Fernando Alonso has managed to overcome Alpine’s mistakes and the penalty for changing the engine to score points again in a race full of samples of talent. What would the two-time world champion do with a car equal to his performance?
We must be honest: Carlos Sainz has not been up to the task from his position this weekend and, in a Ferrari in which Charles Leclerc dominated the race with some reliability, he was unable to get past a very discreet fourth position after a series of errors.
Instead, Fernando Alonso has once again exceeded expectations and, taking advantage of the fact that this year’s cars have allowed more overtaking on the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya straight, he has completed a comeback of 11 positions to return to the points after four Grand Prix droughts.
«It has been another weekend a little strange, we have not taken out all the potential»
Right from the start, the Spanish rider from Alpine has gained positions, passing 16th at the end of the first lap. Then, his great pace has allowed him to continue climbing the grid and, despite a last pit stop over five secondshas certified the ninth position and two more points in his locker.
“Carrerón for our part”
At the end of the race, Fernando Alonso was happy, although he knew that one more weekend the best possible result for Alpine and for himself.
“The truth is that starting last and finishing in the points, you can’t ask for more. It has been a race on our part. Tire management, strategy, everything. The last pit-stop, too long, but I don’t think any position would have changed”, began the Asturian pilot.
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«Very happy, I have started fifth or sixth at times this year and I have not been able to score, something always happened. And this time I started last, taking the opportunity to change the engine and ‘sacrificing’ the weekend knowing that it was going to be very difficult to score, and we have scored So, the world upside down»he pointed out, aware that this start of the season is being very strange for him.
Sixth place was possible
But the fans have not missed their appointment and returning to compete with the Montmeló circuit’s full stands has been very encouraging for Fernando Alonso. «We spend a lot of time in Barcelona training with empty stands, and then the Grand Prix arrives in May and it looks like another circuit, when you fill it with color, with passionand it was exciting to race in front of them.”
Now, Formula 1 immediately travels to Monaco for the next race, in which Fernando Alonso hopes, once and for all, to start his streak of weekends without problems. “I think it was another weird weekend, we haven’t used all the potential. The same sixth or seventh would have been possible, where are Valtteri (Bottas), Ocon. So we still need to specify and improve. And from Monaco onwards, hopefully we’ll have a good run », he concluded.
Source:
DAZN F1
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Photos: Alpine F1 Team