Fernando to bid farewell
DOUBLE world champion Fernando Alonso will retire at the end of the season.
The 37-year-old, competing in his 17th Formula One season, has been widely tipped to race in next year’s Indianapolis 500 as he attempts to win the ‘Triple Crown of Motorsport’.
Alonso won the Le Mans 24 Hours on his debut with Toyota in June and claimed the Formula One drivers’ championship in 2005 and 2006.
“After 17 wonderful years in this amazing sport, it’s time for me to make a change and move on,” said Alonso.
“I have enjoyed every single minute of those incredible seasons and I cannot thank enough the people who have 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. I made this decision some months ago and it was a firm one.
“Let’s see what the future brings. New exciting 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.”
Alonso, in his fifth season at McLaren, did not rule out a return to Formula One.
“I want to thank everyone at McLaren,” he said. “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.”
The Spaniard, who started karting at three and became world champion in 1996, made his Formula One bow in 2001 with the now-defunct Minardi.
Two years later, he moved to Renault and soon became the youngest F1 world champion in history.
Alonso spent one season at McLaren and another two at Renault before joining Ferrari in 2010 and finishing second three times. He returned to McLaren in 2015 and sits ninth in the current season.
Alonso’s storied career has included 32 wins, 22 pole positions and 97 podiums.
McLaren chief executive Zak Brown added: “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.”