Fernando Alonso sticking with McLaren for next two years

Kimi Raikkonen says Fernando Alonso should have known his comments about Honda’s engine at the Japanese Grand Prix would be broadcast.

“With Formula One I’ve always given everything”, Button, the 2009 world champion, said.

Alonso criticised McLaren’s Honda power unit during the Suzuka race – labelling it a “GP2 engine” and later saying that being passed on the straights was “very embarrassing” – prompting questions in a few quarters about his future F1 plans.

Jenson Button has revealed his decision to remain in Formula One, which he confirmed last week, was based on extensive conversations with the McLaren chief executive, Ron Dennis, and members of the team, who convinced him they will take a real step forward next season after a woeful run this year. The prospect of another year struggling with an uncompetitive auto was understood to have prompted much of the debate about his future.

“As I said we have been very, very positive all the time, and sometimes it is normal and understandable talking to the team the level of frustration and the level of commitment that I have for racing, and (team-mate) Jenson (Button) has for racing as well – when you are battling and you can not hold anyone behind and you are losing positions, it is normal”.

He added: “I’m happy it was just broadcast in Suzuka”.

And Alonso says the radio messages should have been kept private as they were outbursts in the heat of the moment.

“I saw the engine programme for next year”, he explained.

Whether Honda can get to the point before the start of next season where its engines are both powerful enough to be competitive and reliable enough to finish a race remains to be seen. “It’s not something you can do in-season, but it is something we can do over the winter – to improve the deployment, in terms of how long we’re able to deploy for. As long as we did it before next year that is all that matters”.

“I think it’s going to be more or less the same at the remaining races: trying to get a few more information about the auto and more philosophies on the vehicle to set up for next year as well”, he said.

Because he has used more than the permitted five engines so far this season, that is a 10-place grid penalty in itself.

He added: “There are lots of changes with the team, with the power unit, and this is still a very young partnership”.

At the Belgian Grand Prix this year at the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, team McLaren incurred a record total of 105 place penalties after both drivers received new internal combustion engines.

The Scot, now working as a pundit for British television, said poor “communication” between McLaren and Honda could be slowing down the rate of progress.