Alonso: Hopefully rivals don’t deliver

Editor

As F1 prepares for the first shots to be fired in the development war, Fernando Alonso admits he hopes McLaren’s rivals “don’t deliver” with their Spanish upgrades.

The Spanish Grand Prix traditionally marks the first race where teams bring massive updates for their cars.

McLaren is one team that is expected to introduce a vastly different car with team boss Eric Boullier billing it as their “real” 2018 challenger.

However, whether it will see McLaren’s form improve, or the gap grow bigger, remains to be seen.

Alonso said: “In Barcelona there is a new aero package coming, but I think 95 percent of the paddock is bringing a new aero package to Barcelona.

“So, maybe the gap remains as it is, or we just recover a little bit, or we lose more ground.

“Who knows?

“I think it is up to us to make that package work to expectations and hopefully some others, they don’t deliver.

“That is our hope.”

Although Alonso is sixth in this year’s championship with 28 points, the Spaniard has yet to feature in Saturday’s Q3.

Neither has Stoffel Vandoorne, who is 14th with eight points on the board, which has helped McLaren to fourth in the Constructors’ Championship.