Former Red Bull driver Mark Webber has called Fernando Alonso's situation at McLaren as a "travesty" as the Spaniard continues to struggle with the McLaren-Honda partnership. Alonso joined McLaren when the aforementioned manufacturers rekindled their relationship in 2015.
However, it has not gone smoothly, as McLaren is yet to break through the midfield. Currently, they sit last in the standings with no points, with the deal between McLaren and Honda looking on the verge of ending. Alonso has seen the chequered flag just once this season, at his home Grand Prix in Spain.
"It's a total waste and an absolute travesty that he's at the back of the grid, driving a car that's uncompetitive," Webber told GPUpdate.net at the FIA Sport Conference in Geneva. "He's still in a situation where he's driving phenomenally, though.
"I think his value has never been higher, with what he's done at the Indy 500, and with what he's done sometimes with that McLaren – Stoffel I don't think knows what's hit him. I've also been hearing incredible things about how awesome he was at Indy; [Alonso's mentor] Gil de Ferran, and I know Gil well, just said it was phenomenal how well he took to it."
Mercedes power
McLaren has been rumoured to be re-joining forces with Mercedes, who supplied them with engines from 1995 to 2014. Webber doesn't know if it will be enough to keep Alonso at the team, who has stated that he wants a championship winning car.
Webber continued: "Let's see what engine McLaren get, if they can hold him over the winter, and convince him that they're going to win next year. It still won't be the same engine as the silver cars, will it? McLaren would need to have half a second in the pocket from the car."
Fergal Walsh
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Maybe not, but it should be. He wont get anywhere else in F1, methinks, and if McLaren got more power they could very well be one of the better teams. Probably not on par with Ferrari or Mercedes, but I could see a RB vs McLaren fight.