A dream start. But the best thing is that Fernando Alonso won’t need to wake up to understand that it’s all true. Aston Martin certified on the field, in the Bahrain Grand Prix, that it is the single-seater that has grown the most between 2022 and 2023, as well as having all the credentials to be the great revelation of this season.
The Spanish rider managed to take it to the podium at Sakhir, in third place. A result that only a few months ago many would have labeled impossible. It is true that Charles Leclerc’s sensational knockout by Ferrari helped him, but the feeling is that if Fernando hadn’t had a difficult start, complete with contact with teammate Lance Stroll, he would have had the pace to try to worry even the Monegasque.
In fact, after switching to the hard tyres, the pace of the AMR23 was not too far from that of the unrivaled Red Bull RB19, which dominated with a brace. What is certain is that the Asturian, who also gave Lewis Hamilton the best overtaking of the race, is now enjoying this great feat, which earned him the 99th podium of his very long career in Formula 1.
“It has been a truly great weekend for the team and finishing on the podium in the first race of the season is extraordinary. The work Aston Martin has done over the winter has been incredible and we ended up with the second best car at the time. first weekend. It’s really unreal,” Alonso said into Nico Rosberg’s microphone just before taking the podium.
Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin AMR23, George Russell, Mercedes F1 W14
Photo by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images
As mentioned, he had to earn this third place on the track and the victims of his overtaking were illustrious: in addition to Hamilton, George Russell and Carlos Sainz also paid the price.
“Clearly, I would have liked to start in front of them and then take advantage of the pace, but the start wasn’t the best and we had to pass them on the track. So it was a more exciting, more adrenaline-pumping race. I think the people at home enjoyed it and we had fun on the track too. We enjoyed it together”.
Despite the contact after a few corners, Fernando also gave his teammate a caress, who returned at the last minute after a broken wrist and sixth at the finish line today: “I want to congratulate Lance, my teammate, because he had to undergo surgery just 12 days ago and today he was there battling with us.”
Finally, it was pointed out to him that, given their placement in the constructors’ championship last year, Aston Martin is the team that will have the most time in the wind tunnel: “I hope so. But we won’t have that much this year.” next”, he concluded walking away with a smile.
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