McLaren is improving, says Alonso - Sports News - Fanatics - the world's biggest events

McLaren is improving, says Alonso

By Robert Grant 29/03/2006 05:39:20 PM Comments (0)

World Formula One champion Fernando Alonso insists McLaren will be the team of the future, despite clear indications his Renault outfit will again be dominant this year.

Alonso has a healthy points lead already after winning the season-opener for Renault in Bahrain, while teammate Giancarlo Fisichella clinched the Malaysian round.

The pair is poised to duel for the championship this season but Alonso said he had no regrets about his decision to switch to McLaren in 2007.

"I think this year we will be okay with Renault and next year we will see," Alonso said.

"Every season is completely different in performance in the team so if McLaren is no good this year it's even better for me because I can win the title with Renault.

"But I'm totally confident that in the next three years the best team will be the McLaren," he said.

"Formula One is always a gamble when you change teams but McLaren is one of the teams that is always there."

Alonso is focused on the year ahead with Renault and says he plans to leave the French outfit on a high and says he is already confident about the outcome after Bahrain and Malaysia.

"After these races we know the car is competitive, it has won the first two races and that gives me the conviction that we can be quick at the next 16 rounds too," he said.

"It is a difficult feeling to explain but having seen what the car can do I don't have any doubts that we can win the championship again.

"I am very optimistic after these opening rounds."

Alonso believes that Fisichella presents one of the major hurdles to him securing back-to-back world titles - but also feels veteran Michael Schumacher is set to spark a Ferrari revival.

"I'm happy if I have to fight with my teammate because it means that the car is competitive and it's good news for the team and for me," Alonso said.

"But I think at the end always Michael and (Kimi) Raikkonen will be at the top in the championship at the end of the year."

Despite Alonso's move to McLaren, he was confident that Renault would not favour Fisichella in the title fight.

"There is not any question about that," Alonso said.

"The two drivers will have the same opportunities as we did last year.

"Renault is one of the teams that always puts the two drivers in the same conditions and even if I am leaving the team, I saw in the first two races that nothing has changed compared to last year," he said.

"They know that we can win the championship so they need to help us."

Fisichella has widely been regarded as a talented racer who has suffered through bad luck or circumstances but this season he feels may be his best chance of annexing the championship.

"In the winter I said that I wanted to go for the championship and these (past two) races have shown that I have the chance to do well at every circuit and to fight for the title," Fisichella said.

"That is my dream and my goal this year ... the atmosphere within the team is fantastic and the feeling is very positive."

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