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London - Fernando Alonso is not willing to join new McLaren boss Zak Brown in playing down the chance of race wins in 2017.
As McLaren races into the post-Ron Dennis era, new team executive Brown admitted: "We are not going to be winning any races" this year.
Speed Week quoted Spaniard Alonso as responding: “I read what Zak Brown said, but who knows?”
Alonso remains positive
He added: "I am keeping a positive attitude, preparing for the championship as intensely as ever, and I will do everything in my power.”
Alonso also responded to speculation that McLaren might be about to switch to an orange livery in 2017.
He noted: “I have read that it could be something orange, black or white. I asked Eric (Boullier) but he said I would see at the launch. What I hope is that it is fast.”
READ: Is Fernando Alonso's career is coming to an end?
Alonso said he has been training hard for this year's faster cars, including 50km of cycling per day and over 5km of daily running.
He added: "90% of the drivers on the grid have only driven an Formula 1 car that is slightly faster than a GP2 car, but I have driven cars that we will never see again. If we are going to improve a few seconds this year maybe it will be similar, but I don't think it will radically change the physical requirement.”
As for whether 2017 will be his final year in F1, the 35-year-old Alonso answered: "We'll see. We'll go step by step."