McLaren losing out by not testing tyres - Alonso

Fernando Alonso says McLaren is losing out compared to Mercedes, Ferrari and Red Bull by not testing tyres for 2017 with Pirelli.

The top three teams have all supplied mule cars to carry out testing with the wider tyres which will be introduced in 2017, with a final test featuring all three teams to take place after the final race in Abu Dhabi. Asked if McLaren is missing out by not partaking in the tests itself, Alonso replied: “Yeah I think so.

"I think so because there is always something to learn, always a feeling you have with the tyres. Even if they are old cars, I’m sure the teams are learning how the tyres behaves, the flow of the tyre, these are things they don’t say because they are taking the advantage but… They are taking the advantage.”

Having tested McLaren's developing 2017 car in the simulator, Alonso believes the tyres will again by crucial to a team's competitiveness next year but is reserving judgement on them at this stage.

"Obviously the car is faster and has more grip coming from the aerodynamic improvements and the tyres, but everything is a guess at the moment. Especially with the tyres, we didn’t even try the tyres so I think we need to be very calm about the prospects of next year.

"We need to arrive at the test and see how the tyres perform which is probably the biggest question mark, because even this year in Q2 or Q3, you put the supersoft tyre on here and it’s a fantastic feeling in the first sector. But then in lap 2 you are three seconds slower, which is what we don’t like.

"So I think next year I don’t think it will matter, I don’t care if we’re five seconds quicker in the first lap then three seconds slower in the next so…. I think we need to wait and see what is there.”

However, Alonso does not believe the tyres will be crucial in terms of the success of the new regulations.

"Probably not. As I said I think it will be the biggest question mark for next year, but if they are performing differently I think the teams will adapt very quickly to what the tyre is doing, especially the big teams like McLaren. It will take two weeks, or three weeks but we will understand the tyre and exploit it at the maximum."