’Great years lie ahead’ for Alonso - Dennis

X (Twitter)X (Twitter)
FacebookFacebook
WhatsappWhatsapp

McLaren boss Ron Dennis says Fernando Alonso knows “great years lie ahead of him” at the team.

Alonso rejoined McLaren at the start of 2015 with the team having left Mercedes to work with former engine partner Honda. While Honda’s return to F1 proved to be troublesome, Dennis insists Alonso has not grown frustrated with the situation this year as he is convinced the difficult start to the partnership will pay off in the future.

"Fernando’s contract is of three years’ duration - no performance clauses, no nothing,” Dennis told the official Formula One website. “He always knew that 2015 would be a learning year. He knows equally well that, together with Honda, we’ll make big improvements. So he joined us with open eyes.

"Together with the expertise and experience he’s cultivated over the past 15 years spent racing in Formula One, he still bristles with energy and enthusiasm. He’s had better years than 2015, obviously; but he knows that great years lie ahead of him, with McLaren-Honda.”

Alonso’s best result of 2015 was fifth place in the Hungarian Grand Prix, resulting in the first time he has failed to score a podium in a season since his debut with Minardi in 2001. While Dennis revealed the pair had entertained the idea of Alonso taking a sabbatical at one stage, the Spaniard says his motivation to race will never waver.

“We will be racing,” Alonso said. “100%. If I had to choose a sabbatical I would have chosen this one, but I was [racing] and pushing and giving my maximum. I always will.”

Mercedes: Ferrari not involved in data theft

Romain Grosjean exclusive: From Lotus to Haas

Use the red tabs on either side of the screen to scroll through more Formula One news and features

Click here for a gallery of the McLaren MP4-X

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

Andrew Lewin

Andrew first became a fan of Formula 1 during the time when Michael Schumacher and Damon Hill were stepping into the limelight after the era of Alain Prost, Nigel Mansell and Aryton Senna. He's been addicted ever since, and has been writing about the sport now for nearly a quarter of a century for a number of online news sites. He's also written professionally about GP2 (now Formula 2), GP3, IndyCar, World Rally Championship, MotoGP and NASCAR. In his other professional life, Andrew is a freelance writer, social media consultant, web developer/programmer, and digital specialist in the fields of accessibility, usability, IA, online communities and public sector procurement. He worked for many years in magazine production at Bauer Media, and for over a decade he was part of the digital media team at the UK government's communications department. Born and raised in Essex, Andrew currently lives and works in south-west London.

Recent Posts

Newey reveals unexpected cost of F1’s budget cap

Legendary F1 designer Adrian Newey has made a striking revelation about the sport’s financial landscape,…

7 hours ago

Williams already enjoying ‘positive momentum’ from Sainz input

Carlos Sainz's arrival at Williams is already proving to be a catalyst for positive change,…

9 hours ago

Vasseur: Ferrari must take risks and hit the ground running

Ferrari team principal Frédéric Vasseur has laid down the gauntlet ahead of the 2025 Formula…

11 hours ago

A tribute to a talented fallen F1 hopeful

Roger Williamson - the young British F1 hopeful who was lost to motorsport in a…

12 hours ago

Horner: Red Bull-Ford powertrain debut a ‘monumental moment’

The clock is ticking. In just twelve months, the roar of a Red Bull-Ford powertrain…

13 hours ago

Iconic Mercedes W196 R becomes most valuable F1 car ever sold

It’s not every day that an F1 car fetches a price that could buy an…

14 hours ago