P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Fernando Alonso says Aston Martin will not be overly impressed with topping the times in practice for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, because it is regularly quicker in FP2 than in qualifying. The Sp…
Fernando Alonso believes Aston Martin won’t be too impressed by their top spot in practice for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, as they tend to perform better in FP2 than in qualifying. In the second Jeddah session, Alonso was almost a quarter of a second faster than anyone else, with George Russell and Max Verstappen trailing. The Spaniard noted a trend where Aston Martin tends to do well in practice but struggles in competitive sessions due to strategic differences in fuel loads and engine modes. Despite his strong performance, Alonso remains focused on the team’s program and setup possibilities for the upcoming race. On the other hand, Red Bull’s Max Verstappen highlighted their strong long-run pace compared to their rivals, anticipating a tight competition in qualifying and emphasizing the importance of one-lap performance for their car.
