Alonso: "We have two completely different cars"

After some free practice that left very good feelings in Alpine and more specifically in Fernando Alonso, the classification of the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix was complicated from the first minute on track for the Spaniard.

Already in the first round of elimination, the Spanish driver suffered what is not written to achieve a competitive time that would give him access to Q2, qualifying with a time at the limit that, a little later, would be a reflection of what he was going to happen at that later session.

Alonso and Esteban Ocon were the last drivers to start running in Q2, but they had mixed luck. The Frenchman managed to set a good enough time to get into Q3, but the Spaniard could not get past 13th place.

Once the qualifying session was over, Alonso spoke before the DAZN F1 microphones and explained that something in the car was not working in the right way: “Today the rear part behaved very strangely, so we have to investigate to see what He escaped because the car was difficult to drive today and now we can’t touch it anymore because it’s in Parc Fermé, but, with a view to Abu Dhabi, let’s see if we know why”.

“We have two totally different cars, with the same configuration we have two different balances Esteban and I, we make completely different comments and we don’t know the reason,” he added.

The problem seems to be more serious than one would expect, since Alpine cannot solve it with a simple modification, assured Alonso: “I would have to lower the front wing by about 10 degrees to have the same behavior as his car (Ocon) , so we have to understand that.”

Leaving qualifying behind and focusing on the race, the #14 was positive and recognized that, starting from 13th position, he still has a chance to score some good points that would be key for Alpine in the fight with AlphaTauri in the constructors’ championship.

“It’s going to be a difficult circuit to overtake, but the points are still there for tomorrow. There may be crazy races like in Baku or Monaco, some safety cars and others. So let’s see if we can make a good strategy and score points” Alonso concluded.

Gallery: Fernando Alonso at the 2021 F1 Saudi Arabian GP:

Fernando Alonso, Alpine A521

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Foto de: Charles Coates / Motorsport Images

Fernando Alonso, Alpine A521, Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing RB16B

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Foto de: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images

Fernando Alonso, Alpine A521

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Foto de: Glenn Dunbar / Motorsport Images

Fernando Alonso, Alpine A521

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Photo by: Erik Junius

Fernando Alonso, Alpine A521

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Photo by: Jerry Andre / Motorsport Images

Fernando Alonso, Alpine A521

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Photo by: Jerry Andre / Motorsport Images

Fernando Alonso, Alpine A521

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Foto de: Charles Coates / Motorsport Images

Fernando Alonso, Alpine A521

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Photo by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images

Fernando Alonso, Alpine A521

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Photo by: Zak Mauger/Motorsport Images

Fernando Alonso, Alpine A521

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Photo by: Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Images

Fernando Alonso, Alpine A521

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Photo by: Erik Junius

Fernando Alonso, Alpine A521

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Photo by: Erik Junius