Another week, another McLaren-Honda story… Amid reports that Fernando Alonso had given the McLaren-Honda team an ultimatum or he would quit, the Spaniard has refuted the claims and said that he was still committed to the team. However, one cannot put wool over Yusuke Hasegawa’s eyes as the Honda boss admitted that Alonso’s impatience was clear.

“It is very clear that currently he doesn’t want to stay with Honda – this is very clear,” he said “Also, he agreed that [once] he has some, how do I say, hope to Honda, or some expectation, or some possibility that Honda can improve… as soon as we can show him, maybe he [will] change his mind.”

However, the Japanese giants are not throwing in the towel just yet as they continue to try and improve the car and hopefully make the double world champion change his mind. “We can’t stop [bringing updates], so we need to show him some improvement,” he added. “It is very clear: if we don’t introduce anything, and stay with the current performance, McLaren or Fernando doesn’t stay with us – it is very clear.”

We hope for McLaren and Honda’s sake that everything works out for the best because it is painful to see a team that has produced many world champions, struggle and languish at the back. Bruce McLaren, Ayrton Senna other past greats must be turning in their graves just seeing the Woking team’s pitiful state.