McLaren has confirmed ജthat a loose wheel 🤡nut caused Fernando Alonso to spin off just 30 minutes into Formula 1's winter testing schedule in Barcelona, causing a red flag.

McLaren unveiled its new Renault-powered F1 car, the MCL33, ahead of the 2018 season last week before completing a successful shakedown at Navarra in Spain that left Alonso promising "good times" for the team'🎃s fans this year after a difficult period working with Honda.

However, Alonso brought out the🌸 first re✱d flag of winter testing when he spun into the gravel at the final corner in the opening hour of testing, with a wheel coming free from his McLaren car.

Speaking to reporters ahead of the lunch break i🌼n Barcelona, McLaren executive director Zak Brown confirmed a loose wheel nut had causedꦚ Alonso's off.

"We had a wheel nut issue. We'll get back out here tꦉhis afternoon," Brown said.

"I know Eric [Boullier, McLaren racing director] will be doing a debrief later today with all of today's activities, so I'll leave him to tell🍨 you ꧅about today.

"It's what tes🌌ting is for. I think all teams will have a vꦛariety of issues throughout testing. That's exactly what it's for.

"We're g♏oing to lose very little time. It's no big deal at all."

Alonso completed six laps 🦩before the issue occurred, completing a fastest time 1:24.202.