Alonso may "look outside F1" if he cannot drive race winning machinery

With F1's summer break nearing a close, it is getting closer and closer to deadline day for Fernando Alonso as he decides where his future lies for 2018. When the double world champion heads to Spa for the Belgian Grand Prix, it is expected that he will reveal whether or not he will stay in Formula 1 past this season.

Much of this focus has been on whether Alonso will stay with McLaren in 2018 or not, or if he will jump ship to to another team for next season amidst McLaren's ongoing power issues with Honda. The Spaniard however, has revealed that his fate may be outside of F1 if he is unable to compete at the front of the field and become a force to be reckoned with once more.

"Formula One is still my priority, it's my life, and winning the world championship is what I'm hoping," Alonso told CNN. "If I don't see any project that will allow me to fight for the win I will look outside F1 -- but that's (a decision I will make around) November-December. I will try all the possibilities before that."

Despite being 36 - an old age for a driver in Formula 1 - Alonso's winning drive and determination remains undiminished although he has suffered a torrid three years at McLaren. Whether the higher speeds of the 2017 F1 cars may be responsible for this new lease of life or if his debut at the Indy 500 in May this year increased his sense of purpose in motorsport, Alonso still wants to succeed.

"I went to Indianapolis and I had that feeling again that I can win this race ... the feeling that you could win that race was special," Alonso said. "While many doubted his chances going into the weekend due to his lack of experience in the IndyCar series and around oval circuits, the Spaniard remained focussed and wanted to cross the line in first place.

"When I jump in the car, I put my legs inside the cockpit, the mechanics put the belts on, (and I'm thinking) when I take the belts off and I pull myself out of the car maybe I am the winner of this race -- I was thinking that in this moment. That feeling was magic," he said.

"I think it's a different culture, a different way of understanding motorsport or sport in general -- much more open, much more friendly to all of us," he added. "It's the kind of feeling that the sport is beyond nationalities. All of us there were heroes for all the people in the grandstand. They support all of us in the same way and they really enjoyed the race."

When asked what he would rather be doing instead of racing in F1, Alonso ruled out a switch to IndyCar, although he admitted that he could join the series in the future. "My first priority is F1 -- winning the third world championship, but I want to attempt the triple crown as well," he said."It may happen. I would like to go back there but maybe not in the very near future."

Chris Soulsby