Fernando Alonso says retaining a strong connection with McLaren this year is vital in case he returns to Formula 1 in the future.
Alonso stepped back from a race seat at the end of 2018 – bringing a 17-year spell in the championship to a close – amid a lack of competitive options and his desire to pursue motorsport’s Triple Crown.
Alonso retained a link to McLaren through his impending Indianapolis 500 effort and on Wednesday the squad announced he had been appointed as an ambassador for the operation.
It was also confirmed that he will test McLaren’s 2019 Formula 1 car at some stage this season in order to assist with the team’s development.
“I feel very good now and very competitive in any car I jump in,” said Alonso, who is also contesting the 2018/19 World Endurance Championship season with Toyota.
“I will keep going for a couple of years, select what races that can make an impact on my career, race those, and as I said if one day Formula 1 again arrives at the moment where I can be competitive and I can win then I cannot be relaxed at home in that moment.
“I need to keep updated. The way to do that at the moment is to be involved somehow.”
Alonso pointed to his experience – and recent history with McLaren – as evidence as to how he can help with the team’s progress.
“I think first of all this car we are running today was born in June last year when we identified our problems, our weaknesses, our philosophies that were wrong with the 2018 car and we started discussing and having meetings plus simulator work for the 2019 car,” he explained.
“Now, the 2019 car is a reality and it is running on track. Probably some of the results that they are having they don’t know the background of those changes or that philosophy that is behind that design so I think that is something that I can give my input on.
“Also, after 18 years I probably know most of the circuits, most of the tricks here and there and hopefully, especially with Lando [Norris] being in his first year, anything that may appear on a grand prix weekend, Saturday or Sunday morning, maybe having a driver behind the engineers thinking probably helps.
“They only see the telemetry, they analyse and make decisions looking at the telemetry. I can be the link of what they see on the data and to what the driver is feeling or what the message the driver is passing through the radio. Hopefully, I can help as much as I can.”
