Alonso says only judge McLaren on facts

Fernando Alonso says that people should judge McLaren on facts rather than dreams, defending the team's start to the 2017 season. Despite being one of only two teams to have scored a double points finish in the opening two races of the season, the Woking-based team is yet to make an appearance in Q3.

McLaren had a troubling pre-season test, with further question marks being drawn after two consecutive Q2 knockouts. McLaren and Alonso sit third and fourth in the constructors' and drivers' standings respectively, but the Spaniard says he knows that it is not truly representative of the car's pace.

"I didn't have any big surprises. We are third in the constructors' championship, fourth in the drivers' championship," he said. "Maybe not in performance, but I don't know exactly what people were expecting from one season to another where the regulations stay the same and there were three teams ahead of everyone last year and this year they keep ahead of everyone.

"Last year after three races, [McLaren had] zero points. Bahrain last year Stoffel [Vandoorne] didn't make the start - on the grid he was pulling the car into the pit lane. So this year, two races and four cars to the chequered flag. As I said, look at the facts and not the feelings or the wishes or the dreams. If we see the facts this is a very good start."

Alonso says that the team must continue to bring upgrades and develop the car in order to catch the top three: "There are many problems to solve, that's true. The quali pace and the pace in general - we are still far from the top three teams and Red Bull that has the same power unit.

"So no doubts we need to improve, we need to bring updates and find more speed. This is 100 percent right. But at that same time, when we don't have that pace, when we don't have that speed, when we don't have that qualifying, we are still scoring decent points. So that gives us good confidence for the future."