Alonso in form: "He wants to use this year to get back to his top level"

Fernando Alonso is back. Because his start of the season wasn't very strong many people already wrote him off, but in the last couple of races the driver, who turns 40 next week, has proven that he can't be ignored.

With a neat seventh place, the Spaniard once again managed to score points in the British Grand Prix. In the sprint race, he impressed with his fantastic start, working his way through the field from eleventh to fifth place within one lap.

Alpine boss Marcin Budkowski sees his driver's strong form lately as the sign that he has fully found his feet, and is performing at his best again. "It took him a few races, but he was very aware of it and worked hard with the team to rebuild confidence and performance. Now he has reached that point and is getting the most out of the car," he said in conversation with Formula1.com.

Alonso has said in the past that the 2022 rule changes were the main reason for his return, something Budkowski confirms. "That's not to say he won't push as hard as he can this year, but he does see this as a year where he wants to get back to his top form, but also to work with his team and motivate them for next year," the Alpine boss concludes.