Mixed Opinions at McLaren

By Sam Cooper
March 15 2007

Both Drivers Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton have different hopes for this weekends upcoming Australian Grand Prix. Fernando wants to start this season strong by winning, while Lewis Hamilton wants to finish in the points.

The Woking based squad have looked increasingly impressive during the winter testing period. The team have managed to come on top of the time sheets consistently and have still remained quietly competitive when they didn’t lead the time sheets when Ferrari or another contender was leading

I believe that this is one of the reasons why Fernando is so confident, Alonso has won at this circuit, be it a new team, there is only Ferrari, BMW and perhaps Renault and Honda that could stop them, or a start of the race smash that has become common at the Albert Park circuit

Team mate Lewis Hamilton- who is new to the glamorous world that is formula one- believes that he would be pleased with himself and his new car and team if he could manage a points finish; bear in mind that only a minority of the hundreds of thousands of drivers that have raced in Formula One since it began in 1950 have scored on their debut grand prix

"I hope to be first on the grid and repeat the result for sure," he said on Thursday in Melbourne. "To be honest, I've always had very very good races here in Melbourne. In 2005 I started 16th, I think, and finished third. Last year I won here. But I think this year we arrive with a very interesting championship, very open in the first races, probably."

"Ferrari has been the strongest, especially the last part of the winter, but last year we saw in some tests that Ferrari was very very quick in August, September and then we arrived at races and everything was really really close between all of us, but as Felipe said before, I think the races are very very different. The important thing is our team will be there in the fight and then it's up to us to do the job."

"I am really excited," said Hamilton. "It is difficult to absorb it and realise that I am going to be making my Formula 1 debut, as it is something that I have been working towards for so many years. My brother and I have always been playing Formula 1 games on the computer, and now I am going to be one of the cars in those games!"

"Always at this time of year I have been looking forward to the first grand prix, getting up early and watching the Australian Grand Prix, but now I'm actually going to be on the grid. There are so many different emotions but excitement is definitely the main part. I am just eager to get out there and do the best possible job."

"My aim (in Melbourne) would be to finish, preferably in the points. It would be great to have a steady first race and get a couple of points for myself and the Vodafone McLaren Mercedes team. That would be a really fantastic start to the season, but it is not going to be easy."

Whatever the result (as long as its good!), you have the safe knowledge that the Vodafone McLaren Mercedes team did the best they could, and if they do poorer than expected, they’d be on the case and have a fix… Quick

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