Fernando Alonso didn't cut a particularly frustrated figure despite both he and McLaren teammate Stoffel Vandoorne being knocked out in Q1 in qualifying for the French GP on Saturday.

On a difficult week of headlines off the track for the British team, the situation didn't get any better on it with the double world champion only 16th with his Belgian partner starting 17th, ahead of just the equally troubled Williams team.

But commenting on the result, it was only the remarkable pace of Sauber, who got both cars into Q2 with Charles Leclerc going on to take eighth, that seemingly surprised McLaren.

“This morning in the meeting we predicted to be between P14, P15 so it is where we are,” Alonso said.

Single-lap pace has been a problem for the Woking-based outfit all season, but in the races, the situation has often been different, therefore the double world champion isn't giving up.

“It is definitely disappointing and we need to keep working,” he stated. “Nevertheless in the last seven races, we were in the points every single race apart from mechanical issues. I think tomorrow is still another chance.”

The 36-year-old also mentioned his remarkable streak against Vandoorne, with the 26-year-old having failed to out-qualify Alonso in 13 races.

“The performance is what it is. Two-tenths in front of the most talented young driver of the last couple of years, Stoffel [Vandoorne]. It is the place we are, you know,” he claimed.

“On the personal side, I’m trying to do everything possible. I believe I’m the only one right now who is 8-0 against the champion in GP3 [sic], GP2 and all the categories he has raced in.”

A lack of top speed and problems in slow-speed corners are the main areas McLaren is believed to be struggling most, however, finding solutions are easier said than done.

“It’s in aerodynamics [and] it’s something that doesn’t show up in the windtunnel," CEO Zak Brown said. "Therefore we can’t try and solve it in the windtunnel because we can’t replicate the issue or issues in the windtunnel.

“We had some different aerodynamic devices last year that we don’t have this year and so we’re having to try and sort these issues out at the race track,” he added.