Ecclestone: 'McLaren won't be any happier with Renault'

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Formula One chairman emeritus Bernie Ecclestone is skeptical that McLaren's state of affairs will improve next season with Renault.

The Woking-based outfit has negotiated a release from its partnership with Honda, following a dismal three-year period of woes and under-performance, and inked a deal with Renault which allegedly runs until the end of 2020.

McLaren's new engine supply deal with the French manufacturer should also be the deal-breaker necessary to keep Fernando Alonso on-board, at least for another year.

One man who isn't impressed however by the epilogue to the McLaren-Honda plot is former F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone.

"The Renault deal is all done. Alonso staying is super news," said Ecclestone.

"But I can't see why McLaren will be any happier with Renault than they are with Honda.

"It wasn't Honda's fault things didn't work out, it was McLaren's.

"Every day they had a fight about everything, instead of working with them, which was a little bit stupid."

Regardless of Bernie's negative views, the development is an important step for McLaren and the first major deal concluded in the team's post-Ron Dennis era and under Zak Brown's leadership.

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