Renault managing director Cyril Abiteboul says the team would not be a suitable destination for Fernando Alonso in 2018 as the Spaniard’s high expectations could not immediately be met.
Alonso has suffered from a miserable two and a half years with McLaren-Honda with 2017 representing the peak of his frustrations with the team’s Japanese engine supplier as the two-time world champion sits 15th in the drivers’ championship with just 10 points after 12 rounds.
Speculation around Alonso’s future has been rife in the past few weeks with rumours suggesting Alonso won’t stay with McLaren if they continue with Honda into 2018 and now talk of an offer from Williams.
One obvious alternative destination for the 36-year-old would be Renault where he won both of his two titles and who he began his Formula 1 career with, however, Alonso demands a car capable of challenging for championships, and Abiteboul says his team isn’t in that position yet.
“Things have to be compatible so that it can be a successful association, and not just because it has been a successful association in the past,” Abiteboul told Autosport. “It’s the future that we’re worried about.
“He has his dynamic, I think he has urgency to be in a position to be fighting for championships again.
“We know that it’s going to take us a bit of time to have a car that can offer that, so clearly the one thing that I would not want is to have a frustrated Fernando in a Renault car, that’s for sure.”
As for the potential Williams link, which was one of the main rumours in the paddock at Spa-Francorchamps, it is claimed the British team want the Spaniard to replace Felipe Massa in order to push the currently struggling team forward and help in the development of young driver Lance Stroll.
“We haven’t announced who’s driving for us next year. It’s something we’re still working on. I’m not going to rule [Fernando] in or rule him out,” Technical Director Paddy Lowe commented. “There are lots of great drivers out there and we will always try to get the best ones we can.
“You need great drivers and great cars to win races. You have to build a car that attracts a great driver and vice versa. The better the car you have, the better the drivers you can attract,” he continued.
“I’ve seen how important the driver is in a team. A good team needs a good driver as much as a good driver needs a good team – they lift each other.
“With a greater driver in the team, everybody is motivated to work that bit harder for performance because they know it’s going to be exploited and deliver great results. But it can go the other way if you have drivers that are not performing.”
