Alonso ‘probably’ should’ve left sooner

With the situation getting "more and more sad" at Ferrari, Fernando Alonso says in hindsight he "probably" should have left sooner.

The double World Champion parted ways with Ferrari at the end of last season, bringing to an end a five-year relationship.

Although it yielded three runner-up results in the Championship and 11 race wins, it was largely deemed unsuccessful as they failed to win a World title.

Asked whether he should have left earlier, the Spaniard told CNN's The Circuit: "Probably, yes.

"The car was not competitive at all and things were getting more and more sad.

"So probably one or two years less was the best thing, but you know we tried to do our best and we fought until the end of every single race.

"After five years in Ferrari, being second all the time, I think it was enough for me."

As for his decision to join McLaren, who are struggling just to score points with new engine partner Honda, Alonso says whatever happens, it will done as "one" team.

"I didn't want to give up and I wanted always to keep believing that it was possible and to keep the dream alive.

"Last year I realized that with the Mercedes domination it was not possible to win for Ferrari in the short term and a new project was the best idea.

"McLaren was a risky project because they were completely new, but we are one team – we win and we lose together."

He added: "With Ferrari sometimes, you win or you lose depending on what the mood of the team in general, of the group in general.

"It's a very big team, with some good things, some bad things, and as I said it's good to experience and to live once being in Ferrari.

"But the most important thing is to win and to feel competitive – and at the moment Mercedes are the guys that we need to beat."