But will Fernando's IndyCar "smile" remain when he returns to F1?
Monday 29 May 2017 08:30, UK
McLaren remain optimistic they can keep Fernando Alonso beyond the end of this season despite expecting their F1 progress to remain "slow and painful".
Alonso's focus is currently on this Sunday's Indy 500, where he will attempt to win the race at the first attempt from an impressive fifth on the grid, but his return to F1 action in a fortnight's time in Canada is likely to renew speculation about his future.
With McLaren yet to score a point this season and Alonso's contract running out at the end of the year, Eric Boullier admitted to Sky Sports at the Spanish GP that the team must "deliver the impossible" to persuade the Spaniard to stay into 2018.
Asked by Sky Sports News HQ in Monaco if he remained hopeful of keeping the two-time world champion, executive director Brown said: "I think we can. I hope we can. That's the plan.
"Things are getting a little bit better. We know it's going to be slow and painful, and it has been. We saw a glimmer of hope in Spain and practice [on Thursday in Monaco] wasn't too bad.
"So as long as we can demonstrate to him we're on a path to success then I think he will hang in there because he really likes the whole McLaren team environment."
McLaren consider full-time IndyCar return
Brown told reporters in Monaco that Alonso was "loving" his IndyCar adventure and the chance to fight for a place among the front-runners again.
"After qualifying [last weekend] he was a little frustrated because there was an issue that [without] I think he would have been on the front row," Brown added. "So to see him very happy to be very competitive but then that competitive spirit come out, but with a big smile on his face, has been great.
"It's done that for everyone."
While the prospect of at least a return to a motorsport podium at Indianapolis appears entirely feasible for Alonso at the Brickyard on Sunday, his wait to return to the sharp end of the F1 grid is unlikely to be realised in the short term when he returns in Montreal.
But Brown believes Alonso's Indy feel-good-factor will continue on the Spaniard's return to the day job, although acknowledged McLaren and Honda need to keep making tangible steps forward.
"His smile is big enough, I think it's going to carry him for a little bit," said the McLaren chief. "We're obviously working hard to make sure we're more competitive every race and that's what he wants.
"As long as he's getting in the car and feels we are moving forward and is helping move it forward and feeling competitive he'll continue to be patient."
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