Fernando Alonso, a two-times Formula One world champion, insists he will be on the grid for the 2016 curtain-raiser in Australia.
The McLaren chairman, Ron Dennis, claimed at the final race of the season in Abu Dhabi that Alonso, who has two years to run on his deal with the British team, may consider taking next year off from the sport.
But Alonso, speaking from Wembley Stadium, dismissed suggestions of a sabbatical. Asked if he will be in Melbourne for the season-opening Australian Grand Prix, the 34-year-old said: “Yes. I talked to Ron on Friday. I told him what had been published. He said, ‘I didn’t mean that and tomorrow I will clarify it.’ On Saturday he clarified but no one copied that.
“I said the opposite on Friday, Saturday, Sunday and I’m sure in January and February I will keep answering the same questions about my future.”
Alonso has just finished his worst season in Formula One following his move from Ferrari to rejoin McLaren. The Spaniard retired from eight races – the most since his opening season in the sport with Minardi – and scored a paltry 11 points.
Alonso, who won the first of his successive titles with Renault a decade ago, said motivation will play a key role in whether he extends his grand prix career beyond 2017.
“We have to be open to any possibility,” said Alonso. “Right now it is too long ahead to think. Let’s see what happens in one and a half years, what the situation is, what targets we have met and what the motivations are to keep going on in Formula One.”
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Jenson Button, who became the first team-mate to finish a season with more points than Alonso, says his partnership with the Spaniard will help drive McLaren forward.
“He is a good team-mate to have,” Button said. “He is experienced like me. The feedback is good and the team really listen to us.
“If we were two young drivers, the team would be developing the car in a certain direction but because of our experience they listen to us and we help develop the car.
“It is the perfect situation for the team having us two in there and we enjoy being part of the development progress.”
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