Alonso preps for one of McLaren's 'best opportunities'

Fernando Alonso heads to Budapest in a positive frame of mind as the Spaniard talks up McLaren's chances of securing a good result on the twisty Hungaroring. 

On a layout which puts the emphasis on chassis performance rather than engine output, Alonso believes the Hungarian GP may provide the Woking-based outfit with a rare occasion to garner some good points and potentially it second top-ten finish of the year. 

“On paper, the Hungaroring presents one of the best opportunities for us this year,” Alonso said.

“The short, twisty circuit means we are less reliant on outright power, and the drivers have to really depend on the capabilities of the chassis to get the best out of the lap."

• Mercedes' Cowell: 'My money is on Honda and McLaren coming good'

Obviously, the prospect of a points finish is only possible if the Spaniard is spared any reliability woes, the persistent Achilles heel for McLaren-Honda this year.

But on a track where grid position is also paramount, Alonso will be crossing his fingers on the run-up to Sunday to avoid any race-defeating penalty's associated with component changes on his Honda power unit.

The two-time world champion's massive grid penalty for the British GP was actually taken deliberately and precisely for  the purpose of maximizing his chances of big result in Budapest.

"The important thing for us, as always, is reliability," he said.

"Even if our car could perform better in Hungary, we need to have a trouble-free weekend to take advantage of every opportunity for points.

"We made some big decisions in Silverstone in terms of taking grid penalties in preparation for this race, and hope that’s paid off so we can put ourselves in the best possible position for points this weekend."

GALLERY: F1 drivers' wives and girlfriends

Keep up to date with all the F1 news via Facebook and Twitter