Fernando Alonso prepared for "tough" Formula 1 return

Fernando Alonso has admitted that he is expecting a "tough" weekend at the Malaysian Grand Prix as he returns to the racetrack for the first time since crashing in pre-season testing.

The McLaren driver sat out the season-opening Australian Grand Prix to reduce the risk of suffering a secondary concussion, but will race in Sepang this weekend, subject to him passing a final medical examination.

The two-time world champion told Sky Sports News: "I've been working hard on my fitness and I feel good and ready to go this weekend. The heat in Malaysia is always very tough for the drivers but I've been focusing on this in my training and I'm definitely prepared for all of the weather conditions that we can face in Sepang.

"Everyone in McLaren-Honda is working hard to develop the package and keep building momentum with each race. The weekend will be tough, but I'm looking forward to getting into the MP4-30 for the first time in a Grand Prix and getting back to racing.

"It's clear we have a lot of work ahead of us but Jenson's result in Melbourne was encouraging from the point of view of reliability and data collection, which are extremely important."

Alonso has previously won three times in Malaysia.