McLaren-Honda racing director Eric Boullier says he is amazed by Fernando Alonso’s “unbelievable” race craft and mental alertness during a grand prix.
Considered as one of the best drivers on the current grid, the Spaniard has not tasted victory in over three years in the wake of a frustrating final season at Ferrari and an even more challenging return to Woking. But Boullier insists Alonso remains an elite talent.
“He is a complete driver,” the Frenchman told Motorsport.com. “He is fast on one lap. He is good enough to motivate the team, drive the team upwards, and his racecraft is unbelievable. In the race, he has a GPS head and knows exactly what is going on.”
Apart from a few outbursts of frustration, Alonso has generally put a brave face on McLaren-Honda’s travails, though the double world champion recently admitted that McLaren-Honda was still a long way off gunning for the title.
Boullier, who has been overseeing McLaren’s overhaul since 2014, says he understands the 34-year-old's eagerness to see his team make quicker progress.
“You cannot expect him to be happy when you have one of the best drivers in the world and he is such a strong competitor. I am not happy as well, so it is the same.
“I am here to race and win, and try to win. I want to have the chance to try to win, like Fernando.”
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