Formula 1

Fernando Alonso says he's still enjoying F1 despite McLaren frustration

Published Apr. 6, 2017 3:01 p.m. ET

Adam Cooper

Fernando Alonso joked today that driving an F1 car is still better than working in his local supermarket, despite his obvious frustrations after chasing his third World Championship for so long.

The McLaren driver was keen to counter a suggestion from Mark Webber that he might not see out the 2017 season, given his team’s lack of form. He also denied that he thought that recent seasons had been a waste of his time.

“I prefer to be here than in the supermarket in my hometown,” he said. “It’s normal from the outside, drivers speak. I also read comments from many people. In Spain if one ex-driver or motorbike driver has an interview, there’s always one question about Alonso, how difficult the situation is. Everyone is quite close to me, and it’s like I have a depression!

“It’s not like that. I’m in F1, I’m delivering at my best, I’m more prepared than ever, I’m performing I think at my best. You know the team is not very competitive now. OK, it’s true, nothing we can do from one day to another, so it’s hard work.

“At the same time I think the team is expecting an extra job from me now, an extra result from me, as we did in Australia – the predictions, the simulations, they said that we are last, and we were 10th. In China if the prediction says we are last, hopefully Alonso is in the points.”

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