It is almost unimaginable that a driver of the stature of Fernando Alonso has gone nine years without winning a Formula 1 race. But this is the premier category, a discipline in which the mechanical element is the most important of all.
Fernando Alonso He began his journey in Formula 1 in an energetic way and, as soon as he arrived at Renault in 2003, he began to add podiums, victories and titles. But soon that feeling began to fade and what we are left with today is a rider who still offers a spectacular level, but who has spent years tied to teams that do not measure up.
That’s how it was since the Spanish driver left McLaren in 2007. And it’s not that Renault, Alpine, Ferrari and, again, McLarenare names with little weight in Formula 1. Simply, Fernando Alonso came to them at the wrong time.
“I still long for the third championship, but at the same time I understand how the sport works”
This has generated palpable frustration in the Formula 1 world champion, world endurance champion and double winner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. But, at this point in his career, already almost 41 years old, Alonso handles the situation better than his own fans.
Hard times that make you mature
“These have been tough times, with uncompetitive seasons fighting for mid-grid positions, difficult years”recognizes Fernando Alonso, who has always insisted that he does not consider himself unlucky despite everything.
“I am a very competitive person, and if you are not winning, you miss that feeling and there is always some frustration during the season. It’s different now, for sure.”nuances the Asturian.
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Probably the worst moment in Fernando Alonso’s sports career was leaving Ferrari and the subsequent experience at McLaren. The Spaniard remembers his last phase in Maranello in a bitter way.
«The years in Ferrari were of a lot of pressure. We were very close a couple of times and those missed opportunities were quite heavy for everyone, “laments Alonso. “The atmosphere in the team was not happy enough at one point and I decided to end the relationship, even though I had two more years on my contract, because it was the best for both parties.”
Alonso’s mentality in Alpine
Now, Fernando Alonso is fighting to return to the top hand in hand with Alpine, although he is very clear that he takes the joys and disappointments differently.
“Now, I still crave the third championship, but at the same time I understand how the sport works at this moment and there is only one car or maximum two with which you can fight for the championship, “explains Alonso.
“You try to build that car with the team and that process is interesting.: how to grow together with the team, the facilities in the factory and all the resources to be one of those two teams that can fight for the championship”, he reiterates.
Fernando Alonso knows what it is to fight for everything and also what it is to suffer in the middle or at the end of the grid. Therefore, he acknowledges that «When you fight for the championship, you have a sixth sense of the things around you. When you fight for seventh and eighth place, sometimes you change your mood or do different maneuvers that are much more risky.
“When you have to fight every millisecond in every corner against some of the circumstances in that race, maybe you don’t have the package that allows you to drive 99% and think about a 360-degree picture in that race. Maybe you’re more prone to making mistakes.”Alonso argues.
The pressure of fighting for everything. The one that many do not support, but that others use to offer their best version at the moment of truth.
Source: BBC
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Photos: Alpine F1 Team