F1: Fernando Alonso does not fail in Miami either: another podium behind the Red Bull

He finished third in Miami behind Verstappen and Pérez after another flawless race. Sainz, who exceeded the speed in the pits and was penalized, finishes fifth

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There are days for preciousness, the steering wheel turned into a piano, driving made art, and there are days for accuracy. No one has contested more Formula 1 races than Fernando Alonso and hence its reliability: it never fails, it always does what it should. If his car can win the World Cup, he wins it, he already did it twice. If you can only choose to be tenth, you finish tenth, as in previous years. And if his car allows him to get on the podium every race, he gets on the podium every Sunday: his routine this season. This Sunday at the semi-urban circuit in Miami, Alonso returned to the box, the fourth in five tests this year and he did it with safety as the main argument.

Other veteran champions, there it is lewis hamilton, sixth this Sunday, only perform at their best when conditions are idyllic. Some talented youngsters, as has happened lately to charles leclerc, who finished seventh, accumulate bulk errors. But Alonso’s driving is a certainty.

In Miami, benefited from Leclerc’s accident in qualifying that left him in the front row, he just had to ride at the fastest possible pace and avoid mistakes: his specialty. Out of the battle between the hypersonic Red Bulls, he let a max verstappen in a comeback and then he dedicated himself to getting away and getting away and getting away from the rest. In a test that was reminiscent of that of Saudi Arabia for many reasons, the fourth classified, once again George Russell, finished seven seconds behind the Spanish. If anything Alonso had a few minutes of doubt. In fact, for a few laps he lost his third position in favor of Carlos Sainz. An Aston Martin strategy failure? Could be.

More taking into account that the mechanics of the British team are still among the slowest on the grid in the pit stops, but Alonso still came out on top. On lap number 19 of a total 57, Sainz passed his compatriot at the only pit stop and in a few laps on new tires he took virtual third place. An overtaking from afar, the result of tactics. A manual ‘undercut’.

Sainz’s ruling

Alonso, already injured, only had to hold on to gain a certain margin and he did that: despite the fact that his tires were already asking for a replacement, he flew over the Miami track and won the subsequent attack on Sainz. As soon as they met again, student and teacher again, friends and enemies again, Alonso got rid of Sainz and went off to shake the champagne with Verstappen and Czech Prez. A veteran’s lesson. A pity for Carlos Sainz who had risked everything on that strategy. In fact, he risked so much that he received a penalty.

Nervous from his battle with Alonso, Sainz exceeded the speed limit entering pitlane, 80 km/h, and received a five-second penalty. The penalty snatched all his aspirations to the podium. And already far from those honors, the voracity of his Ferrari with the tires did the rest. In the end, he couldn’t help but leave Russell, who finished fourth, and maintain his lead over Pierre Gasley to be fifth.

From there to the end, the greatest interest in the test was the match between the two Red Bulls for the lead. This season, contrary to the previous ones, ‘Checo’ Pérez has promised agitation, to get the World Cup out of the tedium in which Verstappen has plunged it, but it will be difficult for him to achieve it. This Sunday, despite the fact that the current champion was ninth, despite the fact that Checo Pérez was in the lead for most of the event, no one doubted who would be the winner.

Verstappen was the fastest even with drivers in front, he was able to pass Leclerc and Leclerc at the same time Kevin Magnussen In an action to remember, he pushed all his adversaries out of his way and was also benefited by the strategy. His gamble on the initial hard tire delivered a placid attack on Prez. In the last few laps, while the Dutchman was enjoying practically new tyres, his teammate was already suffering and could not help but make way for him. The Red Bulls fly, unattainable, unbeatable, but behind there is a man, Fernando Alonso, who never fails, who always does what he should.