ALONSO ANNOUNCES HE WILL NOT RACE IN FORMULA 1 IN 2019
Alonso, who made his F1 debut in 2001, said he would be “exploring new adventures” next season, but left the door open for an F1 come back down the line.
“After 17 wonderful years in this amazing sport, it’s time for me to make a change and move on. I have enjoyed every single minute of those incredible seasons and I cannot thank enough the people who contributed to make them all so special.
There are still several grands prix to go this season, and I will take part in them with more commitment and passion than ever.
Let’s see what the future brings; new challenges are around the corner. I’m having one of the happiest times ever in my life, but I need to go on exploring new adventures.
I want to thank everyone at McLaren. My heart is with the team forever. I know they will come back stronger and better in the future and it could be the right moment for me to be back in the series; that would make me really happy. I have built so many great relationships with many fantastic people at McLaren, and they have given me the opportunity to broaden my horizons and race in other categories. I feel I am a more complete driver now [more] than ever.
I made this decision some months ago and it was a firm one. Nevertheless, I would like to sincerely thank Chase Carey and Liberty Media for the efforts made to change my mind and everyone who has contracted me during this time.
Finally, I would also like to thank my former teams, team-mates, competitors, colleagues, partners, journalists and everyone I have worked with in my F1 career. And, especially, my fans all over the world. I am quite sure our paths will cross again in the future.”
Alonso has taken 32 wins in his 17 years in F1. In 2005, he became the youngest F1 world champion. In 2006, he beat Michael Schumacher to become a two-time champion.
“[Fernando’s] 17 years in the sport, as arguably the pre-eminent driver of his generation and undoubtedly an F1 great, have added another layer to Formula 1’s rich history,” said McLaren team boss Zak Brown.
“There is a time for everyone to make a change and Fernando has decided the end of this season to be his. We respect his decision, even if we believe he is in the finest form of his career. Our open dialogue with Fernando has meant we could plan for this eventuality.”
While Alonso has struggled to take top results in F1 in recent years, he’s found success in other championships as he pursues the Triple Crown of motorsport.
Last year, he made a one-off IndyCar appearance to compete in the Indy 500. Alonso looked set for a strong result before a mechanical problem ended his run.
The McLaren driver has spent the 2018 season running in the World Endurance Championship alongside his F1 commitments. Competing with Toyota, he’s so far won both rounds in the WEC’s 2018/19 super-season, including the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
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Article Written By: Bethonie Waring
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