Fernando Alonso believes McLaren should be targeting regular points finishes following its Russian Grand Prix showing, which saw Alonso cross the line sixth to claim eight points and team-mate Jenson Button tenth to claim one.
The pair narrowly missed out on a Q3 spot and didn't expect to go so well on the Sochi circuit with its long straights, but they came away with their best finish since the 2015 Hungarian GP.
"We were lucky in Turns 2 and 3 on the opening lap – due to those accidents, we were able to gain some places for free," admitted Alonso.
"But, as we saw last year, we can make a good start but then not be able to maintain those strong starting positions. This year, it’s different – we have the pace: to finish sixth, and set the fifth-fastest lap, shows that our car is still gaining pace.
"Finishing in the points should be our regular target from now on."
Team boss Eric Boullier hailed the result and now truly believes they've turned a corner with the car and engine.
"A double points-finish is a great result for the entire team, and a real marker of the progress we’ve been steadily making since the start of the season," he commented.
"Fernando drove a brilliant race, displaying all the guile, aggression and opportunism for which he is so well known. His race was established at the very start, when he took advantage of the opening-lap carnage to leap from 14th to eighth. From there, he was able to firmly establish himself in the top 10, gaining two further positions before the chequered flag. Sixth was a great reward for his efforts.
"That said, he drove a somewhat lonely race, with one eye very much on his fuel-meter. The gap ahead to fourth-placed Valtteri Bottas tells the story of how conservatively he drove his race – and the handful of very quick, unrestrained, laps that he punched in during the closing laps show the potential of what could have been achieved had he been able to run at full pace throughout."
He added: "If Fernando’s race was defined by the start, Jenson’s only really came together towards the end. He was heavily compromised by the chaos on the opening lap, but pulled off one of his characteristically deft and gritty performances, enjoying a lengthy four-car battle on his way to 10th.
"While we know that one swallow does not make a summer, we stand firm in our belief that we have turned the corner and will start to make further progress throughout the season."
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