McLaren's Fernando Alonso has said that his team have done a poor job setting expectations for this year, as the Spaniard deems the goals "unrealistic".
After three agonizing years with Honda, the Woking-based team switched to Renault, which has already resulted in a spike in their performances. However, the team hasn't shown the pace yet to go up against the likes of Red Bull, Ferrari and Mercedes, who are the teams to beat at the top of the field.
Team principal Eric Boullier has admitted that the performance of the car hasn't been as good as expected, but Alonso just things that the expectations were too high to begin with.
"I don't know what exactly people were expecting from one season to another where the regulations stay the same," the Spaniard said.
"There were three teams ahead of everyone last year and this year they stayed ahead of everyone.
Alonso goes on to compare the performance of this year's MCL33 to last year's car, that only managed a ninth place in the constructors' championship.
"Last year in three races we had zero points.
"Last year Stoffel [Vandoorne] didn't even make the start in Bahrain, he was pulling the car into the pitlane so this year from two races four cars to the checkered flag and third in the constructors' championship.
"If we look at the facts, not the feelings or the wishes or the dreams, if we see the facts, this is a very good start."
Does Alonso have a point, and are the expectations simply too high, or should the McLaren be competing with the likes of Red Bull, who have the same engine?
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