Fernando Alonso was sounding cautiously upbeat as he helped unveil the new McLaren contender for the forthcoming 2017 Formula One campaign.
Speaking after taking the covers off the new orange-and-black MCL32, the two-time world champion emphasised the progress that the team had made in the last year and pointed out that the new downforce and tyre regulation changes would give the team a crucial opportunity to make more progress this year.
“I think there’s a lot to admire about what we’ve achieved over the past 12 months," he said.
"Sure, the results haven’t really showcased it, but we’ve really made progress, and I think the whole team has gelled together through those difficult times.
"Now, at a moment of significant regulatory change, we need to capitalise on that period of uncertainty to push forwards – and I’m confident that we’ve got the expertise to do just that.
“What I’ve seen of the MCL32 appears to be really promising – the new regulations seem to be well thought-out, and the cars look fast and aggressive.
"The look of the car makes me really want to get in the cockpit – I’ve lost none of that all-important hunger every Formula 1 driver needs.
"It will be sexier when it's fast," he quipped at the official launch of the new car on Friday.
“We still think the start of the season will be a challenge – we can’t ignore the fact that we’re still coming from a significant step behind the current front-runners – but I’d like to think we can target the second half of the year as a time when we’ll really be able to start making useful performance steps.
"The aim is to look respectable this year," he added. "And I’d like to think we can achieve that.”
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