One of the factors to always take into account for the strategies of the Formula 1 teams is the weather, as well as the conditions of the asphalt or the duration of the tires, but for years, the engineers and heads of the teams have been watching with attention a little more, to Fernando Alonso.
In a famous video in which Red Bull manager Christian Horner is asked before the start of the 2011 Hungarian Grand Prix which driver worried him more, Lewis Hamilton or Jenson Button, second and third respectively behind Sebastian Vettel, assured that it was the Asturian, who started fifth.
That was proof of the fear that the Spaniard causes in his rivals, even now, more than a decade later and a retreat in between. In the last Singapore Grand Prix, a wet race at Marina Bay at night, where the single-seaters had to find the right moment to go from the intermediate tires to the dry ones, another episode of terror caused by the two-time champion
Alonso was behind Lando Norris, who had overtaken him at the start, but the Spaniard was a factor that could change the McLaren race. The British engineer warned that the Alpine was the car that preceded him, and although his Renault engine said enough before making the change to the slick compound, they were aware that he could be doing something that reminded them of the French Grand Prix.
“The one behind is Fernando [Alonso]. He could be doing his usual weird things,” said his track manager in Singapore before the halfway point of the night event.
The radios of the F1 French GP between Fernando Alonso, Alpine, Lando Norris and McLaren
All this comes from the test in Paul Ricard, where the two-time world champion played with the hopes of the Woking team to overcome him when they were fighting for sixth position , and thanks to the radio you can see why in Singapore they did that Alonso’s “funny stuff” comment.
“Norris is 1.1 [seconds] behind,” the Spaniard was told in France from the pit wall.
“Okay, well… it’s a long race. If they want to fight, they’ll pay the price,” replied the Spaniard.
“Norris did a 39.3 on the last lap. He gained some time in the third sector,” they confirmed to their driver just a few laps later.
“Yes, no problem. I want them very close so they can kill their tyres,” said Alonso.
At McLaren they warned their driver of what he had to do during the 53 laps at Paul Ricard, especially in the management of the compounds: “Okay, Lando [Norris], good job with the tires. Be careful not to skid the rear wheels, We are going to focus on getting to the end.”
“On the last lap you were three tenths faster than Norris,” Alonso was told as a few laps passed and the checkered flag approached.
“Yes, he has understood the game. Now we will have ten laps of peace,” said the man from Oviedo before crossing the finish line in his second best performance to date of the 2022 season with Alpine, since only in Monaco did he finish in a more advanced position , the fifth.
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