A hydraulic failure in Fernando Alonso’s car ruined any chance of fighting for a good starting position in the race, a fight that the two-time Spanish Formula 1 champion says could have even taken him to pole position.
Staying out of the game at the moment of truth, after having shown to have best beat ever in the three free practice sessions and the first stages of qualifying, it has meant a hard blow for Fernando Alonso and Alpine to take on.
In the board of his single-seater, when facing the turn 11 of the Albert Park circuit in Q3, it can be seen how the engine suddenly stops pushing, preventing him from downshifting to face the turn in conditions that has ended up condemning him by making him go through the gravel towards the wall with no option to do anything.
To make matters worse, Alonso himself was grumpy when facing the microphones as soon as he got off his car, considering that the fight for the first starting position on the grid on Sunday would have been possible.
«We are still investigating, but it was a hydraulic problem: I did not have the gear change, neither power steering, and it went out in that curve, ”explained #14. «A pity, I think she came a tenth better than the pole. I had two sets of tyres, which we also saved in Q1 and Q2, so we could have fought for the pole position today».
failed progression
With different new features in the car, waiting to bring a great aerodynamic package in Miami or Barcelona at the latest, Alpine had a better pace than all of last year, something that has deepened the wound.
“We were doing best weekend in years. Another problem in my car is… quite frustrating, but let’s see if we finish it”, continued Alonso, aware of the missed opportunity.
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«The best weekend in many years, fighting for a pole position… we had been waiting for him for a long time. The first time he arrives, to have a problem again, it’s a bit frustrating. If you have problems you want to have them when you are 11th, 12th or when you are not fighting for anything important, but it is what it is and now let’s see what can be done tomorrow».
Finally, Alonso does not rule out having to suffer some additional penalty of having to change more components after the impact. “We also have to see if we have to change something in the car that we have a penalty, but right now i don’t care. He wanted to fight for pole, to be on the podium tomorrow… if we take a point, good, but also good, because I prefer all or nothing. At the moment bad luck is holding us back completely », he concluded.