Fernando Alonso accepts there are likely to be some setbacks during the first test for the new McLaren-Honda MP4-30.
Alonso, who will be the first to drive the new car when testing begins at Jerez on Sunday, said the team “have to be ready now is to learn, be very open”.
“I think the first couple of days with the car we will discover many things and we need to be ready to react to all the problems we may face and be ready with an answer from everybody all together,” Alonso explained.
“I think it’s going to be a learning year and a learning process for all of us. Obviously we are here to win so the goal is to win, there is nothing more than that but I think we need to be ready to work as a team, very united to achieve that win as soon as possible.”
Alonso added he and team mate Jenson Button recognised the team has “great potential” following its reunion with Honda. “We have experience, we have the speed, we have the knowledge of some important years in Formula One,” he said.
He said the experience the two world champions bring to the team will be important to help McLaren make progress as they are the only team using Honda engines this year.
“I think for Honda arriving all the developing phase that we will have now in winter I think we need to work extra time Jenson and me because I think our help could be good for our team this year, especially the beginning,” he said.
“He is not only a great driver he is also a very nice person,” Alonso added, “it’s going to be a very interesting year and I am looking forward to everything”.
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vanja
29th January 2015, 13:35
For me the best thing about Alonso Mclaren partnership is that now i can finally cheer for him and the team, and go back to wishing everything bad for Ferrari :)
Rocky (@rocky)
29th January 2015, 13:37
First things first #teamdriverwars JB will show who is the #1 driver JB to make his own history.
Mashiat
29th January 2015, 14:50
@rocky I admire Button as a driver and a person, but come on, let’s be realistic here. I doubt Button will even finish 5 races ahead of Alonso. And Alonso is clearly the number 1 driver there because McLaren believe he is the best, certainly better than Button.
W-K (@w-k)
29th January 2015, 14:55
People said similar things about the Button, Hamilton partnership.
Why do you think this situation is any different, and remember in the year Hamilton and Alonso were together it was a draw.
Neel Jani (@neelv27)
30th January 2015, 6:26
That’s a poor analysis of the situation. Dig deeper into 2010-2012 to find out your answer
gouyou
30th January 2015, 13:35
Politics is what got Button pass Hamilton.At that game,Alonso is as good as Button.Expect a clearly close match between these two in 2015.
Problem?they are BOTH poor car tuners.
The new cars are better tuned by teen agers(computer games players)
Alonso and Button are too old for this new computerised Formula 1.
Honda is good,but i doubt they will get proper feed back from 2 papys to set up this car properly.
Ferrari will succeed,vettel is a new generation driver and it will show within the next 3 races.
Don
31st January 2015, 2:07
Thanks – I needed a good laugh.
reiter (@reiter)
29th January 2015, 14:03
I hope it’s an even battle between Alonso and Button. What he did to Kimi last year is something I wouldn’t wish on anyone!
Nase (@)
29th January 2015, 17:59
I wouldn’t risk my money on that. Button might be somewhat less dependant on his car’s characteristics, but he’s also a bit of a one-trick-pony (i.e. tyre conservation and good strategic calls rather than pure speed). Even though Räikkönen’s humiliating defeat against Alonso was probably less of a surprise to me than it was for most, I would still rank Räikkönen higher than Button. Button has quite a good reputation, but in my view, most of this stems from the fact that he has often been in the right place at the right time.
I’m actually quite confident that Alonso’s gap to his team mate is not going to be greatly affected by all the changes from 2014 to now. I expect him to dominate Button whenever reliability is not a factor.
Thomas A (@gremlinwon)
29th January 2015, 20:31
@nase I like both drivers equally! but I wouldn’t rate either one better or worse, they have very different approaches to a race weekend.
Don’t be quick to pull the trigger on Button either, Räikkönen’s last year is Ferrari was poor, hang on let me see if Räikkönen has finished the lap, Oh no! he crashed!
DeVante
29th January 2015, 17:17
No BOSS decall?
Shrieker (@shrieker)
29th January 2015, 17:56
BOSS went over to Mercedes.