Fernando Alonso achieved the 98th podium of his career in Qatar, seven years after the last. The Asturian participated in the FIA press conference in Losail.
“How does the podium taste seven years later?”
-Very well. A long wait since the last one, in 2014, and happy for this moment. We had a good race with the one-stop strategy and the car was great all weekend. It helped to get to the front, also because of the penalties, and I overtook Gasly at the start, that served to be able to run in clean air. In your race there are always ups and downs, I had fantastic moments at Le Mans or the endurance, but coming back in preparation for 2022, for the new rules, and having this podium at the end of the year tastes very good. We are more prepared than ten months ago.
“Your best return performance so far?”
“I don’t know, it’s difficult.” As a weekend in general, this is the best. I was very consistent on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Sochi ran very well, only the rain at the end knocked us off the podium. The end of this 2021 is another level, compared to the first half of the year. I am happy and the preparation is on the right track.
“Was the strategy to a stop risky?”
—I don’t think it was bad for us, our car takes care of the tires and we already did it in Brazil. We had room to keep pushing. Although Checo was coming pretty fast at the end.
—Good result for the constructors’ championship …
—We didn’t expect it, it could be very few points in these final races and this margin makes it a little easier for us. We cannot relax because anything can happen in the last two races.
“Can they maintain this level of form in Arabia and Abu Dhabi?”
—It will depend on the circuit, on the characteristics. Saudi Arabia, from what we see in the videos, we can do well. Abu Dhabi less, although I am positive. What I have seen this weekend in the car makes me optimistic.
“How could he fight Lewis and Max in the future?”
“It’s hard to predict what will happen in the future, but I would love to fight them and whoever makes a good car next year.” It’s a ‘reset’ for everyone and it’s up to us to build a fast car. It is not like now, that we continued with the previous car. If we are in that situation, I feel prepared and strong to take up the battle.