Stoffel Vandoorne says McLaren has made encouraging progress with its MP4-31 since he made his Formula 1 debut at last month's Bahrain Grand Prix. Vandoorne returned to action on Wednesday for the first time since he scored a point at Sakhir, and set the second quickest time for McLaren. "The car felt good straight away," he said. "Of course, I had a few laps of adjusting to the car, but it definitely has progressed since I raced it in Bahrain. "Although it’s easier to get […]

Fernando Alonso was left to lament a squandered chance for points after he retired from his home event for the second successive year. Alonso secured McLaren's first Q3 appearance since its reunion with Honda during qualifying for the Spanish Grand Prix, but pulled off the circuit during the race due to a loss of power. Team-mate Jenson Button scored points courtesy of ninth spot but Alonso rued a missed opportunity. "My car felt okay, but I didn’t manage to make a good start and lost […]

Fernando Alonso hailed a "good step" for McLaren as the outfit returned to Q3 at the Spanish Grand Prix for the first time since reuniting with Honda at the start of 2015. McLaren has edged closer to the top 10 shootout across recent events and Alonso managed to move into Q3 for the first time at his home race. "Today is the first time in a long while that I haven’t watched Q3 on television," he joked. "This is new-shape McLaren-Honda’s first time in Q3 […]

Stoffel Vandoorne says he is aware of interest from rival outfits as he bids to secure a full-time seat with McLaren in 2017. Vandoorne, the reigning GP2 champion, has acted as McLaren's test and reserve driver this year and was called up to race in Bahrain, where he went on to score a point courtesy of 10th position. Vandoorne insists his target is to secure a 2017 race seat with McLaren but is sure he would be a target for other teams should Jenson Button […]

Fernando Alonso says McLaren is "much more optimistic" than it was last month as it prepares for a sequence of races which he believes should suit the outfit's package. Alonso ended a nine-month barren spell when he collected sixth place at the Russian Grand Prix and is optimistic that the MP4-31 can show strongly across the next few events. "I think the car is improving and we are getting more and more competitive in the races," he said ahead of his gome event this weekend. […]

McLaren reserve driver Stoffel Vandoorne will pilot the squad's MP4-31 during in-season testing next week. Vandoorne, the reigning GP2 champion, will drive the car during testing next Wednesday, after regular driver Jenson Button runs on Tuesday. Vandoorne made his Formula 1 debut at the Bahrain Grand Prix after filling in for the unfit Fernando Alonso, where he finished 10th. Vandoorne is racing full-time in the Japan-based Super Formula championship, where he placed third on his debut at Suzuka last month. Barcelona test line-up so far: […]

Jenson Button has played down McLaren's prospects of a strong result in Spain this weekend but is adamant that the outfit is working tirelessly to move up the grid. Button scored his first point of the season in Russia as team-mate Fernando Alonso took sixth, but the Briton is more downbeat over McLaren's chances of repeating such a result at Formula 1's traditional test venue. "The Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya is not a circuit that would traditionally suit us, since it’s fairly hard on both the […]

Fernando Alonso is hopeful that he can reward his home fans by breaking into Q3 at this weekend's Spanish Grand Prix. Alonso has not appeared in the final segment of qualifying since his return to McLaren in 2015, but the outfit has been on an upwards trajectory, with the Spaniard finishing the Russian Grand Prix in sixth place. Alonso, who claimed his most recent Grand Prix victory at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya three years ago, is sure data from pre-season testing at the track will […]

McLaren Racing Director Eric Boullier is sure that his squad has "turned the corner" after securing a double points finish at the Russian Grand Prix. McLaren endured a dismal 2015 campaign but made progress across the course of the winter, with Stoffel Vandoorne collecting the team's first point in Bahrain. Further issues for Fernando Alonso and Jenson Button restricted the pair from scoring points until Russia, where Alonso collected sixth place and Button rounded out the top 10. "A double points finish is a great […]

Fernando Alonso says McLaren has high expectations for the upcoming two Grands Prix in Spain and Monaco after he ended his barren spell with sixth place in Russia. Alonso made progress on the opening lap before profiting when Max Verstappen retired to claim sixth spot overall, his first points since Hungary last year. Alonso's points, allied to Jenson Button's 10th place finish, lifted McLaren into seventh in the championship and the Spaniard is optimistic that further gains can be made when the sport returns to […]

McLaren's Fernando Alonso accepts the team is just missing a "couple of tenths" which would help propel the team towards the front end of the midfield pack. Alonso qualified in 14th position for the Russian Grand Prix, though he was just 0.201s adrift of Red Bull's Daniil Kvyat, who finished 10th in Q2 and thus progressed through to the final segment of qualifying. Alonso is confident that McLaren can fight its way past midfield rivals and score points at Sochi. "The lap times at the […]

Fernando Alonso reckons McLaren can make it through to Q3 at the Russian Grand Prix after an encouraging pair of Friday practice sessions for the team in Russia. Alonso finished the second session at the Sochi Autodrom in 10th position, while team-mate Jenson Button was eighth, giving the Spaniard confidence that it can compete for the top 10 placings in qualifying. "Getting at least one car into Q3 tomorrow would be good news for us," he said. "I think that’s possible. I know in the […]