Fernando Alonso got in the Azerbaijan GP his best result so far since his return to Formula 1. A sixth place which tastes like much more, given the performance of Alpine in the first races and after two consecutive zeros.
VIDEO | Alonso’s impressive highlight at the Azerbaijan GP: from 10th to 6th in five corners
The highlight that the Spanish rider starred in for those final two laps of heart attack cannot be attributed only to his hands, or not at least 100%. Alonso himself confessed that this aspect, that of the snatched, is one in which Alpine has worked more in the progressive evolutions of the A521. So when he crossed the finish line, he sent them a message of gratitude and motivation for what lies ahead.
“Well done guys. I’m very happy for you. Sometimes we suffer, but we remain united and we know what we should do, “said the pilot, to which his engineer, Karel loosHe replied with a declaration of intent: “Of course I do. We will keep pushing, we will get there “.
After P6 and his best race finish since his F1 return, @alo_oficial rallies the @ AlpineF1Team troops in Baku 🎧👊#AzerbaijanGP 🇦🇿 # F1 pic.twitter.com/sRbgmIUDuv
– Formula 1 (@ F1) June 7, 2021
It is not a minor message. In other words, it is a bigger message. Fernando Alonso He was not signed by Alpine only for his qualities as a pilot, but because of the general ancestry he has over the entire team. The almost legendary figure of the Asturian in the bosom of Enstone must serve as inspiration to reach the success zone, not so much in this 2021 as in the next 2022.
Alonso’s master lesson and Hamilton’s colossal blunder: this was the ‘mini-race’ of two laps of Baku
The evolution this year is not being anything simple. Focused largely on the next car, the A521 has not turned out as competitive as they expected. From aspire to ‘top 5’ steadily, they have been relegated to the lower middle zone. Proof of this is that 6th place Alonso is the best not only for him, but also for the team so far this campaign.
The next race, the French GP at Paul Ricard, it is presented as a touchstone. Alpine promised a great package of novelties (It remains to be seen if they can be described as ‘improvements’) with which they intend to take a step forward. From suffering to go to Q3, to doing it constantly and getting into the fight for the middle zone, right at the gates of the podium, with Mclaren Y Ferrari.