Alonso: Our car is not subject to build-up on straight lines

In an interview with the team’s press office, Alpine racer Fernando Alonso summarized the results of the Baku race and commented on the problems with the build of the car by rivals.

Q: In Baku you finished seventh for the second time in a row. How do you rate the past weekend?
Fernando Alonso: The seventh place is a good result. I feel we have squeezed the most out of the car and created opportunities related to rivalry meetings.

I had to keep a close eye on tire wear as we tuned the car for low downforce. However, these settings allowed me to defend myself on the straights, overtake the pit stop and hold onto the McLaren drivers fairly comfortably at the end of the race.

However, we need to better understand our car to understand why it changes speed from Friday to Sunday.

Q: Many drivers talked about the car being uncomfortable to drive due to the build-up on the track in Baku. How was the situation in your case?
Fernando Alonso: Our car is practically not subject to the build-up effect, so I can’t say I wasn’t comfortable in Baku. We were much more concerned about the degradation of rubber, especially the rear tires.

The situation changes from job to job. For example, the tarmac in Jeddah is very slippery, like in Australia, so nobody talked about the build-up in those stages. It will be difficult for the teams to agree on this.

Q: You have become the driver with the longest career in Formula 1 history. How do you manage to stay in shape at such a high level for so many years?
Fernando Alonso: I am happy to have reached such a milestone in Formula 1. I think 21 years of performance at the top of any sport, be it motorsport, basketball or whatever, is a serious achievement. It takes a lot of passion, self-discipline and self-sacrifice over the years, but it’s worth it. I’m glad I achieved it, but that’s not all!