Fernando Alonso climbed back into a Formula 1 after starring in a great return to the category, achieving a podium in Qatar and finishing tenth in the drivers’ standings. The Asturian was present at the event that Alpine held to unveil the A522 in Paris, and a day later, he traveled to the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya for the pre-season tests.
These tests were an important factor in preparing for 2022, since it is a year with a radical change in the regulations, and it opens up options for most of the teams.
However, a fire in the car’s power unit left some mixed feelings, because they could not complete their program. The Spaniard was in charge of driving the car at the time of the breakdown, and the images with smoke coming out of the Alpine’s engine cover were not a good sign.
After getting off the A522 and calming the storm that arose around the issue of the reliability of the Renault engine, Fernando Alonso gave his point of view through the social networks of the Enstone team.
“It’s been a good week, because a few months have passed without us getting in the car,” explained the two-time champion. “It’s good to be back and feel the speed of a Formula 1 car, but we’ve had some problems in the last day, and that always gives you another taste in your mouth when you have to test.”
Alonso is cautious about where they will be on the grid: “We’ll see where we are, I think we are in a good shape to go to Bahrain now. The new cars are different to drive but they are fun, especially at speed, they feel very good. , and there are still a few days left to maximize the potential.”
“We have to adapt our driving style a bit too, because the cars are heavier this year, but so far so good,” the Alpine driver continued.
Another of the most talked about issues in the paddock was how to follow the cars in front, and the Spaniard indicated: “I think the competition this season will be better, I have seen some cars following each other and it seems a little easier. “.
“I’ve had the opportunity to follow a single-seater for a couple of corners, an Alfa Romeo and another one, and honestly, it felt a bit easier than last year,” he said after experiencing the new sensations.
Fernando Alonso will have two weeks to study the conclusions drawn by his Barcelona team before traveling to Bahrain and completing the second pre-season test, just a few days before the opening round of 2022.
