Though the word is thrown around with abandon these days, it's fair to say that for Fernando Alonso and McLaren the last three seasons really have been a rollercoaster ride.

Be it seismic changes at management level or the seemingly never ending issues with Honda, both Alonso and his Woking team have had a torrid time of it.

However, looking ahead to a new season, which features a new engine partner, the Spaniard insists he and his team are already feeling an increasing sense of confidence.

"We are very confident," he tells ESPN. "I think at McLaren we have made a few changes for this year, the most obvious being the power unit with the Renault, which I think is quite a high motivation now in the team.

"The mood for all of us is quite different this year compared to the last three years," he continues. "We always had expectations that the season could be a good one for us. But I think this year we have more facts than any previous years, that they were only hopes. This year we have more numbers that we can touch, finally."

After three years of heartache and frustration, much of which he shared with the watching world via his radio transmissions, the Spaniard is trying not to set any unrealistic targets.

"We would like to be on the podiums," he admits. "We'd like to be fighting for race wins if the opportunity arrives and I think the team now is ready. After three years of struggling, three years of hard learning, you are more prepared.

"I think if you have three or one domination year, one time you're not that competitive or you don't have that advantage, you are not able to deliver.

"I think the struggle that we had in the last three years made the team very strong and completely ready for a fight."

We certainly hope so.

LATEST NEWS

more news >

LATEST IMAGES

galleries >

Click to go to the main galleries section

READERS COMMENTS

1. Posted by Rob, 29/01/2018 22:02

"Can they take the fight to Red Bull? Fernando Alonso has the ability."

Rating: Neutral (0) Rate comment: Positive | NegativeReport this comment

2. Posted by Jezzer, 29/01/2018 19:05

"Rehash or whatever else we call it....I for one hope to god that this year McLaren are going to be back up where they belong. It will be good fo F1 to have them running at the front again. "

Rating: Positive (1) Rate comment: Positive | NegativeReport this comment

3. Posted by Rock Doc, 29/01/2018 18:19

"Isn't this just a rehash from Three years ago. Replace a few names here and there and it reads about the same.

Let's hope for F1 that things really are different this time round."

Rating: Positive (1) Rate comment: Positive | NegativeReport this comment

4. Posted by Max Noble, 29/01/2018 14:00

"Reminds me of the classic Robot Chicken Star Wars episodes (like absinthe, an acquired taste...) where Han and Luke lean toward one another at the end of episode four and say “Mine says participant.”

I’m sure Bruce McLaren is delighted to know the team participate. Winning being so overrated. Carbon Fibre special edition anyone? "

Rating: Positive (1) Rate comment: Positive | NegativeReport this comment

Mood at McLaren completely different says Alonso

LATEST NEWS

RELATED ARTICLES

LATEST IMAGES

POST A COMMENT

Post your comment

READERS COMMENTS

Share this page