McLaren wants to keep its all-star driving team of Fernando Alonso and Jenson Button — as well its misfiring Honda engines — for 2016.
Only McLaren and Ferrari, who run Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen, can boast lining up on the Formula One grid with two world champions.
In an interview with CNN’s The Circuit, McLaren racing director Eric Boullier said: “Fernando is a yes and we do intend to keep Jenson.
“We have a deadline if we want to activate options. There are discussions ongoing and we will see.”
McLaren has the option to re-sign 35-year-old Button, who won the 2009 drivers’ world title with Brawn GP, for next season. Reserve driver Kevin Magnussen, who partnered Button in 2014, and promising McLaren junior Stoffel Vandoorne have also been linked with a 2016 seat.
Alonso, a two-time world champion with Renault, signed through to the end of 2017 when he rejoined the team this year.
The experience and calm focus of their world champions has been vital to McLaren during a tricky first season using Honda engine technology.
McLaren’s previous five-year collaboration with the Japanese car giant powered Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost to a clean sweep of world titles between 1988 and 1991.
In contrast, Honda’s 2015 engine has been down on power and reliability with Alonso’s feisty fifth place finish at the Hungarian Grand Prix the exception rather than the rule.
“There were high hopes at the beginning of the season about renewing this historic partnership between Honda and McLaren,” said Boullier.
“[But] in the last 20 years F1 has changed a lot. It’s very challenging for everyone to get on top of this new technology and deliver a performing package.
“The engine is very immature in terms of technology. Honda only decided to join F1 two years ago and they are competing against an engine manufacturer (Mercedes) who is very experienced and has spent more time developing these engines.”
McLaren isn’t the only team on the grid with misfiring engines. After winning four world titles with its engine partner Renault, Red Bull Racing has expressed frustration with the power unit in the back of its cars.
The Mercedes engine is so dominant — winning 10 out of 12 races so far this season– that Boullier believes McLaren needs to play the long game rather than be tempted into any knee-jerk reactions.
Asked if the team had considered seeking an alternative engine supplier in 2015, he said emphatically: “No.”
The Frenchman added: “It is up to us to put the right pressure on Honda.
“If you want to beat Mercedes you have to be a works team [the official team of an engine manufacturer rather than a customer team]. We believe that Honda is the only serious engine manufacturer who can allow us to achieve that.
“We have a works team status. We have to go through some pain currently but we will be champions again with Honda one day.”
In the meantime, the CNN-sponsored McLaren team is focused on developing the new car for the 2016 season.
“We are in a smooth transition now between this and next year’s car,” said Boullier. “The things you can’t see behind the scenes is that the team has changed drastically in the last 15 months.
“The atmosphere in the team is good. The correlation from design and manufacture to the track in terms of bringing performance is very, very good. The people in the team are committed.”
If things go to plan, McLaren will race into 2016 with its champion drivers too.
