Fernando Alonso has made it clear the sense of optimism inside McLaren looking ahead to 2018 can’t ignore the fact this season has been “very bad” for the British team.
2017 saw the Woking-based outfit finally reach the end of their patience with engine partner Honda as significant flaws with a new design concept introduced left the Japanese manufacturer struggling to simply complete a race let alone be competitive.
As the wait for improvements continued, frustrations reached new highs and in September it was announced the two parties would split at the end of the year, with Honda joining Toro Rosso and Renault stepping in at McLaren.
This has all happened as the Spaniard has also spent this year considering his own future, with the aspiration of a third F1 title and match Graham Hill in winning the Triple Crown. Hopes of improvement led to Alonso electing to stay on at McLaren for next season but he insists the memories of this year won’t be forgotten.
“It was very bad. It was not a good season,” Alonso declared. “I think if we look back when we launched the car in cLaren in February, new regulations, four months to work on the engines to power a little bit what we had in 2016, the hopes for this season were much different.
“For myself and for the team, now to be ninth in the Constructors’ Championship, to use 12 engines until now or something like that, it cannot be a good season for anyone in the team.”
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As the season has continued, fixes to the problems and gains in performance have come from Honda, allowing Alonso to score his first consecutive points finishes of the season in Mexico and Brazil, but ultimately, the focus inside McLaren has already changed.
“Despite the progress that is noticeable with what we did with the car, the optimism for next year is we all believe inside the team that it will be a fantastic 2018 season. We have that mood now in the team.”