Fernando Alonso says that coming to Silverstone as part of the McLaren Honda F1 Team is a special feeling due to the reception they get from the British fans, and it is exciting for him to come back again and again every year.
The Spaniard, twice a British Grand Prix winner back in 2006 and 2011, admits to enjoying the challenge for the circuit, and feels that a good result there is always well-deserved as it means he has survived a ‘tricky track and tough race.’
“Silverstone is a racetrack that I enjoy coming back to year after year,” said Alonso. “Everyone knows it as a real driver’s track, with an incredible history and amazing support from the fans, so it’s a special weekend for every driver.
“For a McLaren driver, it’s even more special, and the reception we get from the British fans is always fantastic.
“I really enjoy the challenge of this circuit, and a good result there always feels like its well-deserved, because it’s a tricky track and a tough race.”
Alonso is hoping for better luck at Silverstone after seeing his Austrian Grand Prix ended after just one lap after getting caught up in a first corner crash, and although this weekend’s venue is a high-speed track, he hopes that McLaren can show good speed, particularly around the corners, something that they have been good doing in 2017 so far.
“I hope we will have more luck at our home race than we did last weekend in Austria – it was an unfortunate incident and I hope we can bounce back, fight hard as always, and see what we can do in the race,” said Alonso.
“The characteristics of the Silverstone circuit are high-speed, but also high-grip, and I’m excited to see how this year’s cars perform on this track – especially on the faster sections of the circuit. Let’s see if we can maximise the strengths of our car in the corners and fight for the best possible result for the team.
“It’s important that we can stay out of trouble at the start, and have good reliability throughout the weekend so that we can build momentum in every session leading up to the race.”
