Fernando Alonso hopes McLaren-Honda can continue their momentum into the Belgian Grand Prix, when Formula 1 returns this weekend after the Summer-break.
The McLaren driver finished the German Grand Prix in twelfth after struggling with tyre degradation, and Alonso headed into the three-week break disappointed with the performance. However, he is now focused on the Grand Prix at the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps.
The Belgian circuit is seen to be a tough challenge for not only the car but the driver behind the wheel. The Spaniard believes it won’t be an easy Grand Prix for the Woking-based outfit but they will still push themselves to achieve points.
“Spa is an incredible circuit that definitely deserves its reputation as a legendary place to go racing,” said Alonso. “You have to have a strong package there, in terms of performance and reliability.
“More than 70 per cent of the lap is spent at full throttle, which will be a challenge in itself, but we’ve shown over the past few races that, even on the circuits that statistically should be difficult for us, we’ve worked hard and surprised ourselves with our level of performance relative to our competitors.
“It’s a long lap, with two very high-speed sections and a twistier section, so we have to find the right balance between the two to get the best car set-up. We’re seeing good correlation between the data back at base and in the car on track, so I hope we can continue our momentum and get the maximum out of the weekend.
“This circuit is always a tough challenge for car and driver but if we can pull all the elements together we can enjoy a positive weekend. It won’t be an easy race, but as always we’ll be pushing for points as hard as we can.”
