Alonso and Button won’t tolerate 2015 repeat

McLaren racing director Eric Boullier believes Fernando Alonso and Jenson Button will not tolerate a repeat of the team’s struggles in 2016.

Reliability issues with the Honda power unit severely hampered McLaren’s competitiveness in 2015, with the team scoring a total of 27 points as the team finished ninth in the constructors’ championship. While the drivers voiced their displeasure on a handful of occasions, both Alonso and Button were largely patient with the team’s struggles in the first year of Honda’s return to F1.

Asked if the two drivers would remain as understanding if McLaren was still clearly struggling during pre-season testing, Boullier told Motorsport.com: "I don't think so.

“We cannot have another year like this…

"The drivers have bought into what we have done because we have been transparent with them. But for sure they don't want to have another one like this. They are in F1 to compete to win, or to be competitive at least.”

However, Boullier says he is encouraged by the way both Alonso and Button maintained a positive outlook throughout the problems last season.

"What is very important for me is that even at the last race they were still in some ways positive with us. They were frustrated by the lack of performance, but to have them after 19 races still in this mood was good.

"I read some comments again from Fernando saying that he had no regrets about his move and he believes in the team – which he says every two weeks, and when he is talking to the factory he says the same.

"So to have this trust still intact after the season [we've had], that for me is very, very reassuring."

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