Fernando Alonso says he will not "put a gun" to the heads of Alpine's F1 bosses as he pushes for a new two-year contract with the Renault team.

Having returned to Formula 1 last year, the 40-year-old says he is now 100 percent and is not physically struggling to cope with modern cars. "Formula 1 drains a lot of energy out of you over time," he told Speed Week magazine at the Red Bull Ring.

"That was my problem in 2018 - I was empty mentally and physically. I knew I had to do something different and it was like a fresh start. I was ready for Formula 1 again."

The two-time world champion Spaniard with Renault is now pushing his Alpine bosses for a new contract for 2023 and 2024. "That is my intention," he confirmed. "I feel renewed, motivated and ready for a few more years."

"Alpine is, of course, my priority - that's my family," Alonso declared. "But both sides have to agree and I'm not going to hold a gun to their heads."

When told that Alonso's demand is for a two-year contract, team boss Otmar Szafnauer laughed, "That's good to know and thank you for telling me it's two years."

When asked if the driver and the team are on the same page, he added: "Which page? The two-year page? We haven't started talking in detail with Fernando yet, but we will do that right after the August break."

Alonso confirmed that he is "not yet negotiating" with Alpine, but thinks the team has the potential to soon compete in the world championship. "That is our plan," he stated. "We are further ahead than last year."

"With the budget limit, everyone has the same requirements, so now it's up to us. We have an excellent team in England and France and I have faith in them," concluded the Spaniard