AUSTIN -- McLaren executive director Zak Brown says 2018 will be a critical year for the future of the team as it makes the switch from Honda power to Renault.
After three years off the pace with underperforming and unreliable Honda power units, McLaren will switch to Renault next year. The team is hopeful the change in engine supplier will bring about a big step in performance given that the Renault power unit has won races with Red Bull this year.
With two-time champion Fernando Alonso confirmed at the team for another season alongside Stoffel Vandoorne, Brown says McLaren has no excuse for being off the pace.
"Next year is critical," he said. "I'm not sure I'd use the term 'make or break', but clearly we have the drivers we want, we have a very good power unit, we have a great team and we have been given the resources we need to have a completive race car.
"Next year is critically important to show that we have the front running team that so many people know we have."
Brown said Alonso's new long-term contract is vital for the team's future.
"It would have been a big blow not to have Fernando in the team. That's why we are very proactive and very vocal about our desire to have Fernando in the team. Certainly it would have been a blow not to have him in the team, so I'm very happy with the outcome.
"I know there's been a lot of comments about Fernando's commentary on our engine situation but our conversation has always been about his desire to be competitive and our interests have always been aligned there. There were never any ultimatums that were given other than that he wanted a race car that he could race at the front with and we share that goal."