The race was not only eventful for Alonso, but the entire weekend proved to be a rollercoaster for him. He showcased his skills during the Sprint Qualifying, where he secured third position. However, in the Sprint race, he engaged in an intense battle with his compatriot Carlos Sainz and unfortunately had to retire in the final laps due to a puncture.
During the qualifying session, Alonso displayed his dexterity by securing the third fastest time, only behind Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez from Red Bull.
In Sunday’s race, Alonso showed his usual tenacity by quickly overtaking Perez and securing second place early on. However, the reality of his Aston Martin’s slower pace soon became evident. He gradually dropped down the rankings and, even with the additional help of a Virtual Safety Car and two Safety Car periods, he ended up finishing in seventh place, recording the fastest lap of the race. One of the most memorable moments of the race was Alonso’s incredible recovery in the final corner while chasing Lewis Hamilton.
In a post-race interview with the official F1 website, Alonso described the race as “crazy” and highlighted the numerous events that unfolded. He expressed satisfaction with his good start, but acknowledged that the Safety Cars disrupted his strategy and forced them to save tires until the end. The team’s additional pit stop was not ideal. Despite almost crashing at the end, Alonso managed to secure the fastest lap and a seventh-place finish. Overall, he considered it a positive weekend.
During the middle part of the race, Alonso was the only driver to opt for the soft tires. This decision required an additional pit stop and a subsequent climb in the rankings. He explained that the arrival of the Safety Car during the hard tires period compromised the race strategy. With no other tire options available, Alonso considered the possibility of not participating in the Sprint race in future events to save tires and have a better chance on Sundays. This would also help to avoid unexpected penalties.
In the Aston Martin race report, Alonso emphasized the team’s need to push harder. He stated that they must improve their pace on Sundays to match their performance in qualifying.
Currently, Alonso is in eighth place in the 2024 Formula 1 Drivers’ Championship, with 31 points, just two points behind George Russell of Mercedes, who is in seventh place.
