30/03/2019
NEWS STORY
Just over four months after walking away from F1 to pursue other motor sport ambitions, next week sees Fernando Alonso in McLaren's 2019 contender as he carries out testing duties for Pirelli.
Speaking to reporters in Bahrain, the Spaniard says that the test, which will see him spend a day and a half in the MCL34, is not a sign that he is considering a return to the F1 grid.
"As I said last year, and in Barcelona as well, my idea is not to come back," he said. "When I said bye-bye last year, it was because this chapter is already complete and I achieved in F1 a lot more than what I dreamt of. I had great opportunities outside F1 to do things that are unprecedented, so that is why I took the decision."
However... and with Alonso there is always a however, he added: "Coming back is not in the plan, but if something happened and a great opportunity arrived, I would consider. I don't close doors one hundred percent to anything in the future."
Other than preparing for his second Indy 500 bid, the Spaniard has contested rounds of the WEC and even tested the Toyota Hilux used in Dakar.
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"Honestly I'm not missing it too much at the moment as I've been very busy," he insisted. "Maybe if I was relaxing at home it would be different, but I have been testing and preparing different things so there is not much time to miss anything.
"I think the team decided this was the best moment," he said of the Bahrain test, "as it is not taking time from the race drivers to develop the car. On Pirelli it's more about testing the tyres and maybe I will have a little bit of an idea of what the car is doing this year and being involved a little bit from last year in the development in the car is useful for the team so I hope it's a productive test."
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