Car is 100 per cent ready: Alonso
Melbourne, March 21: Fernando Alonso has played down reliability concerns about the new Renault-powered McLaren, saying problems that arose during pre- season testing have been fixed and the car will be “100 per cent” ready for the season- opening Australian Grand Prix.
After switching to the Renault power unit after three gloomy years with Honda, McLaren’s MCL33 suffered more glitches and completed fewer laps on the test track than any other team.
However, double world champion Alonso, who considered quitting Formula One last year as McLaren slumped to ninth in the constructors’ championship, said the car’s gremlins had been banished in time for Sunday’s race at Albert Park.
“Well, I think we should be optimistic,” the 36- yearold Spaniard said.
“I think we had some reliability issues in testing but all of them are fixed now and the team did an amazing job in the past two or three weeks to have the car 100 percent for Australia.
“I think being in the points, being close to the top five, I think that will be the best thing we can do to start the season.
“We need this good result to motivate the team and to keep working for the rest of the season.”
McLaren, dominant in the late 1980s and early 1990s with Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost, have not won a race since 2012.
The fallen giants’ last title was with Lewis Hamilton, who has won three world championships since at Mercedes, in 2008.
TOP FOUR TARGET He was bullish about his chances of reaching the milestone 100th podium during the coming season and felt the team should also have big ambitions in the constructors’ championship.
“I think so. I think top four is definitely a target for us and we know that Mercedes is a little bit ahead of everyone and is dominating the sport for the last four years.”
I think top four is definitely a target for us and we know that Mercedes is a little bit ahead of everyone and is dominating the sport for the last four years — FERNANDO ALONSO McLaren driver