Montmeló (Barcelona) (EFE) the seventh of the year-, who is “well and happy” to once again “fight for the podiums and obtain the reward” for performances that have translated, so far this season, into five places of honor in the first six races of the year
“I feel good, happy, logically, to have good results; to fight for podiums, to celebrate again with champagne; and to obtain the reward”, the Asturian double world champion – who has 93 points, 51 less than the leader, the Dutchman Max Verstappen (Red Bull) – replied to Efe during his meeting with the written press that took place this Thursday at the Circuit de Catalunya.
“But in the end, as you say, it depends on the car you have; and this year you enjoy the benefits that this car has”, declared Alonso, in a second youth at the age of 41; that this year it has not dropped from fourth place (in Azerbaijan) and that, after having finished third in those of Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Australia and Miami (USA), it made another qualitative leap by finishing second, last Sunday, the Grand Monaco Award; in which Verstappen reinforced his leadership by signing his fourth victory of the year.
Alonso believes that, after the previous three races – all held on urban circuits – there may be changes after the Spanish Grand Prix. “Surely. Surely things will change; and see how cars have evolved; because perhaps we have not seen the real photo of the performance of the cars”, said the brilliant Asturian driver this Thursday at the Barcelona circuit, where he achieved two of his 32 victories in the premier class: in 2006 -the year he revalidated the title – and in 2013, when he got his thirty-second and so far last win.
“Even us in the team, if we look at free practice in Baku, or time trial in Baku, Ferrari is way ahead of us. I think that (the Monegasque Charles) Leclerc took eight tenths of a second from us, who took pole position. In Miami they were much faster in all the free practice; but then we put ourselves in the front line. And then in Monaco they were going much faster all weekend, but in the end we ended up fighting for pole; and then, when you go out on the first row, in Monaco you stay there, ”he explained.
“So we may be a bit confused, about Ferrari’s performance, a bit also about Mercedes, who were doing very well in Australia, where they finished second. Because without the first ‘safety car’ or the red flag, (Englishman George) Russell was leading the race at that moment. And if they have now introduced a package of improvements, it is because their data says that their new car is better than that one”, he affirmed.
“So they’d have to go pretty fast here, too. So I don’t know if the last three circuits we raced on, being urban, changed the photo somewhat and here we are going back to reality and we are still a tad behind them; or if we can stay in the positions we have ended up in so far”, added Alonso, who, before returning to F1 two years ago, was absent from it for another two. A journey that he took advantage of to win -with Toyota- the World Endurance Championship (WEC), in which he achieved, among others, victories (which he repeated, during the 2018-19 Super-season) in the 24 Hours of Le Mans (France) and in the Six Hours of Spa-Francorchamps (Belgium).
The Spanish Formula 1 driver, Fernando Alonso, at the Barcelona Circuit. EFE/Siu Wu.
Fernando also won, before returning to the premier class, the 24 Hours of Daytona (Florida, USA) -a race from another championship, the IMSA- and tested himself, causing a very pleasant impression, at the beginning of 2020, in the Dakar Rally. , which was played in Saudi Arabia.
“I think our strong point this year, and it has always been, is trying to get the most out of the car. If the car is going to finish third, it would be a sin to finish fifth because of our mistake. If the car is going to be seventh, we can’t do eleven because we went too far at the start or because we blocked somewhere”, Alonso commented, when asked if qualifying in Monaco was his best performance so far this year. .
“This year, in all the time trials and races, I think we have done what we had to; or what was most effective at the time. In Monaco, what does he play? Do it all on Saturday; because then, on Sunday, you have to maintain the position. And in that second set of soft tires, on Saturday, well, you risk a little more than what your head would say”, he explained.
“When you come to a corner you release the brake already knowing that the last lap you’ve been there, if you release the brake and enter the corner at that speed, you’re going to crash. But you expect that, with the evolution of the track, with the evolution of the ‘grip’ (grip), you are going to enter those three or four kilometers per hour faster in that curve; and maybe you will get out, or maybe not, of that curve. Maybe you touch the wall. But it is time to try to do it, I think we all do it ”, explained the Asturian genius this Friday in Montmeló, where he has been on the podium six times.
“Max (Verstappen) did it too. And (the Frenchman Esteban) Ocon was surely the most, let’s say, extraordinary lap on Saturday, because I don’t think Alpine was there to finish third, ”he pointed out.
“It was beautiful (the lap) and it gives you a different adrenaline rush, because in Monaco and on urban circuits the track has been improving throughout the weekend. And the fastest lap we had given in free practice was ‘12.6’ (one minute, twelve seconds and six tenths) and we ended up doing ‘11.4’. You go through the corners at a speed that you’ve never been around before all weekend, so it’s a bit of a ‘let’s see what happens’. Or a ‘p’alante’”, explained Alonso, provoking the astonishment and laughter of the majority of those present.
The Spanish Formula 1 driver, Fernando Alonso, at the Barcelona Circuit. EFE/Siu Wu.
Alonso is aware that the ’33’ (in reference to what would be his next victory) has been setting the trend in the F1 field for a couple of months; and even though he knows it will be complicated, he doesn’t want to appease the euphoria of his followers either.
“It is something that you cannot stop, it would be impossible. It is like putting a barrier in the sea; In the end, everything will overwhelm you, ”she commented.
“In the world we live in now, if there is a trend and the ‘fans’ take a path, it is better to embrace it, and follow that path, than to try to put a door. Now there is a lot of talk about the 33. I am calm, knowing that we have a car that is going to give us chances this year. Hopefully so, ”he opined.
“Red Bull now dominates with an iron fist. But we already saw these years ago, in which there were very dominant cars, that (Frenchman Pierre) Gasly won a race in Monza (Italy), that Ocon won a race in Hungary; that last year Russell won a race in Brazil… So, the opportunities are going to come, at some point in the season. In Monaco we were close. And they will arrive later”, affirmed the Asturian star.
“I’m quiet. What we cannot do is if one weekend our chances are to finish fifth, we cannot go crazy, or have a moment of frustration, and finish ninth; for a mistake or for risking too much. Or we get out trying to overtake, maybe, in a place where you can’t. So let’s keep adding points. And we do the accounts at the end of the year, ”he advised.
“We are in a much better position than we could have imagined; we did not expect this. Because I remember that, in the first meeting we had, there was talk of fighting for the podiums in 2024. That is what was said, in that first meeting, ”he pointed out.
“We cannot say that the objective has already been achieved, neither is that; but we got much more than we wanted. That’s why everyone is so plugged in, in the team. We have a very young team that has not been regularly on the podiums; and that’s why they enjoy it so much. The truth is that all of this is very beautiful”, declared Alonso this Thursday in Montmeló. EFE