P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Alonso: Aston Martin ‘had to throw away’ Qatar Sprint
The race at the Lusail circuit saw teams choosing different tyre strategies, with some opting for the Medium and others for the Soft compound. Alonso, starting from ninth due to a deleted lap time, agreed with Aston Martin’s decision to prioritize the grand prix on Sunday. He believed starting from P9 would only yield a few points and wasn’t worth the risk. During the race, Alonso had a close battle with Ocon and managed to regain the lost position after Ocon’s incident with Perez and Hulkenberg. Despite finishing behind Hamilton and Albon, a penalty for Leclerc allowed Alonso to score a point. Alonso is confident in McLaren’s performance and aims to finish in the top five in Sunday’s race. He starts from fourth place, his best starting position since the Canadian Grand Prix. Alonso also believes Aston Martin will inevitably fall behind McLaren in the Constructors’ Championship by the end of 2023.
Source: Motorsport Week
