Fernando Alonso is an ‘old dog’ and he’s at it again

‘Old dog’. Pilot with an engineer’s mind. How many times have these terms been used to describe Fernando Alonso? And they both fit like a glove. They perfectly explain why the Spaniard manages, weekend after weekend, to do what he often tries to instill in the young drivers of his representation agency: “You have to maximize the result and take advantage of every detail. If you have a car to be 5th, you should try to be 4th or better if you have a car to be 10th, you should try to be 9th or better.” That’s Alonso’s philosophy, and it’s something only understood by important details like MD got at Turn 3 of Zandvoort in Free Practice 3 of the Dutch GP, in the wet.

In delicate conditions, with the track wet, Alonso started in the intermediates and was the only one on the entire grid (yes, the only one) to try different lines at turn 3, with an amazing bank that 19 degrees of inclination, to test the grip that is in the outer and inner area. The first lap is done outside. The next one, inside the curve. The third, outside. The fourth, inside. Until a red flag due to Logan Sargeant’s accident stopped his study and analysis.

Why did he do it? In case I need it. Any time is a good time to draw conclusions from everything for Alonso to compile the information and, if necessary, use it to his advantage. And that’s exactly what Fernando Alonso did last year, something that helped him advance two positions in one of the most surprising and spectacular moves of the year at the start of the race at Zandvoortcertainly on turn 3and certainly for doing the same work this Saturday.

He explained last year

The Asturian explained it last year after that race.

“In Free Practice 2 it was wet and on one of the exit laps I left two cars behind, outside the normal racing line and I found a lot of grip on the inside. So it was in my mind all the time in the race.. that if it rains in the race, I will try again. And at the start, with drops of water on his helmet, he remembered that, he was the only one who tried on the inside and came second in a genius overtake. But as with all magic, there is always a trick. His trick is work and complete analysis of every detail.

“I thought everyone would be careful in Turn 3 because of the grip level and also on the outside of Turn 3 there was ARAMCO paint (from a sponsorship), so I thought about going to the inside track. And it worked. . And we passed the these and I think this may be the advance of the month…”he explained at that time.

Alonso is targeting 9th or 10th place. But he stressed on Thursday that he would try to take any opportunity to improve on that result.

This time, there is no rain forecast for Sunday’s race, but for whatever reason, Fernando Alonso wants to try it in case he needs it. Maybe in qualifying, where it might rain. It probably won’t work for you. But he still tries. Detail at max. Another example for the young people he teaches to learn from their teacher.