Fernando Alonso will be at Italian Grand Prix with McLaren

Fernando Alonso will be with the McLaren team at the Italian Grand Prix – but only in an ambassadorial role and not as a reserve driver.

Alfa Romeo were not the only ones with a potential driver injury problem with Kimi Raikkonen as Lando Norris also sustained a foot injury during the summer break which led to a protective boot fitted as a precaution.

While Sergey Sirotkin was the man on standby at Spa, Seidl did say discussions would have taken place about Alonso covering instead had Norris not passed a fitness test.

“I don’t know exactly how the contract is exactly but he is still a part of McLaren,” Seidl said via Autosport.

“Zak [Brown] is still having a lot of exchange with him and other programmes I’m sure. If we would have an issue like that, there would be a discussion happening.

“He will come as an ambassador and visit us [this weekend].”

He added: “With Lando being clear that he felt fine to race, the back-up would have been Sergey.

“It’s a different situation if we know early enough, to look for alternatives. But it’s something we discuss when it comes to that situation.

“Our reserve driver is Sergey, so we have the seat ready and everything, and we have prepared him in the simulator.”

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