That was a contrasting tale to what the two-time Formula 1 Champion experienced in the opening race of the season in Bahrain, where he qualified sixth but slipped to ninth by the end of the race.
In Jeddah, the AMR24 appeared to be impressive in terms of single lap speed, with Alonso even topping the second practice session and flirting with the top of the timing screens during qualifying, ultimately finishing fourth fastest.
According to a statement on Motorsport.com, Alonso expressed his surprise at the car’s performance over one lap. He acknowledged that being in the second row of the grid is not their usual position, as they typically find themselves as the fifth-fastest team behind McLaren, Ferrari, Red Bull, and Mercedes, as was the case in Bahrain. Alonso admitted that while they are highly competitive over one lap, there are concerns about their race pace.
Alonso further mentioned that they made some adjustments to the car’s setup to address their struggles on long runs. The outcome of these tweaks would be revealed on Saturday night.
Based on what was witnessed on Saturday night in Jeddah, it appears that Aston Martin’s adjustments to the car setup have paid off. Alonso finished fifth, with McLaren’s Oscar Piastri in fourth, while Red Bull secured another one-two finish, with Charles Leclerc in third.
Alonso expressed satisfaction with his performance, stating that the pace was better than in Bahrain. However, he still believes that they are faster in qualifying than in the race. Despite this, he was able to compete with McLaren and Mercedes during the race.
The 42-year-old acknowledged that they have taken a small step in the right direction but emphasized the need to make further progress, particularly in terms of race pace. He also highlighted the advantage they gained from the Safety Car and the circumstances surrounding Hamilton, Norris, and Carlos Sainz’s pit stops.
With two races completed, Alonso currently holds the seventh position in the F1 Drivers’ Standings, accumulating 12 points.