Boullier: Alonso happy with McLaren

16 April 2015 08:17

McLaren racing director Eric Boullier believes people are foolhardy in trying to drive a wedge between the team and star driver Fernando Alonso.

Over the past few weeks since returning to action after missing the opening race in Australia due to a concussion sustained in a pre-season test, Alonso has been continually asked questions as to his happiness.

Despite McLaren languishing towards the back of the grid and watching former team Ferrari return to winning ways and potential championship contention, the double world champion insists he is content with his decision.

Alonso, and everybody within McLaren, is convinced that despite the current issues with new power-unit supplier Honda, the team will be back at the front sooner rather than later.

Boullier said: "People want to make stories between Fernando and us, but there aren't any.

"He's happy - he keeps saying he's happy. I don't know how many times I have to repeat it."

Boullier feels Alonso just needs time to settle into the team as it will be a new way of working for the Spaniard after five years with Ferrari.

"Even though he raced here (at McLaren) seven years ago, the team and the people around him are new," Boullier added.

"So you need some time for everybody to click together, but I can tell you I'm very happy with the atmosphere in the team and the way it works now.

"Things can only get better the longer the season goes on."

The positive for Alonso and McLaren is that both saw the chequered flag in Shanghai, even if it was only 12th position.

But in proving the Honda power unit is reliable, as team-mate Jenson Button also finished, Boullier reckons the team can finally start to extract the full potential from the system.

With a new-spec power unit also due for the start of the European season in Spain in early May, Boullier is hoping McLaren can be at the front of the midfield pack very soon.

"There was a major step in terms of the reliability package in China, no issues, which was a good achievement," he said.

"Now we know we can power up the engine. It's only with the same base but we know we have some potential we can unlock with this engine, hopefully starting this weekend in Bahrain.

"In Barcelona we then have another spec coming, so we keep going and improving every race.

"The potential of the engine we know is quite high, so there will be a push for the European campaign, and even on the car itself we have another strong aerodynamic package coming in Barcelona.

"As the gap in the midfield is not that high and we are gaining half a second, more or less, every weekend, in one go we could be in the middle, or maybe even the front of the midfield.

"It's not our target, but."

Source: PA