Sawt Falasteen - Alonso committed to Aston Martin, but keeping options open

The 44-year-old, whose future has been a subject of speculation after Aston Martin's poor start to the season, avoided direct comment on a possible return to Alpine.

Speaking ahead of this weekend's Austrian Grand Prix, he said he felt fit and fast and wanted to continue racing as part of Canadian billionaire Lawrence Stroll's Aston Martin project.

Aston Martin trackside boss Mike Krack has made clear he does not want to see Alonso leave at the end of his contract this year, but the Spaniard was adamant he would decide his own future.

"It doesn't change anything," he said. "I don't need Mike to tell me that I'm fast. I feel it every lap that I do on track."

He said he would make a decision for next year after F1's summer break.

"I will keep racing, because I feel fast and motivated and I love what I do. I won't stop now, but if I stay in F1, or not, that's a different story."

Alonso has said this season he does not like F1's new hybrid cars.

"I need to enjoy the category I race in, the feeling of the power units, the regulations," he said on Thursday. "There are many factors and I have many options."

After seven races, Aston Martin has only one point and Alonso said some of the criticism of the team on social media was "borderline abuse".

"We've been very badly treated by the outside world and it's normal as we are underperforming," he said. "We are in a bad moment and when summer break comes, there are always rumours."

- 'Easy target' -

Famed British engineer Adrian Newey joined Aston Martin last year and this season the team has started a deal with Honda to supply power units.

"My commitment with Aston Martin is beyond my driving time," said Alonso. "I believe in this project. We have the right people and, obviously, we have the best of the best with Adrian Newey and we have Honda.

"We started on the back foot, yes, and we understand that, but we are trying to put things in place as soon as possible. So, we are an easy target because we are at the back."

Moving to Alpine might not be an option.

The French-owned team's executive advisor Flavio Briatore suggested there was unlikely to be room for Alonso, praising current drivers Franco Colapinto, who is 23, and Pierre Gasly.

"Franco is integrating much better in the team and improving a lot -– mentally, technically and in the relationship with the team. We are working hard with him," said Briatore.

"He is moving to Monaco -- and I see him a lot there. We talk a lot and his confidence is growing."

Meanwhile, Gasly has collected 41 of the team's 57 points this season and Briatore said he would make a decision on next year's line-up in August.

"If Franco is performing as he is and the relationship is super, as it is, maybe we stay with them. Why not?"

B.Mahmoud--SF-PST