Alonso admits he stayed at 'sad' Ferrari too long

Formula One driver Fernando Alonso. Photo / Supplied

Fernando Alonso wishes he had left Ferrari sooner and, contrary to much speculation, feels he made the right decision to join struggling McLaren's "new project" with Honda.

The two-time world champion admitted "things were getting more and more sad" in his final months with the Italian team, and revealed he should have left two years earlier.

"The car was not competitive at all ... but, you know, we tried to do our best and we fought until the end of every single race.

"After five years in Ferrari and being second all the time, I think it was enough for me," Alonso said.

Asked if he should have departed Maranello sooner instead of enduring the continuing struggles, he said: "Probably, yes ...

"Sometimes, with Ferrari, you win or you lose depending on the mood of the team in general, of the group in general," he added. "It's a very big team, with some good things, some bad things, and as I said it's good to experience and to live once.

"I didn't want to give up and I wanted always to keep believing that it was possible and to keep the dream alive," he said.

"Last year, I realised with the Mercedes domination, it wasn't possible to win in the short term for Ferrari and a new project was best.

"McLaren is a risky project because they were completely new, but we are one team - we win and we lose together."

Despite a year of problems and penalties, Alonso has managed to score points twice for McLaren but, for him, the focus is more on 2016 as the team builds for the future.

Alonso and teammate Jenson Button will suffer more grid penalties this weekend at the Belgian Grand Prix after the team decided to fit new engines.

Honda has been working on upgraded engines to be introduced after the sport's four-week break following last month's Hungarian Grand Prix.

Struggling McLaren have been hit by repeated grid penalties this season as they bid to improve their performance and establish their new partnership with Honda.

- AAP