Alonso: Alpine was “too brave” with a “very optimistic” one-stop F1 strategy

Fernando Alonso has conceded Alpine F1 was “too brave” with its one-stop strategy in the Spanish Grand Prix, but has defended the team for its risky approach.
Fernando Alonso (ESP) Alpine F1 Team A521.
Fernando Alonso (ESP) Alpine F1 Team A521.
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Like teammate Esteban Ocon, Alonso wౠas one of a handful of drivers who were put on a one-stop strategy.

The Spaniard was running as high as ninth b𓃲ut dropped back as his tyres degraded, ultimately being forced into a second late pit stop.

Alonso reliಞnquished a spot in the t𓆉op ten when he was overtaken by Pierre Gasly, who managed to get ahead after the two-time champion’s tangle with Lance Stroll.

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The incident with Stroll was reported to the stewards but 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果🅷历史ไ:both drivers were cleared of any wrongdoing.

While Alonso labelled the strategy by Alpine as “very optimistic”, he said he’d rather see risks 𝐆be taken than opting for a conservative approach.

“I couldn’t drive!” Alonso said after the race in Barcelona. “I t𝓰hink we were in a very optimistic strategy with one-stop and I knew t🅘hat [the drivers behind] were coming, I tried to hold five or six cars behind me for a couple of laps but it was not enough.

“But I would rather pr💜efer to risk that strategy and try to take that point than sit there behind and not scoring. We were brave today, maybe too brave. I think there is some work to do in the race pace and the tyre management but happy in general with the weekend.”

Teammate Ocon fared better than Alonso but his one-stop strategy meant he fell to ninth, nearly losing tenth to Gasly on the final lap after losing 20 seconds to the French🍌man in the closing six laps.

Alonso was still encouraged by Alpine’s pace at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya despite classifying 17th at the end of the r♉ace.

“We didn’t know if [the performance at Portimao] was tr✨ack-specific or a real improvement on the car and here we confirmed that we are go༺ing in the right direction,” Alonso added. “There’s still some work to go in terms of different driving style, different way of trying to set up for me in the car… I have some homework for sure.

“I think we felt more competitive here and it’s good. We want more, we will not stop here and hopefully more to come at Monacoಞ.”

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