After two years out of the Formula 1 and after two fateful seasons at the hands of a disastrous Alpine in terms of reliability (apart from bad luck with injuries), what he is doing Fernando Alonso this 2023 is commendable.
As he warned years ago, if they gave him a car half a second behind the leader, the fun would come. And wow if it has arrived. In three races the Asturian has added three podiums… and 33 seems closer than ever.
Analyzing his qualities in ‘As’, Emerson FittipaldiFormula 1 champion in 1972 and 1974 has highlighted the great qualities of the man from Oviedo.
“An elite pilot must be a naturally talented athlete who needs a physical and mental balance and a lot of passion and dedication for his sport. Without sacrifice there is no success. Fernando has all these qualities”, he expressed.
Is Fernando getting older? For the Brazilian, no: “I won my last race in the United States at the age of 47 and Alonso can reach that age at a high level. Physically he’s in great shape and he’s hungry for victory.”
“He has the will to win, he has grit as we Brazilians say. His mentality and character are very strong and he is very competitive. That is what makes the difference,” he added.
Finally, when comparing it with Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer, Fittipaldi highlights the “mental strength” of the three without getting wet.
“It is true that I have compared him with Federer because they seem to me to be similar cases in terms of mental power but Nadal is also a valid example, of course. He has spent many years at a very high level and overcoming adversity with injuries but his ability to overcome everything is strong“, has explained.
“Both are references for all athletes, with a lot of experience and very competitive. And Alonso is also in that group of athletes withyou are at peace with your mental strength“, has settled.
