With his podium in Qatar, Fernando Alonso has certainly regained his best form. It took a while before this was the case, and on the Beyond the Grid podcast, the Spaniard has explained why.
After a two-year absence, Alonso returned to Formula 1 at Alpine in 2021. The Spaniard was still considered one of the best drivers, but the question was how well he would do after his absence. After a few disappointing races, some doubt was expressed, but the Spaniard has since silenced those critics.
Problem for Alonso
''I think more drivers had it difficult at the beginning of the year, especially drivers who had changed teams. They needed more time. That's part of the process of adapting to your new team and car. The front tyre was also changed and that has been the biggest problem for me. I had to get a feeling with the front end of the car and what was possible,'' Alonso said.
''I drive maybe a little bit differently than other drivers. That front end gives me feedback on how much grip is available. If you take that away from me, then I'm just lost. I don't know then what the car is doing and how much grip there is. That was very difficult'', concluded the two-time world champion.