Fernando Alonso has already ‘practiced’ what can be the long race in Austria. The Asturian, sixth at the start of the Red Bull Ring, He finished fifth behind Lance Stroll in a short test in which at the end it seemed that he didn’t even want to attack his teammate.
In an ending that could have been very different from what he tried at the beginning worked out for him. Because as soon as the traffic light went out, Alonso went into ‘magic’ mode for what would have been one of those starts. One of those direct top starts to the first places in the classification of Fernando’s starts in F1.
It moved perfectly. Looking for all possible holes and any loophole and brawl in the noble zone. Yes, there was. Or, rather, there were. Because the two Red Bull almost touched. Because Lando Norris almost took one of the energy drink cars… and all of that was a problem for Alonso.
Alonso, outside
Because they almost ‘stopped’ in turn 3. And by almost stopping what was caused was a funnel effect that took Alonso off the track. It was the only possible way, because the rest of the options they were going to put the Aston Martin on top of another car. In those Stroll happened to him. In those the two practically went hand in hand until the checkered flag.
On his way, a pace that was clearly increasing. As the laps went by, the better they seemed to be. Yes, they were able to ‘hunt’ Hulkenberg, who was removed from the middle first by pace and then by the German’s entry into the pits. To put dry tires, and luckily the race didn’t last one more lap.
If that had been the case, the play would have gone perfectly for the Haas driver. With Alonso and Stroll in ‘non-aggression’ mode, Nico got so close that in the end he came within a second of the two Aston Martins.
Sainz, third
But there were 24 laps, and at the end of them Alonso finished fifth behind Lance Stroll and a Carlos Sainz who he made it to the sprint podium.
Good rehearsal for the long race, in which he will start seventh but for which he will not conditions are expected, complicated conditions, that has taken place in this session on Saturday.
