Fernando Alonso’s performance at the Jeddah Grand Prix has been intriguing, with him qualifying in fourth place on a day where Carlos Sainz was absent from the regular Ferrari lineup. This marks a significant improvement from his previous race in Bahrain, where he started in sixth but slipped back to ninth during the race. Alonso himself expressed surprise at the performance of his car over one lap, noting that it was not their natural position to be starting from the second row of the grid.
Despite the strong qualifying performance, Alonso remains cautious about the team’s performance in the actual race. He acknowledged that in Bahrain, they were faster in qualifying compared to their long-run pace, and the trend seemed to be continuing in Jeddah. The Spaniard admitted that the team was struggling on the long runs and that adjustments had been made to the car’s setup in an attempt to address this issue. However, the real test would be during the race itself, and Alonso expressed hope for a stronger performance compared to Bahrain.
When asked about his confidence in the changes made to the car, Alonso remained optimistic. He believed that the team would ultimately end up where they deserved in terms of race performance. He also pointed out the difference between qualifying and the race, noting that new tires could mask the true performance of the cars. In the race, however, there would be no hiding the true pace, and Alonso seemed confident that they had made the necessary adjustments to improve their race pace.
Overall, Fernando Alonso’s insights provide a clear picture of the challenges and uncertainties faced by his team going into the Jeddah Grand Prix. While qualifying well is a positive sign, it is the race performance that truly matters in the end. Alonso’s cautious optimism and focus on addressing the issues with the car’s setup show a determined and proactive approach to improving their race pace. Only time will tell if these adjustments will pay off and if Alonso will be able to achieve a stronger finish in Jeddah.