McLaren Honda understand 2016 is a crucial year for the Formula One team and driver Fernando Alonso said on Thursday (17th March) the team must win now after a disappointing previous campaign.

SOUNDBITE (English) Fernando Alonso, McLaren Honda Formula One driver:

(On if the team can compete this year)

"I know the facilities we have, I know the engineers we have, I know the talent there is in the team. It's a question of time until McLaren Honda will win. We want to make that time as short as possible mostly because we are not 20-years-old anymore. We want to win immediately, it's a sportsman's mentality. Everything needs a little bit of time and our biggest roll now in the project is to make this time as short as possible."

SOUNDBITE (English) Fernando Alonso, McLaren Honda Formula One driver:

(On who will challenge in Melbourne)

"Right now I think it's quite open because no one knows exactly where the teams are in terms of performance. We have been testing with very different conditions, different tyres, fuel loads, configurations during the winter. We are all quite happy to be here. On Saturday in the qualifying with everyone on the same track, with the same fuel load, with the same tyres and have the first answers. Let's see after a couple of races."