Fernando Alonso's 2017 Formula 1 season was a testament to his enduring driving capability, starkly contrasted by the persistent underperformance and unreliability of the McLaren-Honda MCL32.
Going in
The 2017 regulations brought wider cars and tires, promising faster racing and a potential reset for teams. McLaren and Honda had hoped this regulatory overhaul would allow them to overcome the power unit's fundamental deficiencies that plagued them in Fernando Alonso — 2015 season and Fernando Alonso — 2016 season. Alonso, entering his third year with the revitalized McLaren-Honda partnership, maintained a public facade of optimism, believing his extensive experience could exploit any competitive window that might emerge from the new technical rules.
How it played out
The season quickly revealed the Honda power unit's continued lack of power and chronic unreliability. Pre-season testing was marred by persistent issues, and the trend continued into the race calendar. Frequent engine component changes led to numerous grid penalties, often relegating Alonso to the back of the grid before races even began. Despite these setbacks, Alonso consistently extracted maximum performance from the MCL32, often out-qualifying his teammate, Stoffel Vandoorne, by significant margins throughout the year. He demonstrated exceptional race craft, particularly in chaotic conditions or when managing tire degradation, but the car's fundamental performance deficit meant points finishes were rare and hard-fought. The team's best results often came from attrition in front, rather than outright pace, a stark reminder of the challenges faced in the turbo-hybrid era.
Defining moments
A significant moment arrived early in the season when Alonso opted to skip the Monaco Grand Prix – a race he had won twice – to compete in the Indianapolis 500. This decision underscored his profound frustration with the F1 car's competitiveness and his desire for a challenge where he could genuinely contend for victory. While he led laps at Indy before an engine failure, his absence from Monaco highlighted the dire state of the McLaren-Honda project. In F1, the Azerbaijan Grand Prix saw Alonso score his first points of the season, finishing 9th after starting 19th, a demonstration of his ability to capitalize on chaos and manage a damaged car. Another notable performance came in Hungary, where he finished 6th, the team's best result of the year, showcasing the car's relative strength on a less power-dependent circuit.