Alonso to probe Renault before making 2018 decision

Fernando Alonso says he will look into Renault’s plans for 2018 before deciding whether to stay at McLaren next year.

Some believe the Spaniard actively pushed for the British team to dump Honda, and that he will therefore definitely now sign up for 2018.

"You don’t do engine deals solely by listening to drivers," McLaren executive Zak Brown scoffed when asked about that by Finnish broadcaster C More.

"Fernando is a part of our team and so his opinion is important, but this decision was made for the good of McLaren," he added.

However, Alonso was seen in Singapore smiling and shaking hands with Brown immediately after the Honda axe was announced.

"I just said hello to him, because I hadn’t seen Zak until today," Alonso insisted in Singapore.

"I think if McLaren decided that it’s time to part with Honda and go to Renault, they must have important information about next season," he added.

"I hope this will bring McLaren back to the positions that we think it deserves, but for now I do not have full information.

"I learned the same news as you did today," Alonso said on Friday.

"Now for me the main thing is this weekend in Singapore, and after that I will try to learn more about the project, about the Renault engine and the expectations for next season.

"After analysing, I will make a decision," he revealed.