Fernando Alonso shouldn't look to Renault if he wants a championship winning car next season, according to the team's 'special advisor' four-time world champion Alain Prost.
Alonso, currently racing for McLaren, has stated that he is willing to leave the team if another offers a better opportunity, with many linking him with a return to Renault.
"If I see an opportunity to win in 2018 I’ll be more than happy to stay [at McLaren], if it’s not the case I will be more than happy to talk to anyone," he said recently.
But Prost doesn't expect Renault to be in a position to offer a winning car next year or even the following year.
"Fernando wants to win races or championships," Prost told Sky Sports News. "I don't think we can offer him a car to be world champion next year – and also maybe in two years.
"We have to be very realistic. I have been in this business for almost forty years and l know how difficult it is going to be."
Prost added that Renault can't simply make false promises to lure the two-time champion back for what would be his third stint with the team – his first of which delivered two titles in 2005 and 2006, his second came after a falling out with his current team McLaren.
"We have to be really careful about that," added Prost. "We want to progress but we cannot have stupid objectives only because Fernando would be there."
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