Fernando Alonso’s motivation levels will help push McLaren on, according to the team’s engineering director Matt Morris.
McLaren endured a difficult opening pre-season test at Jerez, with the new Honda-powered MP4-30 completing just 79 laps over the four days. With Alonso joining from Ferrari and having failed to add to the second of his two championships which he won in 2006, Morris says the motivation is clear to see and has a positive impact on the rest of the team at McLaren.
“Fernando has been absolutely itching to get in the car over the last few months,” Morris said. “I think [Jerez was] a frustrating few days for him, but he’s happy. I think he’s going to push us on as a team.
“Just his motivation levels when he’s in the garage, when he’s in the office and in the simulator is massively high and that sort of knocks on to everybody else really. It pushes everybody else on, so we’re really looking forward to this year.”
Alonso will drive the MP4-30 on Saturday and Sunday of the second test at the Circuit de Catalunya, with Jenson Button driving on the opening two days.
Feature: A closer look at the McLaren MP4-30
Click here for the full final day gallery from the Jerez test
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