Alonso: Renault giving McLaren F1 more facts than Honda

Fernando Alonso says Renault are already giving McLaren more facts and figures about its Formula 1 power unit than Honda offered during its tough three-year stint as an engine partner.

McLaren cut ties with Honda after a torrid 2017 season that saw the team finish ninth in the constructors' championship, opting to link up with French manufacturer Renault from 2018.

The move has given Alonso and the team hope of returning to the front of the field, with neither scoring a single podium finish during the second McLaren-Honda era.

While the start of the season is still six weeks away, Alonso is already encouraged by the progress Renault is making, saying there is more firm proof of progress than Honda offered.

"We are very confident," Alonso said. "At McLaren, we’ve made huge changes for this year. The more obvious is the power unit with the Renault switch which I think has quite a high motivation now in the team.

"The mood for all of us is quite different this year compared to the last few years. We always had expectations that the season could be a good one for us.

"But I think this year we have more facts than any previous year. They were only hopes. This year we have more numbers that we can touch finally.

"As you said, we would like to be on the podiums. We would like to be fighting for the race wins if the opportunity arrives. And I think the team now is ready.

"I think the struggles that we had in the last three years made the team very strong."