Why McLaren's new structure might mean Alonso is staying

Eric Boullier's surprise resignation sent shockwaves through Formula 1 ahead of the British Grand Prix as McLaren's disappointing start to the 2018 season rolls into their home race. The racing director has stepped down after nine races failed to yield the team's return to the podium, amid reports star driver Fernando Alonso could leave at the end of the year.

Alonso spent much of pre-season vowing a return to the podium, and even the top step, this season after McLaren ditched Honda power units for Renault.

Fellow Viry customers Red Bull have won three of the first nine races, but McLaren have come nowhere near - Alonso's fifth-place finish at the season-opening Australian Grand Prix remains their best result.

Having won the Le Mans 24 Hours last month, Alonso now has just the Indianapolis 500 away from securing motorsport's 'Triple Crown' - a feat only previously achieved by Graham Hill.

A full-time switch to IndyCar has been mooted for the two-time world champion, with McLaren previously exploring a move into the United States' open-cockpit series.

However, does the structure put in place after Boullier's departure suggest the Spaniard is staying? Let's take a look...

WHO'S NEW?

Boullier has not been outright replaced as racing director, with two new roles instead being created, which is where the intrigue lies.

Andrea Stella has been appointed as performance director. Per McLaren, he will be "responsible for trackside operations".

Also, Gil de Ferran has been drafted in as sporting director "to maximise the effectiveness of the team’s racing package".

Both men have close links to McLaren.

Stella joined the team from Ferrari in 2015 with McLaren, having served as his race engineer for the Scuderia, a role he retained at McLaren before taking more senior ones in the subsequent years.

De Ferran - winner of the Indy 500 in 2003 - mentored Alonso ahead of his one-off effort at the Brickyard last year and has worked as a consultant to McLaren in recent weeks.

WILL ALONSO STAY?

Naturally, it remains to be seen whether Alonso's influence has extended to these hires and if two familiar faces in positions of power will prompt him to give McLaren another year.

His contract expires at the end of the year, with race-winning seats hard to come by, so unless a switch to Renault takes his fancy, McLaren likely represent the best seat available to Alonso.

But is it good enough? McLaren's statement spoke of a determination to "invest to retain and attract the best talent, internally and externally, to return McLaren Racing to the front of the grid."

Having frittered away the last few years of his previously stellar career, Alonso might rather return to the front of a grid immediately - whether in F1 or elsewhere - rather than take a team there.