“Surreal”: Oldie Alonso enchants Formula 1

The 99-year-old Spaniard was celebrated on the podium for the 41th time on Sunday, for the first time in a green Aston Martin suit. “It's too good to be true. “Surreal,” said Alonso, delighted with third place and the subsequent champagne shower with the two Red Bull drivers Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez.

After the surprising trip to the podium, after the start the veteran was still seventh, the competition looked up to Alonso with respect. Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz enthused: “I admire him, he's an idol.” And that, even though Alonso took the podium place from his compatriot in the Ferrari shortly before the end after a tough duel. In any case, it was the perfect start to his 20th F1 season for the Asturian. "It's incredible. We thought there might not be a podium in 2023 and the project wouldn't start until 2024. Now we are the second best team behind Red Bull. We can build on that and raise our expectations higher,” said Alonso ServusTV . “We thought there might not be a podium in 2023 and the project wouldn’t start until 2024.” Fernando Alonso The Aston Martin made the jump to the absolute top over the winter, the usual triumvirate of Red Bull/Ferrari/Mercedes seems to have been broken for the time being. “It will be an interesting season. “I could have driven for another hour, the car was that great,” Alonso said, full of euphoria. Red Bull and Ferrari would now continue to fine-tune the car, “for us it is day one, we can find even more performance,” explained the two-time world champion, who was 38 seconds behind Verstappen and 26 seconds behind Perez.

Aston Martin second force Alonso moved from Alpine to Aston Martin after last season, a jackpot for the Spaniard. “The performance cannot be overstated. “You have to take your hat off,” emphasized Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff. If Alonso had been behind Verstappen from the start, “then the race would be much closer,” added the Viennese. The veteran left record world champion Lewis Hamilton behind in a thrilling duel, while George Russell in the second Mercedes also lost out to Lance Stroll in the second Aston Martin.

Stroll, who competed with a broken wrist and toe, was also overwhelmed after finishing sixth in Sakhir. “I'm a bit shocked,” said the Canadian, who had only given himself little chance of playing a few days ago. “The performance cannot be praised enough, he didn't test a kilometer,” emphasized team boss Mike Krack. Aston Martin is now second in the constructors' championship with 23 points behind Red Bull (43) and ahead of Mercedes (16) and Ferrari (12). “Today we are happy, tomorrow we will continue,” added the Luxembourger Krack.

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“Surreal”: Oldie Alonso enchants Formula 1

Formula 1 “oldie” Fernando Alonso stood on the podium with a broad grin after a spectacular comeback at the Bahrain Grand Prix.

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