Fernando Alonso believes that his McLaren-Honda is capable of securing points at this weekend's Brazilian Grand Prix. At the power dependent Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez in Mexico last time out, the Spaniard scored his first point since Hungary - a result which surprised him.
"Mexico was definitely a surprise and we performed better than we anticipated," he said. "This will surely be a tricky race and there are always risks to take with the weather and strategy, but if we can start the race from where we should be in qualifying, it could give us a good chance to score some points."
Alonso is looking forward to experiencing the Brazilian Grand Prix, which has been hailed for its atmosphere and ability to produce memorable races. This weekend, it hosts the penultimate round of the 2017 World Championship.
"Interlagos is one of the great ‘classic’ tracks on the calendar, with an incredible history and a long list of famous names that have lifted the trophy. It’s also one of the most dramatic Grands Prix of the year – there are always incidents and action and the weather plays a big part in the outcome."
Honda's F1 head Yusuke Hasegawa mirrored Alonso's comments and is holding out hope for another finish inside the top ten in Brazil: "Last time out in Mexico ended with a positive atmosphere in the team after Fernando snatched an all-important championship point," he said. "We’re now looking to maintain that momentum as we head to Interlagos.
"The legendary Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace is a relatively short, albeit challenging, track," Hasegawa continued. "It is highly technical with a variety of swooping corners and elevation changes, and overtaking is notoriously tricky. PU set-up will be key to ensuring good driveability throughout the lap. Brazil will always be a special place for Honda due to our great history with Ayrton Senna. We receive a warm welcome from the fans every time we go there, and hopefully we can show them a good race."
Fergal Walsh
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