Alonso backed to give McLaren full throttle in 2018

London, December 31: Fernando Alonso will give his all for McLaren in Formula One next year, despite pursuing a seat for the Le Mans 24 Hour, according to Zak Brown.

Alonso skipped last season's Monaco Grand Prix in order to try his hand at the Indianapolis 500, which he led until his engine blew late in the race.

McLaren's woes with Honda power routinely frustrated the Spaniard, but a union with Renault from 2018 and beyond is expected to put the eight-time constructors' champions back in the fight at the front.

And CEO Brown, having allowed Alonso's sojourn to IndyCar and also sanctioned a run in next year's Daytona 24 Hours, believes his star man can juggle commitments.

"I like how he just wants to race every weekend, what a lot of people don't know is he's racing in a go-kart most weekends he's not in a Formula One car," Brown is quoted by Motorsport Week.

"I think the more experience the better, the more driving the better, some people said what about his focus and I say well he's absolutely 100 per cent focused on motor-racing, he's not out doing other things.

"That's how it used to be in the Mario Andretti days and it's great to see Fernando has that kind of attitude.

"When we tested in Spain we had a few other cars there and I asked him if he wanted to drive them.

"It was 'no I'm in LMP2 mode' and it wasn't that he didn't want to drive the cars but 'I'm here, I have a mission, I have a plan, I’m not going to mess about in other cars. I'll go and play in those another time'.

"That's the type of mindset he brings when he goes racing, so if he makes a commitment to something else I think he'll be cautious as to whatever commitments he makes."

Source: OPTA