The Chinese GP returned to the F1 calendar after a gap of five years. The sport decided to conduct the new sprint format for the Shanghai race. Sprint Qualifying became a challenge for drivers due to the wet weather conditions mid-session. Now, Fernando Alonso admitted that he was on his nerves over the course of the session.
Alonso claimed that Sprint Qualifying was quite stressful for the 42-year-old and Aston Martin. The Spanish driver mentioned that the threat of rain was constant from SQ1. However, it was only in the final session of the day when rain finally hit the track which led to a dramatic end to the session.
It was quite stressful to be honest... we were not super competitive in the dry, and then it rained at the end in SQ3. Fernando Alonso said, as reported by RacingNews365
Fernando Alonso reckoned that the car behaved differently on every lap. The tires seemed to be performing better as the session progressed. However, the track felt worse to the two-time world champion as more rain poured on the circuit. Alonso admitted that it was challenging to take risks based on the level of grip available.
Every lap was different conditions with the tyres, they were better every lap, but the circuit was slightly worse every lap with more rain, so it was difficult to judge the level of grip and the level of risk that you wanted to apply. Fernando Alonso continued
Fernando Alonso hoping for a good weekend at the Chinese GP
Fernando Alonso will start the sprint race from P3 on the grid. The Spanish driver could score some crucial points for Aston Martin before heading into Qualifying for the Grand Prix. The two-time world champion and the AMR24 have shown promise this season.
Alonso claimed that the Silverstone-based squad was unclear about its position in the pecking order this weekend. However, things will get clear tomorrow after drivers go wheel-to-wheel in the sprint race. Fernando Alonso highlighted that the sprint weekend gives drivers ample number of racing laps. The 42-year-old claimed that he wanted a good result in Qualifying for a decent finish in Sunday’s race.
We don't really have a clear idea yet [of where we are], but we will find out tomorrow, and we have a lot of racing laps now in the weekend with the sprint race and obviously the main race on Sunday, so let's see if we can qualify well tomorrow. Fernando Alonso concluded
Certainly, Fernando Alonso could be on course for a positive weekend in Shanghai. The two-time world champion seems to have enough pace to potentially grab a podium finish at the Chinese GP. However, it would be interesting to see how Alonso fares in the sprint race on Saturday morning.
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