Respected insiders are not expecting McLaren-Honda to shine in 2015. With the Japanese engine maker Honda returning to the sport this year to revive its iconic collaboration with the British team, it has notably struggled so far simply to run its compact and complex turbo V6.
McLaren-Honda managed to secure arguably F1's best driver - Fernando Alonso - to spearhead the project, but not everyone agrees that even the Spaniard can be a silver bullet. "Fernando is a driver who could have taken five world titles, but he has made some bad decisions with teams," Livio Oricchio, a veteran Brazilian correspondent, is quoted by the Spanish daily AS.
"In 2007 he left a team at the top to go halfway down the grid, and now he's back with a team where he knows he will have to wait to win. That's his fault," he argued. Oricchio added: "I do think they (McLaren-Honda) have all the potential, especially with Alonso, but this year I think they cannot win. In 2016, probably yes."
Sharing that view is another of F1's top journalists, the Auto Motor und Sport correspondent Michael Schmidt. He said: "Fernando is the best, but of course he also needs a good car. McLaren will give it to him, along with Honda, but not this year. Mercedes is still at a much higher level, then there's Ferrari and Williams and Red Bull. McLaren? Their time will be 2016," Schmidt added. (GMM)
Insiders doubt if McLaren-Honda will shine in 2015
- Published on 06 Feb 2015 14:11
-
0
- By: Rob Veenstra
.
Trending news
-
Red Bull rookie expects Austria podium after major RB22 upgradesIsack Hadjar believes Red Bull will be in contention for a podium finish at the Austrian Grand Prix, citing a substan...
23 Jun 2026 11:14 -
Max Verstappen's team chases redemption at Spa 24 HoursMax Verstappen's GT3 racing operation returns to major endurance competition this weekend at the Spa 24 Hours, se...
23 Jun 2026 10:12 -
Why Ocon isn't worried about Verstappen quitting F1Esteban Ocon has dismissed concerns that Max Verstappen could walk away from Formula 1 over the current power unit re...
22 Jun 2026 15:10 -
Norris nears Hamilton's McLaren record with Prost in sightLando Norris stands just three podiums away from matching Lewis Hamilton's McLaren tally of 49, and with four Gra...
22 Jun 2026 17:14 -
Why Steiner believes Aston Martin's F1 form is "unacceptable"Guenther Steiner has launched a scathing assessment of Aston Martin and Honda's 2025 performance, describing thei...
22 Jun 2026 16:12
Azerbaijan Grand Prix
Local time
-
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Azerbaijan Grand Prix
Local time
-
Friday
-
Saturday
-
Sunday
-
Friday
-
Saturday
-
Sunday
Test calendar
Circuit de Catalunya - Winter testing
-
Jan 26
I. Hadjar
- 1:18.159
-
-
-
Jan 27
M. Verstappen
- 1:19.578
-
-
-
Jan 28
A. Antonelli
- 1:17.362
-
-
-
Jan 29
G. Russell
- 1:16.445
-
-
-
Jan 30
L. Hamilton
- 1:16.348
-
-
Bahrain International Circuit - Winter testing
-
Feb 11
L. Norris
- 1:34.669
-
-
-
Feb 12
C. Leclerc
- 1:34.273
-
-
-
Feb 13
A. Antonelli
- 1:33.669
-
-
Bahrain International Circuit - Winter testing
-
Feb 18
G. Russell
- 1:33.459
-
-
Feb 19
A. Antonelli
- 1:32.803
-
-
Feb 20
C. Leclerc
- 1:31.992
-
-
World Championship standings 2026
Pos
Driver
Team
Points
Pos
Team
Points
Related news
Give your opinion!
Formula 1 Calendar - 2026
Date
Grand Prix
Circuit
-
Spain
-
Bahrain
-
Bahrain
Formula 1 Calendar - 2026
Date
Grand Prix & Circuit
-
Spain
Circuit de Catalunya
-
Bahrain
Bahrain International Circuit
-
Bahrain
Bahrain International Circuit
6 - Mar 8
Australia
Albert Park
13 - Mar 15
27 - Mar 29
Japan
Circuit Suzuka
10 - Apr 12
Bahrain
Bahrain International Circuit
17 - Apr 19
Saudi Arabia
Jeddah Street Circuit
1 - May 3
United States of America
Miami International Autodrome
22 - May 24
Canada
Gilles Villeneuve
5 - Jun 7
Monaco
Monte Carlo
12 - Jun 14
Spain
Circuit de Catalunya
26 - Jun 28
Austria
Red Bull Ring
Driver profile
- Team Aston Martin
- Points 629
- Podiums 9
- Grand Prix 199
- Country ES
- Date of b. Jul 29 1981 (44)
- Place of b. Oviedo, ES
- Weight 68 kg
- Length 1.71 m
- 187,740 comments on Aston Martin
78 members have this team as their favourite
Tweets about Fernando Alonso
Team profile
- Team name McLaren
- Base Woking, United Kingdom
- Jenson Button 1
- Lewis Hamilton 1
- Fernando Alonso 1
- Niki Lauda 1
- Stoffel Vandoorne 2
- Lewis Hamilton 2
- Lewis Hamilton 2
- Gerhard Berger 2
- Daniel Ricciardo 3
- Jenson Button 3
- Lewis Hamilton 3
- Kimi Räikkönen 3
- Mika Häkkinen 3
- Lando Norris 4
- Lewis Hamilton 4
- Jenson Button 4
- Kimi Räikkönen 4
- Jenson Button 5
- Sergio Perez 6
- Kimi Räikkönen 6
- Kimi Räikkönen 6
- Niki Lauda 8
- Alain Prost 8
- Kimi Räikkönen 9
- Fernando Alonso 14
- Kevin Magnussen 20
- Jenson Button 22
- Lewis Hamilton 22
- Gerhard Berger 28
- Stoffel Vandoorne 47
- Carlos Sainz jr 55
- Oscar Piastri 81
- 305,583 comments on McLaren
- 163 members have this team as their favourite
- Tweets about McLaren
Replies (0)
Login to reply