- McLaren
McLaren 'more open' than in 2007 - Alonso
Fernando Alonso says the McLaren team he has joined in 2015 is far more open to new ideas and innovations than the one he left in acrimonious circumstances in 2007.
Alonso completed a remarkable return to McLaren from Ferrari over the winter, the team he left after just one season eight years ago following a bitter feud with team-mate Lewis Hamilton and after threatening Ron Dennis with incriminating e-mails relating to the Spygate scandal. He and Dennis have now reconciled their differences and Alonso admits both he and the team have changed for the better in the years he spent away from Woking.
"I think it's different - it's more open, I'm different as well," Alonso said when asked about his new team. "I was 25 years old when I joined McLaren the first time so I'm definitely different. I think it's the perfect time to re-join because we share some goals. With the arrival of Eric [Boullier] the team is much more open and let's say international, there are people from many teams joining McLaren this year."
The Spaniard thinks McLaren's aggressive design of the MP4-30 and the arrival of Honda are proof of the new way of thinking.
"The mentality is very open and the design of the car is quite different from the last couple of years with the arrival of Peter [Prodromou, ex-Red Bull designer] as well. Honda after 22 years coming back, too, so the whole team is believing in the project and excited to do well. The commitment is maximum from everyone and that's a fantastic feeling."
Though Honda completed just 79 laps over the four days of testing in Jerez, Alonso has no doubts Honda can be a force to be reckoned with because of its rich motor racing heritage.
"Definitely, I see a lot of potential," Alonso said when quizzed about Honda's ability to compete this year. "I'm delighted to work with the Honda guys and saw from the first day how passionate they were about motor racing in general. It's not just the Formula One project, it's the way they live and they think. It's the culture, I'm a big fan of Japanese culture and they carry that experience over to their work. I know sooner or later we will deliver what we want to do because I really think with Honda if they want to do something they will achieve it."
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