Fernando Alonso was excited, since 7 years ago he did not get on an F1 podium. The last time was in 2014 at the Hungarian GP with the Ferrari. His best result this year has also been that of Hungary, with the fourth position.
On the radio after crossing the finish line they told him that he had also been “The pilot of the day”.
“Incredible, seven years but we finally got it!” Fernando Alonso said as soon as he got out of his Alpine A521. “He had been waiting for a long time, he had to beg,” he commented, referring to the time he had not been on a podium. “From the podium number 97 to 98 it was very long, so thankful to everyone who waited for it, who trusted that one day he would be on the podium, and it had to be today. I am also happy that it was today, on a good weekend, with good competition, there was no chaos, or anything strange … We share the podium with Hamilton and Verstappen, with all respect for anyone else. Very happy, grateful to everyone who has been waiting for so many years and was always there with confidence ”.
On the tires towards the end of the race, Alonso comments: “My tires felt goodThey just told me to take care of them because there were some punctures, and there were other teams that were suffering. I was taking care of them in the last 15 laps of races, in the last sector I was saving time, they told me not to push for fear that the tire would explode. But they didn’t tell me anything, and I thought ‘but Pérez is going to make it or not’ … I was a bit fly because they didn’t tell me anything and I thought, ‘they know he’s going to overtake me and they don’t want to tell me to pull because the tire explodes anyway and for them the fourth is fine as a team. ‘ So I was beginning to doubt the lack of communication, the silence, but it was fun and in the end we managed to finish the job ”.
The best weekend of the season for Fernando Alonso. “I am back to try to fight to be champion one more time. 2022 we know that it offers us a reset in terms of competitiveness. If we are not fast next year it is our fault, because we have not done things well, it is not like this year which is the continuation of last year. We have that opportunity, to see if things turn out well for us. But this type of tire management at the exit or at Turn 2, or to understand the strategy a bit, without 2021 it would not have been ready for 2022, it would have had to go through a transition period. This year it was part of the plan. Being a little more accustomed for next year at full throttle ”.
This podium was the 98th in F1 for Fernando Alonso. “I wish I would reach a hundred podiums one day soon. Hopefully for 99 we don’t have to wait as long as for 98”.
