ANALYSIS: Alonso ends a disastrous weekend with the fastest race lap

Regardless of Aston Martin’s disastrous displaying on the Austrian Grand Prix, it was its Spanish driver Fernando Alonso to submit the quickest race lap within the 71-lap Spielberg spherical.

P15 in qualifying and a P18 within the race: issues went simply as badly for Fernando Alonso within the Austrian Grand Prix as they did in Saturday’s Dash. Aston Martin’s type is within the doldrums, and the larger challenge is that the Silverstone-based outfit doesn’t appear capable of finding a approach out of the disaster.

“I do not actually have something to say a few state of affairs the place we’re preventing for P16 with two laps to go,” stated Fernando Alonso after being pressured large by Nico Hulkenberg on the uphill hairpin within the Dash race. “I do not even care a few place to this point again. He can have it!”

After the primary eleven races in 2023, the 42-year-old had already scored six podiums. His finest consequence to this point in 2024 is a P5 in Saudi Arabia, and his final High Ten end got here in Canada.

The poor tempo of the AMR23 got here as no shock to the previous champion, and the choice three-stop technique didn’t carry the specified success. Alonso finally noticed the chequered flag one lap down in P18. Other than Lando Norris who registered a DNF, the one driver who got here in behind him was Logan Sargeant.

“In the event you’re not quick sufficient, 71 laps is a really lengthy race,” stated Alonso. “The steadiness was barely higher than within the Dash, however not sufficient. Now we have to know that, we’re clearly not quick sufficient, not aggressive sufficient.”

The 2-time world champion was not less than capable of document one success in Spielberg: on Lap 70, he pitted once more for contemporary tender tyres and set the quickest race lap – his second of this Formulation 1 season. Nevertheless, he doesn’t earn the additional level as he completed exterior the High Ten.

“I would as properly reply your questions on Silverstone qualifying now,” stated the two-time world champion with grim humor on Saturday, after reserving a lowly P15 on the grid. “I anticipated it, and Silverstone would be the similar.” And sadly, that shall be in his crew’s house race – the Silverstone Circuit is lower than ten minutes by automobile from the Aston Martin manufacturing unit.

Thus far this season, seven drivers have claimed the quickest race lap. Max Verstappen, Charles Leclerc, Alonso and Lewis Hamilton have set the quickest race lap twice apiece. Oscar Piastri, George Russell and Lando Norris have recorded the quickest race lap as soon as apiece.

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