Formula One fans might have been forgiven for thinking that Fernando Alonso had a quiet weekend during the Italian Grand Prix, as the Aston Martin driver described it as an “anonymous race that no one will remember.”
Despite the uneventful appearance from the outside, Alonso’s day at Monza was far from a leisurely drive.
Launching his race from the 10th position on the grid, Alonso managed to cross the checkered flag in 9th place, gaining one position.
Although it may have seemed unremarkable, the two-time world champion faced a tough challenge driving a car that lacked the necessary grip.
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“Obviously, many lessons to take from this race,” commented Alonso.
“We weren’t competitive, so that’s the main focus for us, trying to understand what we need to do differently on this type of circuit.
“It is frustrating because it was a very demanding race, mentally and physically, to drive the car with very low grip.”
He added, “It was very tricky to drive, one of the most difficult races of the year for me and the worst result [for me this year].
“An anonymous race that no one will remember, but it has been a tough one.
“But as I said, hopefully good lessons to take from here from the car, the data that we have from the race, and we get better next time.”
Aston Martin had anticipated challenges for its high-drag AMR23 in Monza’s low-downforce conditions, so securing a few points likely met the team’s expectations.
However, Ferrari’s strong double top-four finish propelled them ahead of Aston Martin in the Constructors’ standings by 11 points.
Reflecting on the car’s performance, Alonso said, “I think the car and the efficiency of the car is maybe not as it should be for this kind of track.
“It seems to have been our weakness, and we know that.
“Now we need to get better and bring some new ideas.”
Despite the challenges, Alonso commended the team for its consistency, stating, “I think we are executing the maximum from the car.
“Sometimes unfortunately it’s ninth like today, sometimes it’s second like last week.
“But we are not making any mistakes, with the strategy or the pit stops – not making any big mistakes our competitors made at the beginning of the year, so we have a good gap in terms of points.”
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Looking ahead to the Singapore Grand Prix, which features high-downforce characteristics, Alonso remained optimistic, saying, “It will be better than Monza for sure!
“But to win a race, we know how tough it is with Red Bull being outstanding every Sunday.
“So, we will see if we are contenders in Singapore.
“I’m not sure. Every weekend the order seems to change.”