Fernando Alonso said after crossing the finish line at Zandvoort that Aston Martin will win a race soon, and now explains why he said that
Fernando Alonso has explained why he told his Aston Martin team on the pit radio after the end of the race at Zandvoort that a first Formula One victory is imminent – and hinted that he will take more risks to achieve it.
At last weekend’s Dutch Grand Prix, Alonso and Aston enjoyed their best race since Canada in June, when the Spaniard moved up to second place and was able to briefly put Max Verstappen under pressure after the restart.
Alonso has generally been reticent about his form this season, but on his out lap he said on the pit radio, “We’re going to win a race soon. We are getting closer.”
Zandvoort was his seventh podium and third second place of the 2023 season. “There are a couple of weekends where we seem to be a bit closer,” he said. “I felt that at Zandvoort – or let’s say with the three second places – we were close to winning.”
“We are fighting against an outstanding Max and Red Bull, who together are unstoppable. Sometimes we are close and we just need an extra step in terms of performance, luck, pit stop at the right time or whatever. So yeah, I thought after Zandvoort we should be positive.”
“Every time I say something on the pit radio I think I’m talking to my engineer and I keep forgetting I’m talking to everyone in the world. I want those comments to be private.”
“But that was my feeling and hopefully in the remaining races we’ll be in a position to fight again and have a chance to be side by side with Max and maybe take a bit more risk at that point.”
Aston Martin team principal Mike Krack agrees that Alonso’s words are a spur to the entire team’s staff at Silverstone: “It’s motivating, and it’s nice to hear that for the team, and it’s also important for everyone at home to hear that,” he says of the impact of Alonso’s words. “It’s basically the best moment to give a motivational speech.”
“And that was very nice for everyone to hear, and that also means smiling faces when you get home. But there’s a difference in saying it and doing it. So we have to work really hard to close that gap and get it done.”
Asked if Aston could beat Verstappen and Red Bull under normal circumstances, Krack says: “They are very good. I think that’s the first thing we have to acknowledge. The combination between Max and this car is excellent.”
“I think Fernando also alluded to the fact that maybe that is not recognised enough yet. The standard is very high and I’m not saying he has to be in trouble to make it. We’ll have to see how they develop in the next races.”
“When something like this happens you have to be able to absorb it and there have been four, five, six races now where we wouldn’t have been in that position. So I think we have to stay humble and do our best and see what happens. “
