Aston Martin star Fernando Alonso didn’t have the easiest return to the Chinese Grand Prix after five years away from Shanghai.
He was the only driver to retire from the Sprint Race after picking up a puncture following contact with Carlos Sainz and couldn’t capitalise on a strong performance in qualifying during the Grand Prix.
The Spaniard took to Instagram to react to the race and one of the key moments during Sunday’s main event.
Aston Martin star Fernando Alonso reacts to Chinese Grand Prix
It’s been a turbulent few weeks for Fernando Alonso after he eventually committed his future to Aston Martin.
Nico Rosberg revealed during the race weekend that he was aware that Mercedes were in lengthy talks with the Spaniard over potentially replacing Lewis Hamilton in 2025.
He was one of the most interesting potential free agents for next year, but a Honda-powered Aston Martin in 2026 was appealing enough for Alonso to sign a new deal.
The 42-year-old used all of his experience in both qualifying sessions in Shanghai.
Lando Norris was the standout driver during a wet SQ3 but Alonso was in the mix after starting 3.
Unfortunately, he wasn’t able to fight the Ferraris and that ultimately cost him his place in the race.
Sunday’s Chinese Grand Prix at least saw Alonso take the chequered flag, but Aston Martin did him no favours with his strategy.
He was the only front-running driver put onto the soft tyres around the time of the safety car and that left him particularly vulnerable.
His final pit stop prevented him from scoring big points, although he would have been pleased to add another fastest lap to his collection.
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Return to Shanghai is far from ideal for Fernando Alonso
Posting on Instagram after the race, Alonso shared several pictures on his story.
While he admitted he enjoyed qualifying, he posted an onboard picture of him dipping his back right wheel into the gravel going into the final corner.
He used the caption, “Not fun”, and Alonso did brilliantly to keep his Aston Martin car pointing in the right direction on the Chinese Grand Prix race track.
It was a mistake that Carlos Sainz made in qualifying that saw him kiss the opposite barrier, however, he did well to keep the car running.
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What’s next for Fernando Alonso?
BBC Sport pundit Sam Bird believed that Alonso performed ‘absolutely perfectly’ during the race weekend.
He consistently extracts as much speed as possible out of the car every weekend, something that can’t be said about teammate Lance Stroll.
Now that his future with the team is confirmed, he can concentrate on helping the team improve for 2025 and beyond.
Whether they can ever challenge for championships with a combination of Alonso and Stroll is yet to be seen. However, the 42-year-old will know that if they do ever produce a race-winning car then he won’t have to worry about his teammate stealing his glory.
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