2016 McLaren F1 Team - Honda

[Vasconia]

You know, I'm sure they'd happily accept mechanical failure in half the gps if they were competitive. If McLaren were fast but fragile this year, they'd be over the moon.

That was exactly the situation in 2011/2012. It wasn't acceptable. Their lead driver left.

I'm sure the team would accept that for a while, especially after a terrible 2015 season, but fast&unreliable cannot be acceptable in the long run, especially for Honda. Enough engines have blown-up already.

In 2011 the most unrealiable thing was the driver itself. But yes, in 2012 with a better reliability they could have done more.

Anyway 2015 was that bad that having a fast car this season would be great even if they have a lot of DNF. Reliability can be fixed but lack of speed, cant be done. The must show that this radical concept can work and can make a car fast.

[Vasconia]

McLaren tested over both days so that's another race distance roughly

In both days they could do max 30 laps.

44 laps to be precise, but who cares....what is important is how the team will do the next 4 days of testing

And 44 laps without important problems is much more than what they achieved in the last 1,5 days of the first test.

[KingHamilton01]

Thing's are not as bad as people make out, they had some issues which they know how to fix, I am not worried unless next week turn's out to be a failure which will be a lack of running. I would say next week is more important as the PU closer to the spec they will take to Melbourne.

[radosav]

McLaren tested over both days so that's another race distance roughly

In both days they could do max 30 laps.

44 laps to be precise, but who cares....what is important is how the team will do the next 4 days of testing

OK, thanks

[GoranF1]

Alonso is doing some kind of live interview in Spain right now....here are some of his answers

ALO: "is impossible having 200HP less than Mercedes." We will have between 30 and 80HP less."

ALO: "keep thinking that it is the only team that can win Mercedes"

ALO: "I don't think we are far away to reach a podium"

ALO: "the feelings that I had last week with the car has been good"

ALO: "think of a sabbatical is unthinkable for my character"

ALO:"The real option of winning with Ferrari did not exist. I needed to have that illusion to begin something new"

ALO;Schumacher, Vettel and Hamilton who would you choose? @alo_oficial: "Schumacher, surely"

ALO: "The departure of Ferrari was a difficult decision. I was offered to renew until 2019 and I did very much."

ALO: "Ferrari I think he finished the cycle. I think that it was time for me to go through the door front"

Toto Wolff came to propose a barter Hamilton by Alonso? ALO: 'Yes'

ALO: "If this year were the world champion I would take such surprise that he would strip me the beard and the hair".

ALO: "I left Ferrari because I saw a sixth year being runner-up, and perhaps a seventh, eighth, and a ninth".

ALO: "we have quite a few new parts this week"

ALO: "I needed to get my hopes with another project and McLaren was the most convincing".

ALO: "Will continue for the time being until the age of 36. You can be up to 50. They are very demanding car."

ALO: "sometimes you have to intimidate your opponents a little"

ALO: "I do think that I'm going to be again world champion, if not, not continue competing".

ALO: "I live in Dubai because it is an experience to learn about other cultures, by the climate and by the ease of travel"

ALO: "cars now are not so hard physically. Before not you could sleep in pain after a test".

Friends how many pilots you have? ALO: "almost all my classmates: Massa, Trulli, Fisichella, Button..." I have friendship with Kubica"

[superdowg316]

Alonso is doing some kind of live interview in Spain right now....here are some of his answers

ALO: "is impossible having 200HP less than Mercedes." We will have between 30 and 80HP less."

ALO: "keep thinking that it is the only team that can win Mercedes"

ALO: "I don't think we are far away to reach a podium"

ALO: "the feelings that I had last week with the car has been good"

ALO: "think of a sabbatical is unthinkable for my character"

ALO:"The real option of winning with Ferrari did not exist. I needed to have that illusion to begin something new"

ALO;Schumacher, Vettel and Hamilton who would you choose? @alo_oficial: "Schumacher, surely"

ALO: "The departure of Ferrari was a difficult decision. I was offered to renew until 2019 and I did very much."

ALO: "Ferrari I think he finished the cycle. I think that it was time for me to go through the door front"

Toto Wolff came to propose a barter Hamilton by Alonso? ALO: 'Yes'

ALO: "If this year were the world champion I would take such surprise that he would strip me the beard and the hair".

ALO: "I left Ferrari because I saw a sixth year being runner-up, and perhaps a seventh, eighth, and a ninth".

ALO: "we have quite a few new parts this week"

ALO: "I needed to get my hopes with another project and McLaren was the most convincing".

ALO: "Will continue for the time being until the age of 36. You can be up to 50. They are very demanding car."

ALO: "sometimes you have to intimidate your opponents a little"

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CcazAUKW4AAlNUx.jpg

You know, a lot of people usually write off Alonso's interviews as hogwash, but we forget that he's a 2 time world champion and that he's done some incredible things in an F1 car. I looked back through the forum not too long ago at the 2012 team discussions and a lot of posts were about how Ferrari were going to have a trying year, be lapped, all that stuff. And what happened? Alonso dragged that thing to three points behind the dominant Vettel-Red Bull combination.

Anyways, interesting insight by Fernando about McLaren and Ferrari. At least he's a lot happier with the car compared to last year, which is a good sign.

[GoranF1]

The interview is ongoing i am editing post all the time...how the hell is he going to wake up tommorow for the test!

[adrianjordan]

I've suggested it before, but Mclaren really should put the driver name on the sidepod...otherwise it's very, very hard to tell who's driving unless you can see the car number!!

[Vasconia]

I think that all his comments are pretty logic. To leave Ferrari was quite logic after some years of fustration and a quite mediocre 2014.

And about the car, his comments sound optimistic but I think even Alonso doesnt know how good(or bad) is the new PU and this is the key element to know if McLaren can have a reasonable season.

[domh245]

I've suggested it before, but Mclaren really should put the driver name on the sidepod...otherwise it's very, very hard to tell who's driving unless you can see the car number!!

And go full HRT? - I don't think that Ron would want his cars being associated with them.

[kaepernickus]

I've suggested it before, but Mclaren really should put the driver name on the sidepod...otherwise it's very, very hard to tell who's driving unless you can see the car number!!

And go full HRT? - I don't think that Ron would want his cars being associated with them.

McLaren had that years before HRT even existed.

[Writinglife]

It worked when they had the West livery.

[fellowhoodlums]

1:24:7, not bad at all. I say we are for sure, in the pack, perhaps the top of it. Merc, Ferrari and Williams still out in front.

[ollandos]

maybe the best test day today ( i am poet =D> ) for many years.........

[Vasconia]

Not bad but I was expecting more than 100 laps. Anyway 92 laps is a good amount and it seems that they have checked out many things. Will be the rest of the days like this one? [-o<