Fernando Alonso has admitted that McLaren's lack of performance in 2018 makes him "sad". The Spaniard has been upbeat about the British team's chances in the wake of the Honda split, but although improved, McLaren is still struggling now with Renault power.
It has left some people wondering if Alonso does not now look with envious eyes at Toro Rosso, who took on the works Honda collaboration for 2018. "Talking about a team after one good qualifying or race does not work," Alonso told Speed Week.
"After every win, every podium, I am asked if I regret leaving Ferrari. And now that Mercedes won everything for four years, you no longer ask about Ferrari, you ask about Toro Rosso," he added.
Nonetheless, he admits that McLaren is not yet ready to win, "and that leaves us sad". "We cannot give the McLaren people the results we all want," Alonso is quoted by El Pais newspaper. "I try to do the best job possible but we must try to improve." (GMM)
Sad? I mean, wasnt this sorta expected? This is why I've grown tired of McLaren. The constant overpromising. "We'll win this year" slowly decay into "we'll be on the podium", which decays into "we'll be a constant point scorer". Dont get me wrong, they look set to be a constant point scorer this year, and thats good, Im glad for them, but the raw amount of times Alonso and co has promised us all the world would trickle down into something, and that something is disillusioned fans and a autodisillusioned Alonso. But I do agree with him about that its too early to say anything about STR. HOWEVER, I still find it funny that STR managed a P4 during their second race of the season with a junior driver and Honda engine, while Mclaren didnt get close.
Gasly's P4 was a best-of-the-rest finish behind the 3 top teams. Alonso has scored several of those with Honda, he just didn't have 3 of the top cars DNFing those times.
Maybe, but take a peek at the raw distance between Gasly and the rest though. McLaren never really managed to do that kinda feat. One could boil it all down to luck, but thats honestly to demerit a driver that did everything right, and a car that performed very well.
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Replies (4)
Login to replymichielhimself
Posts: 132
The stages of grief - a familiar path for Alonso worn out more by his shoes than by any other current driver's in F1 today.
calle.itw
Posts: 8,527
Sad? I mean, wasnt this sorta expected? This is why I've grown tired of McLaren. The constant overpromising. "We'll win this year" slowly decay into "we'll be on the podium", which decays into "we'll be a constant point scorer". Dont get me wrong, they look set to be a constant point scorer this year, and thats good, Im glad for them, but the raw amount of times Alonso and co has promised us all the world would trickle down into something, and that something is disillusioned fans and a autodisillusioned Alonso. But I do agree with him about that its too early to say anything about STR. HOWEVER, I still find it funny that STR managed a P4 during their second race of the season with a junior driver and Honda engine, while Mclaren didnt get close.
krommenaas
Posts: 155
Gasly's P4 was a best-of-the-rest finish behind the 3 top teams. Alonso has scored several of those with Honda, he just didn't have 3 of the top cars DNFing those times.
calle.itw
Posts: 8,527
Maybe, but take a peek at the raw distance between Gasly and the rest though. McLaren never really managed to do that kinda feat. One could boil it all down to luck, but thats honestly to demerit a driver that did everything right, and a car that performed very well.