Fernando Alonso has "total" confidence that he will return to the winner's circle this season, although where and when he does not know.
The two-time world champion's last F1 triumph was in Spain in 2013, with Ferrari, while his last podium was in Hungary the following year, also with the Scuderia.
"Total. Total," he said again when asked by Spain's AS newspaper how much confidence he has.
"I believe there are three engine manufacturers now at a very high level, and of the three, Mercedes has dominated in this era.
"But if you have to trust someone, you trust Renault, who in the last ten or 12 years has won six or seven times," Alonso added.
"Renault is an engine of guarantees and always has been," he said.
Alonso is on the verge of a very busy year, dovetailing his F1 commitments with a WEC schedule with Toyota, the center-piece of which will be the Le Mans 24 Hours in June.
"I will win" in 2018.
Asked if he can win in F1, Alonso answered: "I don't know. We'll see. But I said I am going to win this year and I will."
On the subject of McLaren's MCL33 which will be unveiled on February 23 in Woking, the Spaniard claims he hasn't seen his mount's new livery.
"I haven't seen the colours but if it is orange like in Indy it will be perfect," he said.
"But it's also perfect if a sponsor comes and paints it whatever colour at the last moment.
"What is really certain is that expectations are much better than we had in the last three winters. The atmosphere in the factory is much more positive," said Alonso.
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