If I can't fight for wins 'I will look outside F1' says Fernando Alonso

Fernando Alonso says he will consider leaving Formula 1 if he cannot find a seat that allows him to challenge at the sharp end of the sport.

The McLaren racer is out of contract at the end of this season and has endured a torrid time with the Woking squad and their Honda powertrain, failing to score a single podium - and often struggling to even finish races - since his return to the team in 2015.

He has yet to decide on his plans for next year but now says he could even leave F1 if he cannot secure a competitive seat.

"Formula One is still my priority, it's my life, and winning the world championship is what I'm hoping," Alonso told CNN.

"If I don't see any project that will allow me to fight for the win I will look outside F1 -- but that's [a decision I will make in] November-December. I will try all the possibilities before that."

Alonso's McLaren-Honda has spent far too much time on the back on trucks this season

Alonso's McLaren-Honda has spent far too much time on the back on trucks this season

The 36-year-old's options look limited: none of the front running trio of Mercedes, Ferrari or Red Bull are interested in taking him on.

Other than staying with McLaren (who would love to keep him), his only other realistic prospect is Renault.

He has already said that he would need McLaren-Honda to show a certain level of competitiveness before he could commit to staying.

But his recent attempt to win the Indy 500 - where he ran strongly at the front of the field until his Honda engine broke down - has shown the Spaniard what he is missing in F1.

"I went to Indianapolis and I had that feeling again that I can win this race ... the feeling that you could win that race was special," Alonso said.

Despite that, the two-time champ says securing another F1 title is still top of his list - even higher than his stated aim of becoming only the second driver (after Graham Hill) to win the triple crown of motorsport: the Monaco GP, the Indy 500 and the Le Mans 24 Hours.

"My first priority is F1 -- winning the third world championship, but I want to attempt the triple crown as well," he said. "It may happen. I would like to go back there but maybe not in the very near future."

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