Fernando Alonso

2022 - 4 - 9

Post cover — Image courtesy of "ESPN Australia"

Fernando Alonso felt Australian GP pole was possible before ... (ESPN Australia)

Fernando Alonso felt Alpine was guaranteed a top three grid slot until his dramatic crash out of qualifying for the Australian Grand Prix.

"It seems quite random and quite random on my car, in the moments when we are fast. "The car is getting better and better and we feel more confident," he said. "It is unbelievable how unlucky we are, because 20 seconds later maybe we were on pole, if the car stops in Turn 1, instead of Turn 11," Alonso said after qualifying.

Fernando Alonso buries Alpine into wall in Australian GP qualifying ... (Mirror.co.uk)

Alonso was on track for a super-fast lap in Q3, but a mechanical issue saw him crash into a wall rather than set a quick time in qualifying.

The Spaniard was in the middle of what was looking like a very quick hot lap as he lost control of his car. Alpine were understandable disappointed to see their driver crash, especially as he was on track to set a very quick time in qualifying. The session had already been disrupted by a big crash involving Lance Stroll and Nicholas Latifi, which led to both drivers blaming one-another.

Could Alonso have taken shock F1 pole without hydraulic issue? (crash.net)

Fernando Alonso is convinced that a top three grid position for Formula 1's Australian Grand Prix was possible without the issue that ended his.

Alonso’s best qualifying performance came at the Qatar Grand Prix when he qualified fifth. From the data, it’s clear that Alonso was on a blistering lap with his middle sector over two-tenths faster than Leclerc’s best at the time. Leclerc was on top with a 1m18.239s but Alonso was on course to beat it. There’s no doubt that Alonso was flying in his Alpine and he was up on Leclerc’s provisional pole time. Speaking after the session, Alonso was confident his lap would have been good enough to secure a top three grid position - at least provisionally before the final runs. Fernando Alonso is convinced that a top three grid position for Formula 1’s Australian Grand Prix was possible without the issue that ended his qualifying prematurely.

Fernando Alonso crashes out of Australian GP qualifying with pole ... (Daily Express)

FERNANDO ALONSO failed to keep his Alpine car on track during the final part of Saturday's qualifying session.

He was forced to install a third power unit ahead of this weekend's event after struggling with performance and reliability issues in the first two races of the new season. The two-time Drivers' Championship winner was unhurt and quickly jumped out of the cockpit before his Alpine car was lifted away by a recovery vehicle. Alonso and his team-mate Esteban Ocon both managed to make it into Q3 but the former was ultimately prevented from setting a lap time after his unfortunately-timed accident ruled him out of the rest of the session.

Fernando Alonso left dejected after crash ruins 'best weekend in ... (The Independent)

The Spaniard's qualifying crash in Melbourne was caused by a hydraulics failure.

Since arriving in Australia, though, Alonso had shown supreme pace and the Alpine seemed capable of challenging for at the very front of the pack. I don’t know [what caused the issue] and honestly right now I don’t care, I was doing my best weekend in years, so now whatever it is we will take it.” “I don’t know if we could fight for pole but for sure top three,” Alonso added.

"The steering became very, very heavy"– Fernando Alonso claims ... (The Sportsrush)

Fernando Alonso reveals that Alpine would have got a P3 position in qualifying ahead of the Sunday race had he not crashed.

Ferrari managed to get a pole with Charles Leclerc. But the two Red Bull drivers are sitting right behind the Monegasque’s neck at P2 and 3. Because of that Sainz could only get a P9 spot in the qualifying. And also made him lose a possible top spot in the grid.

Fernando Alonso bemoans Australian GP misfortune that may have ... (GiveMeSport)

Fernando Alonso has offered his thoughts on qualifying for the Australian Grand Prix, with a technical fault costing him a potential shot at pole position.

I was probably having my best weekend in years, even fighting for pole position and now whatever it is we will take it.” It was such a shame as Fernando really was on it and looked firmly in the mix to be in the sharp end, and he could not hide his disappointment speaking to Sky post-session: Indeed, in Q3 Fernando had set a purple sector time for that part of the track, meaning he was the quickest of all through there at the time, and he looked as though he might take provisional pole.