Fernando Alonso says his current McLaren-Honda team is the best Formula One outfit he has worked with through his storied career, despite winning two world titles with Renault in 2005/06 and nearly adding a third crown at Ferrari.
Although it ended in acrimony, the Spaniard’s first spell with the Woking-based team in 2007 was also much more successful with four wins and another eight podiums.
Since returning to McLaren ahead of the 2015 campaign, Alonso’s best results have been a meagre trio of fifth-place finishes, though the 35-year-old managed to increase his points tally five-fold in 2016.
“I’m happy, I'm with the best team of my career,” Alonso was quoted as saying by Autosport.
“The level of knowledge and detail that I found here is probably the best. The analysis, the work in the factory, the philosophy of designing the car is completely different to what I was used to.
“The driver input and the driver implications are much greater here so we're just missing a competitive car. For organisation and things like that, the team is just amazing.”
While Alonso’s decision to leave Ferrari at the end of 2014 looked unfortunate given the Scuderia’s strong recovery the following season, the 32-time grand prix winner says his former team’s 2016 struggles vindicate his career move.
“I had a fantastic five years in Ferrari,” Alonso added.
“I think if I was racing [for Ferrari] in these two years, I probably would be in a situation now [where I'd be] very frustrated, very sad, sixth instead of second.
“At least when I was there I was fighting for the championship until the last race. Now it seems they are fifth and sixth behind even Red Bull so the situation could be worse.
“I had this fantastic feeling and this big love for Ferrari, but it was the right time to say 'bye, bye' because I wanted to stop on a high.”
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