Spaniard hopes "massive achievement" will be obtained in 2017, but stresses McLaren and Honda must "accelerate" development
Monday 19 September 2016 14:28, UK
Fernando Alonso believes winning the first race for the revived McLaren-Honda partnership would represent his greatest achievement in F1.
The two-time world champion says the team have been buoyed by recent progress after scoring points in four of the last six races to move up to sixth in the Constructors' Championship.
Although podium finishes remain unlikely this season, Alonso remains hopeful they can make a big step forward when the sport's aerodynamic rules are overhauled for 2017.
Asked if claiming the first win of McLaren's second Honda era would represent his greatest achievement, Alonso said: "Yes. The first win with this project will be quite a big thing for any of us.
"I don't know if I will have that chance or Stoffel [Vandoorne, his 2017 team-mate] will have that chance or whatever, but when that day arrives everyone who was involved in this project from day one, from being 10 seconds away in winter testing last year and 5.8 seconds in Australia in the first race last year and things like that, when that first win arrives it will be a massive achievement."
McLaren finished a dismal ninth in last year's standings, so the prospect of a top-six finish represents clear progress for the partnership and Alonso admits the upturn has been timely.
"We really needed to see this progress," he said. "Last year we had a lot of trust in the project.
"This year at the beginning we had a lot of trust - no one had any doubt McLaren-Honda will win sooner or later - but to see us competing with some of the teams that was unthinkable some months ago, or even in Spa finishing in front of one Williams and one Ferrari, it was really needed for the team.
"The factory and everyone in the team now sees this progress after their hard work and now it's extra motivation for everyone as we all know we just need the last step."
The 35-year-old, whose contract is currently set to expire at the end of next year, has previously set the ambitious target of a title fight in 2017 and added that "everyone is more excited, more motivated and everybody wants to arrive in Australia next year already now".
However, having experienced more ups and downs than most in a 15-year career, Alonso warned: "To make that [step] real we need to work very hard for the next months and we need to accelerate the process because in Formula 1 no one waits forever.
"Things change quickly. New regulations are coming next year. Maybe new regulations are coming after two years. So you really need to speed up everything you do in Formula 1 because there is no time to relax."
