In a surprising turn of events, Fernando Alonso will begin the Formula 1 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix from Imola’s pitlane due to alterations made to his Aston Martin. The team’s decision follows Alonso’s challenging qualifying session and a crash during the final practice.
Fernando Alonso’s performance has been hit with a series of setbacks leading up to the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix. After a difficult qualifying session where he ended up 19th, Alonso is now set to start Sunday’s race from the pitlane. This change comes after Aston Martin opted to modify the suspension setup on Alonso’s car, a move that breaches parc ferme regulations.
Alonso’s troubles began in Free Practice 3 with a crash at Rivazza, leaving his mechanics scrambling to repair the car in time for qualifying. During the session, an issue forced Alonso back to the pits when the track conditions were ideal for a fast lap, leading to his poor qualifying position.
“If we start from the pit, there are also some benefits as well,” Alonso remarked. Highlighting the chaos often experienced at Imola’s narrow start, Alonso referred to Formula 2’s crash as an example. He believes starting from the pitlane could help avoid potential incidents and damage to the car.
Making the best out of the situation, Alonso acknowledged that points are a long shot given how difficult it is to overtake at Imola. He noted that Imola ranks just behind Monaco in terms of overtaking difficulty, making it a tough track to recover positions on. “Points are a little bit unrealistic. Let’s see. I think Imola is one of the worst places to start at the back,” he said.
Alonso’s teammate, Lance Stroll, didn’t fare much better, qualifying 13th. This result indicates that Aston Martin’s setup at Imola has not been competitive enough to keep up with their midfield rivals.
Despite the setbacks, Alonso remains somewhat optimistic. The pitlane start will allow Aston Martin to further evaluate the upgrades they’ve brought to Imola without the immediate chaos of the race start. However, the focus will likely shift towards learning and developing the car rather than scoring points.
Alonso summed up the challenging weekend, “It’s going to be a tough race, but we should be able to learn something about the package as well.”
While the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix presents a daunting challenge for Fernando Alonso and the Aston Martin team, the hope is to glean valuable insights from the race. Regardless of the outcome, the focus remains on progressing and making the best of a difficult situation.
