Alonso looking beyond the "small world of Formula 1"

The Spaniard, who will follow up his Indianapolis 500 adventure by contesting the 2018 Rolex 24 at Daytona with Zak Brown’s United Autosport’s team, has reiterated that he want to demonstrate his talent by being successful outside F1. 

“I want to be the best driver in the world,” he said. “And to do that you need to compete in different series, you need to win in different cars, and sometimes you need to go out of this small world of F1.

"This is smaller than motorsport, motorsport is more than F1. My plans for motor sport are much greater than everyone will think. We will see.”

He added: “I’ve been trying this for eight or nine years now, and I could not succeed with any of the bosses that I had before.

"Now I think Zak understood that motorsport is bigger than what we think, and some of the experiences that we had in the Indy 500, some of the value that McLaren has now in the US thanks to that approach, it’s a win-win situation for everyone. I’m happy with this approach.”

Alonso expects to be fully prepared before the Daytona race weekend, thanks in part to the 'Roar Befor the 24' test that takes place at the Florida track three weeks prior to the race itself.

“I will try to have some simulator test, again like always to a new series, try to test in different conditions, night, day, different things that we will discover there," he said.

"There is the test at the beginning of January with all the cars on the track. Probably I will learn the circuit there, I will learn the traffic, pitstop procedures, changing drivers, all these things. It’s the way it is.

"It’s the same preparation for some of my teammates, for Lando [Norris], for Paul di Resta, they are all in the same situation, so we will try to help each other, and whatever we learn, try to pass to the other drivers.”

He downplayed the suggestion that McLaren boss Brown wants him to mentor Norris, in the same way that Alex Wurz undertook that role with Lance Stroll at Daytona in 2016.

“That’s not the main reason," said Alonso. "I think Lando has the talent and had everything to succeed in the future. I think now it’s an experience that we will both put in our pocket, and maybe it’s useful for the future.

“Whenever I can help Lando, not in Daytona specifically, I think more in F1 or in the simulator or whatever job he’s doing right now, I think it’s great for both.

"Great for the present, to keep improving the car, and great for the future, because McLaren will have a very strong driver very soon.”