Fernando Alonso was already on the podium after five of the six Grands Prix this year, and hopes to repeat that trick in front of his home crowd this weekend. The Spaniard kept a low profile in the first session with a sixth place, but in the second free practice he was again the closest attacker to Max Verstappen with a second position.
Firstly, the Asturian is happy with Aston Martin and the new parts it has brought. “Absolutely, 100% sure,” Alonso replies when asked whether the new parts make him happy. “There is not a new part that we fit to the car that does not perform as desired. This has actually been the case with the team continuously since Bahrain. So we are happy with the improvements. Tomorrow when everyone goes full throttle, we’ll see where we stand,” Alonso told the Spanish-language branch of Motorsport.com.
Alonso also indicates that he has not yet focused on the fastest times on Friday, and therefore does not really know how he stands until tomorrow. ‘It’s all so close together that one or two tenths of profit can give you a completely different place in the standings. So I don’t pay too much attention to the times we set with the program we followed in training. That program was interesting. You need to learn more about the tires. The track may be a bit slower than expected, so there is definitely time to make some adjustments to the car’s set-up, but it’s been a productive day.”
Grandstands color green
Finally, the 41-year-old Aston Martin driver has some words left for his fans, who have turned up in droves this weekend. ‘I’ve heard that 67% of the merchandising in the stands is green, that’s unbelievable! It’s a bit like in 2005 and 2006, when everyone wore the same color, so I definitely feel that support, that special energy,” said Alonso. ‘It is unbelievable. While I’m driving I can’t hear them, but I can feel how excited they are, so I hope we can put on a good show for them.’
Verstappen strengthens favorite role after flawless Friday!
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