Boullier: First points of 2017 nothing to get excited about

Fernando Alonso and Stoffel Vandoorne finished ninth and 12th in Baku respectively, both drivers completing the race without mechanical woes, albeit the Belgian losing time with an extra late tyre stop.

"The team did a great job and the drivers did very well to try to get the best out of it," Boullier told Motorsport.com.

"Fernando was obviously in a good position. He got excited, and he drove very well. He was really, really on it.

"It was unfortunate that Stoffel had to pit for a flat spot, because he would have been 10th with one point.

“Any points you take is a good reward for the team. This is for me what matters today.

"I’m not smiling, I’m not excited because it’s not the reason why I’m racing, and especially not racing with McLaren. But mathematically it’s good for the team, some result.”

He downplayed Alonso’s late complaint on the radio about a lack of battery or power he said: “I think it was more frustration.”

Meanwhile, Boullier said that the dramatic Azerbaijan race, which featured a red flag and several incidents, was a boost for the sport.

“Every time you have an eventful race obviously it’s a great show on TV. I think today was a great show because different leaders, some dramas, penalties, emotions, hunger between drivers.

"Today we had a full picture I think, we had everything. Good for F1, but it’s not the normal F1, it’s due to a few events.”