Boullier 'proud' of the battles fought by McLaren in 2017

As it prepares to end a campaign in which good results were once again a rare commodity, McLaren should be proud of its achievements, says race director Eric Boullier.

The Woking-based struggled for a third successive year as it remained pinned down by the dismal reliability and performance of its Honda power unit.

The team's best result to date has been a P6 finish delivered by Fernando Alonso in Hungary, but Boullier insists on emphasising his team's efforts in the face of adversity.

"As we look ahead to the sun setting on the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and the 2017 season, I’m proud of the battles we’ve fought and the achievements we’ve made as team this year, despite the lack of results and their respective influence on the championship table," says Boullier.

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"Every member of our team has worked tirelessly to improve our package, race by race, and this weekend will be no exception, as we strive to make the most of every session before the close of the season for the winter shutdown.

"We use every single opportunity on track to evaluate and improve our package and learn valuable lessons for next year, and this weekend will be just as important as ever."

McLaren will initiate a new partnership with Renault in 2018, and while it is eager to put its current season in the rear-view mirror and focus on the future, the team will still rely on this year's experience to help it deliver a competitive car.

"With the relative stability in the regulations between 2017 and ’18, it means a lot of the data we’ve gathered, especially over the last few races, will still stand us in good stead over the winter and help inform the all-important decisions we make on next year’s package."

For Boullier, closing the curtain in Abu Dhabi won't diminish the McLaren-Honda team's commitment next weekend.

"I know I can speak for the whole team when I say that each and every one of us embarks on our final grand prix weekend as McLaren Honda in Abu Dhabi with both optimism and respect.

"Every single person has worked incredibly hard over the past three years and remained committed through the highs and lows we’ve experienced together until the very last race.

"All of us will go into the weekend with exactly the same aim – to work hard and do everything we can to finish the season positively."

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