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Fernando Alonso, McLaren stops on track in FP1
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Has Red Bull fallen into the McLaren-Honda trap?

Red Bull has not been shy about its big expectations for its switch to Honda power. Neither was McLaren four years ago, and that story ended badly. Is Red Bull about to make exactly the same mistake?

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Over-promise and under-deliver in Formula 1 and you have the recipe for a PR nightmare. That stands as the only real legacy for the second-coming of McLaren-Honda. McLaren was confident that Honda would take it back to the sharp end, that the partnership would win again, and Honda would mix it with Mercedes and Ferrari.

The pain of failing to live up to expectations is part of the reason Honda treads so cautiously when discussing its prospects now. Working to rebuild its reputation with Toro Rosso last season, still with high expectations and pressure but away from the spotlight, was a welcome change of pace.

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