F1 News: Fernando Alonso drops a big hint on his F1 future

What's the story?

When Fernando Alonso raced the final F1 race of the 2018 season in Abu Dhabi, the F1 world was bidding goodbye to one of the greats of the sport.

But Alonso has kept the door open for a return to F1, hinting that his F1 story may not be over yet.

In case you didn't know...

Alonso finished 11 in the 2018 Drivers' Championship, but struggled throughout the season as the Renault engines weren't able to compete with Mercedes or Ferrari. Alonso announced that he was to leave F1, but still race in other forms of motorsport, including WEC, while also competing at the 24 Hours of Daytona - which he won, and will also race later this year at Indianapolis 500.

The heart of the matter

In an interview with Corriere Della Sera, the two-time F1 champion said that he could return to F1, sighting Michael Schumacher as an example, who raced till the age of 43.

"I always said 'see you later' and now I face another challenge with the right tools. I have no plan for 2020 and, obviously, winning a third world title would be the greatest joy. [Michael] Schumacher raced until he was 43 years old and if you feel strong then you don't look at your expiration date.

"You just race until you realize that someone is stronger than you and that can happen to you at 25 years old or at 48 years old, as age has nothing to do with it," said Alonso.

What's next?

Alonso will be gunning to achieve the Triple Crown this year, having won the 24 Hours of Le Mans and Monaco Grand Prix, and will achieve it if he wins the Indianapolis 500, which will be held on May 26, 2019.

Before that, he will take part in the 1000 Miles of Sebring in March, and the 6 Hours of Spa-Francorchamps in May.