the team doesn’t have that long to convince him to stay.
During Thursday’s FIA press conference ahead of the Formula One Canadian Grand Prix, Alonso said if McLaren isn’t winning by September, he could leave the team.
The Spaniard’s comments come just one day after McLaren CEO Zak Brown told Reuters, “the executive committee have now given us our marching orders,” to find a new power unit supplier if Honda can’t turn things around. Brown said Honda has indefinitely delayed the engine upgrades it was set to bring to Canada, and its updates repeatedly have under-delivered.
Considering McLaren already is considering changing suppliers for 2018, Alonso’s threat could provide the impetus to kick Honda to the curb. After all, if it’s able to compete for wins next year, it’s going to want a two-time world champion in its car.
Thumbnail photo via Honda
