Alonso looks at fresh challenges ahead after a difficult season with McLaren

Abu Dhabi - McLaren, who severed their long-standing relationship with Mercedes, joined forces with Honda.

 Double world champion Fernando Alonso said it was a difficult season on his return to McLaren but felt it was probably necessary in terms of keeping himself motivated as he looks ahead to fresh challenges.
The Spaniard returned to McLaren at the beginning of the season after his stint with Ferrari but found it really tough. McLaren, who severed their long-standing relationship with Mercedes, joined forces with Honda.
But it didn't go quite as expected with McLaren, one of the top teams, struggling this season. But Alonso felt he and the team could come back stronger from the experience.
"It has been a tough year, obviously. It was difficult and we were struggling with the pace all year and the reliability, so definitely a difficult season for us," Alonso said.
"But personally, I think it was necessary. It was a step forward in my career after the two championships, after five fantastic seasons fighting for the world championship but arriving second, so I needed some new motivation, some new project that I could trust and I could believe is the only way to become champion again.
"After one difficult season, as I said, I learn so much. I enjoy working with McLaren, with Honda, with all the Japanese discipline and Japanese culture into the team. I still remain very positive. I'm very, very happy and looking forward to next year being a little bit easier than this one that, as I said, has been difficult in terms of results," he added.
As Alonso lines up on the grid for the Formula One Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix this weekend, it will be his 252nd start. It puts him fifth on the all-time most experienced drivers list.
He is currently 16th in this year's championship with 11 points. Alonso had finished runners-up in three of his five seasons with Ferrari.
Despite the poor showing, Alonso felt things will be different next season for McLaren and himself. "At the moment there's a question mark, I guess, where McLaren-Honda can be next year. There are a lot of expectations in the team. I think we worked really all season, being united in some difficult moments and always moving forward, so I think for 2016 the main goal for the team is to come back to where we belong, we think, and being competitive, fighting for the top positions," said Alonso.
"I don't know if that means fighting for the championship, I don't know if that means fighting for victories of just being on the podium sometimes, that's always difficult to know in a very complex sport like Formula One. There are definitely some big challenges ahead in this winter and I see all the things that the team has done in the last couple of months and these seem very logical, very positive and I'm confident that it's going to be a completely different season next year and I'm happy with the progress," added the 34-year-old.
james@khaleejtimes.com