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Alonso: Qatar F1 podium repeat ‘a bit optimistic’
Fernando Alonso accompanied Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen on the podium at the Lusail International Circuit, marking his first podium finish since 2014. Despite achieving six top-three finishes in the first eight races of the year, Alonso has only managed one podium in the last eight rounds due to Aston Martin’s struggles. He anticipates a similar outcome at the high-speed circuit, stating that there won’t be significant upgrades and the characteristics of the car and track are similar to Suzuka. However, Alonso believes that the Sprint format, which allows only one hour of practice before qualifying, could provide opportunities. He doubts Aston Martin’s chances of battling for a podium place this weekend but acknowledges the stressful nature of the new asphalt and limited practice time. Despite his pessimism, Alonso thinks that the current generation of F1 cars will perform well on the newly resurfaced Lusail track, particularly in high-speed corners. The new asphalt remains a question mark in terms of grip and dustiness.
Source: Motorsport Week
