Brown brushes aside missed opportunity with Alonso: 'Wish it had gone differently'

Fernando Alonso will return to Formula 1 in 2021 with Alpine F1, which previously operated in F1 under the Renault name. How different it could have been for Alonso, if the McLaren-Honda project had succeeded.

At the end of 2014, Alonso announced his choice. He would leave Ferrari and make the switch to McLaren. That embarked on an ambitious project with new engine supplier Honda, and together they wanted to return to the glory days of Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost. Alonso was the figurehead, but things did not turn out as hoped.

So at the end of 2018, Alonso himself pulled the plug, leaving Zak Brown's team. Still as good friends, but Alonso now chooses a seat at the competitor: Alpine. ''I am very happy for him. Alonso will always be linked to McLaren, and personally I consider him a friend. I wish it had turned out differently for us,'' says Zak Brown according to Speedweek.com.

''Fernando is an amazing racer, a rare driver who is so passionate every second, and motivated to the bone. Without a doubt he will be a formidable opponent in 2021. I have fond memories of our time together at McLaren, although of course we both hoped for a different result,'' concludes Brown.