Fernando Alonso continues to keep the door open for a future return to Formula 1.
The double world champion gave up his seat at McLaren to Carlos Sainz at the end of last season and has focused on his other motorsport aspirations, notably winning the WEC title with Toyota but failing to qualify for the Indianapolis 500.
2020 is also looking intriguing with a Dakar Rally attempt currently being planned for and, no doubt, a third attempt at trying to complete the Triple Crown at the Brickyard.
But beyond that, his long-time confidant Flavio Briatore does see F1 as an option.
“Alonso back in F1? I talked to him about it,” he told Italian broadcaster Rai.
“But he will only do it if he has a seat at Ferrari, Mercedes or Red Bull. If not, it doesn’t make sense. He wants to fight for the title.
“For his part, Alonso has never closed the door to return to F1 although he insists that the series remains the same as when he left, with too much dominance from Mercedes and little equality,” the ex-Renault boss noted.
“He hopes that the situation will change by 2021.”
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As for Alonso himself, he also teases a return though did concede it would have to come sooner rather than later.
“It is not impossible to return to Formula 1,” he told GQ. “But every year that passes will be more difficult.
“As I said in Abu Dhabi in 2018, it was a ‘see you later’, because I also don’t have a crystal ball to know if I’m going back one day.
“I have breathed for a moment, I have let my head rest and I can come back with the most liberated mind to enjoy something that in recent years was difficult for me.”