Aston Martin driver Fernando Alonso.
Fernando Alonso has already set his sights beyond Imola and just wants to “finish the race, go home and think about Monaco” as he prepares for a last-row start at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.
Alonso’s Saturday at Imola began on a challenging note when he collided with the wall during FP3. Unfortunately, his day didn’t improve during qualifying as the Aston Martin driver failed to advance past the initial stage, resulting in a P19 starting position on the grid.
Fernando Alonso ready to switch focus to Monaco
Additional reporting by Thomas Maher
Alonso, acknowledging the unfortunate events of the day, would express his regret to the Aston Martin mechanics, emphasizing that they deserved a higher outcome than a Q1 exit considering their efforts in preparing his AMR24 for qualifying.
“He informed the media, including PlanetF1.com, that it was one of those days where everything went awry.”
“Beginning from FP3, there was an unfortunate crash that was quite severe. However, the mechanics displayed remarkable skill in preparing everything for Q1. In Q1, there were multiple factors at play, to be honest.”
“We began the session with a full tank of fuel, allowing me to complete a few laps and practice while also preparing for pit stops. In the beginning, I set a lap time with the car carrying its maximum fuel load. Towards the end, when the car was lighter, we replaced the tires and as I was about to complete my final lap, I had to make an unexpected pit stop due to a minor issue. They instructed me to come into the pit.”
“It was rather painful. I inquired three or four times, just to confirm, if you really wanted to engage in boxing at this moment?”
Yeah, I apologize to the mechanics because they truly deserve better recognition for the exceptional job they have done. Unfortunately, it’s just been one of those days where everything seems to go wrong.
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Aston Martin brought an extensive upgrade package with them to Imola, including a new floor, diffuser and engine cover, with Alonso feeling the team are best placed to judge the performance gains at this stage.
When it comes to utilizing the upgrades effectively, he envisions Aston Martin following Monaco’s example.
Regarding the upgrades, Alonso expressed, “This morning, I noticed that the car had slightly improved in speed compared to yesterday, prior to the crash. Additionally, during the qualifying session, the car felt good.”
“This is my initial lap of the day with soft tyres and a full tank of fuel, so I believe there is some extra speed available.”
However, I believe that the team should be the ones to analyze and provide insights on the upgrades. We have gathered a substantial amount of data from yesterday, particularly from Lance Stroll’s sessions in FP1 with the old package and FP2 with the new package. There is a lot to review and improve upon in order to be well-prepared for Monaco. Anticipating a challenging day tomorrow.
Alonso, expressing his concerns about race day, considers scoring points to be an “unrealistic” goal. Speaking to DAZN F1, he admits to having no expectations for Sunday’s race at the challenging Imola track, known for its limited overtaking opportunities. Therefore, he is already focusing on the upcoming Monaco Grand Prix next weekend.
When asked about his expectations for the Imola race day, Alonso responded, “Honestly, I don’t expect anything. My only goal is to finish the race and then focus on Monaco.”
“Monaco is considered the most challenging track to overtake on, with this track coming in as the second most difficult. Surprisingly, Singapore is even easier to overtake on, highlighting the relative ease of overtaking there.”
“It will be a race characterized by minimal or no overtaking opportunities. Tomorrow, starting from the last row, we will face a challenging race. It is one of those days where everything seems to go awry, but we must embrace it.”
Stroll, the teammate of Alonso, will commence the race from the 13th position.
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