Fernando Alonso says he is glad to see the changes made at McLaren ov꧟er the past year start to pay off following the team’s strong start to the Formula 1 season.

McLaren impressed in Bahrain last weekend by getting both of its cars through to Q3 before 168澳洲5最新开奖结果:Lando Norris finished the 𓄧race in sixth place, a res♔ult♛ only beaten by Alonso in the past four seasons for the team.

Now retired from F1, Alonso returned to the wheel of a McLaren this week in Bahrain when he took part in testing to sample the team’s 2019 car. The two-time world champion was impressed by❀ what he found, calling th൩e car "a step forward".

McLaren has undergone a number of management and personnel changes over 🎃the past 12 months, and Alonso is pleased to see they are ꦍstarting to pay off.  

“I think we’ve been working a lot for four or five years in the team, and we probably never had the momentum, or never 🐷had the continuity or progress,” Alonso said.

“We saw some good signs. After Bahrain last year, I was third or fourth in the championship. We had a good start and some good moments, but never the continuation through th𓄧e year.

“I think this year, there is a good baseline and good programme of development, and I think it’s going to be a much better season. I’m happy🐠.

“Last year, it was a good start, but then we♋ stopped the development probabl🍬y in May or June, so that was painful until Abu Dhabi.

“I knew that it was my final season as well, so to run with the same car from Barcelona to 🌠Abu Dhabi was painful.”

McLare🌺n was boosted by the arrival of new technical director James Key in Bahrain after striking an agreement with Toro Rosso to complete his move across early.

The team will also welcome former Porsche LMP1 chief Andreas S🍎eidl into the ro꧙le of F1 managing director on May 1.