There will be no miracles at McLaren - Alonso

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In case there were any doubts, Fernando Alonso reminded everyone that there is no instant fix to McLaren-Honda's problems.

The Spanish driver's frustration has been apparent since the team's dismal performance in pre-season testing on the back of renewed performance and reliability issues associared with its Honda power unit.

While Alonso insists no miracles are in the works, he will not completely right-off the opening races of the season.

"Definitely it’s frustrating and I’m not happy with it," said Alonso.

"But it’s the way it is and hopefully we can improve the situation. I already asked the team to have a reaction very strong and very soon because obviously this is Formula 1 – no one will wait for you more than one day, more than one hour.

"This is not a charity game, this is Formula 1, so we need to improve the situation, change the gear, raise our level and compete hard and hopefully enjoy the challenge.”

"I'm sure the team worked very hard in the last couple of weeks to improve the situation and arrive a little bit more ready to compete here. But in Formula 1 there are no miracles in two weeks so I expect a difficult weekend."

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Alonso urges a pragmatic approach, aware of the team's limited potential for now but also of racing's sometimes surprising unfolding of events.

"So we have to have the feet on the ground knowing we have some problems to solve. But, at the same time, this is racing, it's not testing anymore, and anything can happen here.

"There are retirements that can happen so we need to enter the weekend with the mind of having some knowledge and some positive things from this weekend.

"Hopefully pushing a little bit more and finding the limits because in winter testing we were not able to push at any time."

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.