F1: Alonso and Hamilton, an “iconic” podium, a warning and a joke: “He’s older than me, that’s why he starts slower”

The two drivers, rivals yesterday, friends now, celebrate together their second and third place on the Montreal circuit.

• Chronic Alonso surpasses Hamilton again in the duel of legends and finishes second in Canada

On the podium of the Montreal circuit, three champions, max verstappen, Fernando Alonso and lewis hamilton, with eleven Formula 1 titles on the shelves of their homes. “It has been an iconic moment. I don’t know if there has ever been a podium like this before. I think not,” extolled one of them, Hamilton, at a press conference. Without going any further, the three already shared honors this year in Australia and last year in Doha, but the British’s memory error was not important. The important thing was recognition, respect and a good atmosphere between them. As they crossed the finish line, the three of them lounged on three chairs and discussed the best moments of the race in Canada in front of a large television screen. Getting off the podium, Verstappen, Alonso and Hamilton exchanged jokes before the microphones of the media.

“He is older than me. That is why he has started slower. He is losing reaction capacity,” Hamilton hesitated to Alonso, for example, about his overtaking at the start. The Spaniard, in effect, gave the Briton his second position on the grid at the start, but no blood was drawn with the ruling. In fact, when Hamilton released the joke, Alonso replied jokingly – “You’ll see in Austria in two weeks” – and gave him a friendly slap on the back. “These two know what it is to win,” said Verstappen, who on several occasions this year has already underlined his admiration for the Spaniard.

After the celebrations the three drivers on the podium were euphoric, something that is not always the case. Verstappen for his sixth victory of the season, increasing his lead in the World Cup with his teammate Czech Prez -there are already 69 points- and match the historical record of wins of Ayrton senna (41). Alonso for repeating second place in Monaco, signing his sixth podium of the year and getting closer to the Dutchman than ever this year -only nine seconds behind-. And Hamilton for climbing to his third podium of the season, confirming the evolution of Mercedes warned in Montmel and excelling on a circuit that he considered detrimental to his car.

“It has been a very intense race, against very strong rivals, there have been 70 qualifying laps. We started badly at the start, Hamilton passed me, but I managed to overtake him afterwards”, analyzed Alonso, who above all highlighted his closeness with Verstappen: ” It has been our most competitive race, it’s only nine seconds with Red Bull. We have gone to the maximum in each lap, brushing against the walls and in each protection. I have enjoyed this Grand Prix to the fullest”.

Amid so much euphoria, the Spaniard discovered a new objective for this season. If in the first tests he was focused on raising the Aston Martin project with an eye on 2024 or 2025, now it is clear that the ambition of this 2023. Reaching Max Verstappen in the championship seems impossible, but Alonso chooses to be runner-up. for the fourth time in his life. With eight races to go and 14 to go, he is only nine points behind a struggling Prez. In fact, at a press conference Alonso was asked directly if it was a goal he had in mind, if he would fight specifically to finish second in the World Cup, and the Spaniard answered emphatically: “Yes.”