Despite the unreliable and noncompetitive car, Alonso drove for McLaren in 2016 after he told Dennis he would not go on a sabbatical. He said he was motivated to improve his form. At the first race of the season, the , Alonso hit the rear wheel of Esteban Gutiérrez's Haas at . He experienced a lateral deceleration before his car barrel rolled through 540 degrees and rested. A small pneumothorax on his lung and minor rib fractures caused him to miss the Bahrain Grand Prix on medical grounds and was replaced by McLaren's reserve driver Stoffel Vandoorne, whom he helped. Alonso out-qualified his teammate Jenson Button fifteen times and scored points nine times. His highest finish was a pair of fifth places at the and the , and he scored the fastest lap of the . Alonso finished tenth in the drivers' championship with 54 points, a marked improvement compared to 2016.