The first test of the 2022 Formula 1 season was not optimal for Fernando Alonso. At the Bahrain Grand Prix, the Alpine driver finished ninth, two positions behind teammate Esteban Ocon, after a race compromised by engine problems and tire strategy.
Last weekend, in Saudi Arabia, both Alpines battled for sixth place in the early stages, and while Ocon narrowly beat Lando Norris’s McLaren, Alonso had to retire due to a problem not yet identified by the team .
Unlike in Bahrain, the Alpines were able to overtake Alfa Romeo and Haas in Jeddah, with Ocon managing to finish the race close to George Russell’s Mercedes, whom he had already overtaken in qualifying on Saturday.
“I think I’ve done two great races,” said Alonso, when asked by Motorsport.com about the frustrating end to his strong performance in Jeddah.
“One was in Bahrain, but unfortunately with the wrong strategy, maybe with the starting tyre, as we started with a slightly worn one, and that then compromised my whole career, and with an engine that didn’t do very well in Bahrain either.
“And here I think I was very quick in qualifying, very unlucky, because some others didn’t have new tires in Q3, and the used set was the fastest yesterday, unfortunately.
“So we had to overtake [some] cars and get back to our natural position this weekend. Which I think was P5 or P6. Another retirement, so it’s disappointing to only have two points after two great weekends.
After being forced to retire in Jeddah, Alonso hopes that in future Alpine races he will benefit from the problems of others.
“The pace seems a little better than the results say,” he explained. “And we’ve given away some points to the people behind us. The road is long, luck will turn, and hopefully we’ll get some of these gifts in the future.”
“I’m happy with the performance, but as I said, we’ve lost points. To be honest, I think I could be sixth or seventh in the championship, and I’m not in that position, and it’s not because we don’t deserve it. It’s just because we don’t We have maximized the points.
Asked if he was happy to be fighting for P6 or P7, he added: “Well, I fought for the world championship in 2012 with the third fastest car. So I’m used to that.”
Alonso admitted it was too early to say, after just two races, whether Alpine could potentially have the third fastest car as this season unfolds.
“I don’t know,” said the Spanish driver. “The Alfa Romeo seems to be a bit quicker in places, the Haas was very quick in Bahrain. And Russell was good today, but not outstanding. So we’re there, and now it’s up to us to make some progress.”
“Maybe we’re not third fastest, but it looks like we can be consistent, and even without the retirement we could have been sixth and seventh.”
“So that would put us on a good level of points and as I said there’s still a long way to go but I’ve been feeling quick on track so far.”
Although he crossed the checkered flag at the Bahrain Grand Prix, Alonso’s problems led him to use several elements of his power unit for the first time in Jeddah: the V6, the turbo, the MGU-H, the MGU-K and the exhaust.
His retirement on Sunday gives further cause for concern, but the driver is nonetheless pleased with the overall performance of the Renault power unit for 2022.
“Yeah, I think we’re in line with the others now. We can fight on the straights with the others, here and [we could] in Bahrain. So let’s see.”
“Now, unfortunately, we have to continue to investigate what happened with the engine in Bahrain, with the engine here, and make sure we can have enough for the season,” Alonso concluded.
