McLaren believes it can gain a “competitive ad𝔍vantage” from Fernando Alonso’s influence on its Formula 1 op🃏erations in the 2019 season.

The two-time F1 world champion has decided to quit the sport following his latest disappointing ﷽campaign with McLaren, which failed to make the progress it had hoped for in 2018 despite a switch from Honda to Renault power units.

Alonso will instead look to complete the final leg of his quest for motorsport’s  triple crown by winning the Indianapolis 5♓00 alongside racing in the World Endurance Championship, while McLaren will field a revised driver line-up consisting of Carlos Sainz Jr and Lando Norris.

McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown revealed McLaren remains in “ongoing discussions” with Alonso over a role to remain involved in its F1 activities despite his other racing commitments, suggesting the Spaniard 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:could test the team’s 2019 F1 car.

“I’m very happy to have Carlos a🃏nd Lando in our race ca🧸r,” Brown said.

“I think they are two very excitin♐g drivers, the youngest driver line-up in McLaren’s history and I think pot🎶entially on the grid next year.

“Of course Carlos has good experience, this being the third team he would have𝔉 driven for, and Lando you’re all well aware of his credentials, but he’🌼s a rookie.

“Fernando is still part of the family in competing in the Indianapolis 500 with us,” Brown added. “He, like many drivers, some of those which you still see o♉n the grid - Niki Lauda, Alain Prost etc - continue to have influence with their respective teams.

“So I don’t think it’s difficult to balance Fernando’s influence. He is a very experienced, great racing car driver and has a long relationship that dates back pre-McLaren with Carlos and then of cours༺e has been teammates with Lando in Daytona, so I think his influence is positive and welcomed.

“Both by McLaren, the engineers and the drivers. So it’s something tha🅷t we embrace and hope brings us a compܫetitive advantage, so it’s quite positive for us.”

Sainz, who first🎐 drove for McLaren in the Abu Dhabi tyre test following last ye♔ar’s season finale in November, has spent time at McLaren’s Woking factory over the winter break in preparation for his first season with the team.

The🦩 Spaniard’s approach has already made an impression on Brown, who reckons Sainz will benefit from his close relationship with Alonso and learn from his fellow countryman’s vast experience.

“Carlos spent some time with Fernando understanding the team,” he said. “So Car🥃los having a relationship with Fernando pre-datಞes McLaren’s.

“All intelligent drivers pull on dif♏ferent resources that they have𓃲 and so Carlos and Fernando, those were conversations that Carlos wants some of Fernando’s experience to accelerate his learning curve.”