Alonso surprises Palmer: 'This is not really a corner for overtaking'

Every Wednesday after a Grand Prix weekend, Jolyon Palmer analyses the highlights of the Grand Prix on F1TV. The former Renault driver has all the camera footage and lots of data at his disposal. Palmer is very fond of Fernando Alonso's 'racecraft' and analyses his overtaking manoeuvres.

Alonso v Hamilton

Lewis Hamilton and Alonso are not best friends, as has been shown on several occasions. Therefore, when they meet on the track, it often results in a hard but fair fight. This was also the case during the season opener in Bahrain. The two drivers battled for two laps, until the Spaniard finally managed to outsmart the Briton in turn 10. An unusual place for an overtake, Palmer thinks.

"This is not really a corner for overtaking. You never pass anyone on the outside here. Fernando holds back, waits for the corner and steers in late. Then he dives on the inside and there is nothing Lewis can do. A very clever and well thought-out move by Alonso."

Alonso against Sainz

After Alonso overtook Hamilton's Mercedes, he only had to pass Sainz for a place on the podium, and that during his debut for Aston Martin. Helped by Charles Leclerc's retirement on lap 40, the podium was achievable for the 2005 and 2006 World Champion.

“This time Fernando does not go to the inside, he is trying to do the ‘switchback’. As he comes on the throttle the car is now understeering. This one is just slightly misjudged from Fernando,” said Palmer. “Alonso tries the same move at turn 10, but Carlos is wary of it and covers it in the way that Hamilton did not. But now you see the problem of what happens when you do cover the inside. Carlos goes to deep and has too much steering angle on and cannot stop the car. This gives Fernando the opportunity at the straight.”