Alonso: "Honda has 'found the way' with upgrade"

  • Published on 23 Oct 2015 13:24
  • comments 0
  • By: Kees Schooneman

It sounds odd, but Jenson Button says he wants McLaren teammate Fernando Alonso to "annihilate" him this weekend in Austin.

That is because only the Spaniard's car is equipped for the US grand prix with struggling partner Honda's newly-upgraded engine.

It was debuted only in practice two weeks ago in Russia, triggering unusual sounds of apparent genuine positivity from the troubled camp.

For a pair of champions like Alonso and Button, the Anglo-Japanese collaboration will have to make up an extraordinary amount of ground - 2.5 seconds per lap, according to Alonso - to be in a position to win races next year.

"I think so," Alonso answered when asked if that is actually possible, although he admitted McLaren-Honda would have to have the "perfect" off-season.

As for the new engine for Austin that is not fitted to Button's car, the Briton admitted that he will be barracking hard for his teammate.

"I'm hoping it's a good upgrade, he's really quick and he annihilates me all weekend," he smiled.

"It's unusual to say that, but in our situation it doesn't matter," added Button, referring to the fact that he will only get the new unit in Brazil.

Alonso agreed that the new Honda engine has opened up a "new direction of development" for 2016, amid earlier worries that the Japanese marque had lost its way.

"More important than a performance leap is that we have found the way," he added. "There are many good ideas about how we use it."

Another important task for McLaren-Honda over the winter will be to improve reliability, as "We cannot be using 11 engines again next year," Alonso insisted.

Finally, amid a lot of talk in the paddock on Thursday about the need for faster and more aggressive technical regulations from 2017, Alonso believes the sporting rules also need a re-think.

"Like the issue of penalties," he was quoted as saying by Spanish media.

"You watch MotoGP and see a touch (between riders) and nothing happens, but here it is different. Like in Sochi where hours after the race we saw drivers penalised."

Indeed, the driver penalised after Sochi was Kimi Raikkonen, who in Austin faced another barrage of questions about his crash with Valtteri Bottas.

"It's part of racing," the Finn argued. "I'm sure people like it more like that than just following each other."

Replies (0)

Login to reply

BE Grand Prix of Belgium

Local time 14:34

BEGrand Prix of Belgium

Local time 14:34

World Championship standings 2024

Show full world champion standings

Test calendar

See full test schedule

Related news

Give your opinion!

Will Bottas challenge Hamilton for the world championship in 2020?

Formula 1 Calendar - 2024

Date
Grand Prix
Circuit
-
Bahrain
29 - Mar 2 2024
Bahrain
7 - Mar 9 2024
Saudi Arabia
22 - Mar 24 2024
Australia
5 - Apr 7 2024
Japan
19 - Apr 21 2024
China
3 - May 5 2024
United States of America
17 - May 19 2024
Italy
24 - May 26 2024
Monaco
7 - Jun 9 2024
Canada
21 - Jun 23 2024
Spain
28 - Jun 30 2024
Austria
5 - Jul 7 2024
United Kingdom
19 - Jul 21 2024
Hungary
26 - Jul 28 2024
Belgium
23 - Aug 25 2024
Netherlands
30 - Sep 1 2024
Italy
13 - Sep 15 2024
Azerbaijan
20 - Sep 22 2024
Singapore
18 - Oct 20 2024
United States of America
25 - Oct 27 2024
Mexico
1 - Nov 3 2024
Brazil
22 - Nov 24 2024
United States of America
29 - Dec 1 2024
Qatar
6 - Dec 8 2024
United Arab Emirates
-
United Arab Emirates
See full schedule

Formula 1 Calendar - 2024

Date
Grand Prix & Circuit
29 - Mar 2 2024
7 - Mar 9 2024
Saudi Arabia Jeddah Street Circuit
22 - Mar 24 2024
Australia Albert Park
5 - Apr 7 2024
19 - Apr 21 2024
3 - May 5 2024
United States of America Miami International Autodrome
17 - May 19 2024
24 - May 26 2024
Monaco Monte Carlo
7 - Jun 9 2024
21 - Jun 23 2024
28 - Jun 30 2024
Austria Red Bull Ring
5 - Jul 7 2024
United Kingdom Silverstone
19 - Jul 21 2024
Hungary Hungaroring
26 - Jul 28 2024
23 - Aug 25 2024
Netherlands Circuit Zandvoort
30 - Sep 1 2024
Italy Monza
13 - Sep 15 2024
Azerbaijan Baku City Circuit
20 - Sep 22 2024
18 - Oct 20 2024
United States of America Circuit of the Americas
25 - Oct 27 2024
1 - Nov 3 2024
Brazil Interlagos
22 - Nov 24 2024
United States of America Las Vegas Street Circuit
29 - Dec 1 2024
6 - Dec 8 2024
United Arab Emirates Yas Marina Circuit
-
United Arab Emirates Yas Marina Circuit
See full schedule

Driver profile

  • Team Aston Martin
  • Points 572
  • Podiums 9
  • Grand Prix 168
  • Country ES
  • Date of b. Jul 29 1981 (43)
  • Place of b. Oviedo, ES
  • Weight 68 kg
  • Length 1.71 m
Show full profile

Team profile

Show full profile
show sidebar