The race was not only eventful for Alonso, but the entire weekend proved to be a wild ride for him. He showcased his skills during the Sprint qualifying, where he secured a third-place position. However, in the Sprint Race, he engaged in an intense battle with fellow countryman Carlos Sainz and unfortunately had to retire in the final laps due to a puncture.
During the qualifying session, Alonso displayed his prowess by securing the third-fastest time, trailing behind Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez of Red Bull.
In Sunday’s race, Alonso exhibited his usual tenacity by swiftly overtaking Perez and claiming second place at the start. However, the reality of his Aston Martin’s slower pace soon became evident. He gradually dropped down the rankings and even with the additional assistance of a Virtual Safety Car and two Safety Car periods, he ultimately finished in seventh place, recording the fastest lap of the race. One of the race’s most memorable moments was Alonso’s incredible save at the final corner while pursuing Lewis Hamilton.
In a post-race interview with F1’s Official Website, Alonso described the race as “crazy” and highlighted the numerous events that unfolded. He expressed satisfaction with his strong start, but acknowledged that the Safety Cars disrupted their strategy and forced them to conserve their tires until the end. The team’s additional pitstop was not ideal. Despite nearly crashing towards the end, Alonso managed to secure the fastest lap and a seventh-place finish. Overall, he regarded it as a positive weekend.
During the middle stint of the race, Alonso was the only driver to opt for the Soft tires. This decision necessitated an additional pitstop and a subsequent climb up the rankings. He explained that the Safety Car’s arrival during the hard tire stint compromised their race strategy. With no other tire options available, Alonso pondered the possibility of not participating in the Sprint race in future events to conserve tires and have a better chance on Sundays. This would also help them avoid any unexpected penalties.
In Aston Martin’s race report, Alonso emphasized the need for the team to put in more effort. He stated that they must improve their Sunday pace to match their qualifying performance.
As of now, Alonso holds the eighth position in the 2024 F1 Drivers’ Championship with 31 points, trailing just two points behind Mercedes’ George Russell, who occupies seventh place.