Alonso: "Six laps is not enough"
Spaniard Fernando Alonso finished his first day on the job with McLaren-Honda, but completing only six laps was not the debut they were hoping for.
As we saw last season, the implementation of a new power unit can be really painful early in testing. Red Bull and their 2014 Renault power unit burped and popped on its first dismal day one year ago.
Fernando Alonso, who made the move from Ferrari over to the revitalized McLaren-Honda outfit, said it was expected to have difficult first day.
"It's a slow start, as we knew. We saw last year how difficult it is for teams to complete laps especial the first couple of days," said Alonso.
"It’s complex technology what we have in these Formula One cars today. We need time, we have to learn a lot of things in the car because we (have to) start to put mileage on."
"I would like to do more laps, for sure, after a long wait of 2 months waiting for the first day of testing, six laps not enough."
McLaren-Honda - back after 22 years
McLaren and Honda, who are best known to have built one of the most successful F1 cars to date, the MP4/4 in 1988, winning 15 of 16 events, are back together after 22 years, and Alonso said he is excited to be a part of the project.
"We are happy and exited inside the garage. We had an amazing atmosphere today doing the first lap, especially with the comeback of Mclaren-Honda after 22 years. I felt so privileged and so honoured to be the man on the car do the first lap today," Alonso said.
"I beleive so much in the project."
Alonso added that he remembers watching the news reports of Ayrton Senna's fight for the title when he was competing with McLaren in the 80s.
"I had a lot of replica cars that my parents presented to me, I had a photo in my room of Ayrton in the McLaren, that is what I remember of that time."
Mercedes have the upper hand
According to Alonso, Mercedes have an advantage simply from coming off a World Championship season and that was demonstrated today not by speed but my laps competed.
"The team that dominated last year winning almost all the races, today they were so fast and did 150 laps, definitely they have an advantage of performance and everything this year, at least to start he season. It's normal. They have the continuation of a dominant car," Alonso said.
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