Boullier encouraged by Renault-powered Red Bull's performance

McLaren boss Eric Boullier has taken comfort from Red Bull’s pace in Australia after McLaren switched from Honda to Renault engines over the winter.

Despite neither driver achieving a podium finish in Melbourne, Red Bull’s pace was good and has led to widespread excitement surrounding a three-team title battle.

McLaren’s main struggle in recent years has been their engine, with the Honda power units way down compared with their rivals.

The team will be hoping Fernando Alonso and Stoffel Vandoorne can lead McLaren to regular points finishes and maybe even podiums in 2018.

Boullier said: “It’s encouraging Red Bull is matching (Mercedes and Ferrari) in terms of raw pace these guys.

“You can see as well there is a difference between qualifying and race pace.

“Our race pace is more competitive than our qualifying pace.”

Both Alonso and Vandoorne gained positions in the race during their charge to a double points finish, and Boullier added: “We have plenty of potential and performance to unlock.

“Fernando knows what is coming, what we have but we can’t use today, but it will be unlocked in the future races.

“We have already a lot of things coming which we couldn’t have brought here.”