The mixed weather conditions down at Zandvoort made this qualifying a gamble with every fast lap. Turn 9 and 10 were a key struggle commonly spread through the grid which affected the lap times.
Alonso felt like the lap in Q3 where the wind decreased for the time being helped him start P7 tomorrow.
“It was tricky for everyone, that will be the answer probably. We didn’t feel comfortable in the car but I think it’s the same for everybody with this level of wind and gust.
“Especially turn 9, turn 10, it felt extremely difficult. Like a lottery, every lap was different balance and different behaviour of the car. I think my lucky lap was Q3 where I felt less wind there and I could put the car in P7.”
The Spanish driver then emphasised how much the lack of wind in turn 9 and 10 in Q3 helped him lock a better starting position on the grid by three tenths with the perfect lap he could produce in the Aston Martin and it was the best possible time to be extracted out of the car.
“Turn 9, turn 10, it felt less wind than any other lap in qualifying so I was like 3 tenths better on my delta time.
“So I just completed the lap with no mistakes in the last sector and then when I crossed the line, obviously you don’t know, still 7 minutes to go, which position you will end up but I was happy with the lap.
“Whatever position it was at the end, this was the maximum I felt today.”
Alonso then talks about how the weather tomorrow will play a big role for the race pace especially with the lack of dry laps clocked in during free practices and the key to a good race tomorrow will be flexibility.
“I think we go into the unknown, everybody does because the lack of dry laps yesterday, also the conditions will be different.
“The wind will remain strong but blue sky, track temperature will be 20 degrees up so maybe tyre degradation will be completely different. We have to be flexible, we have to execute a good race.”
The Spaniard then talks about how the Ferrari of Carlos Sainz and Mercedes of Lewis Hamilton that god knocked out in Q2 will be the toughest challenge for the race and the real hard battle will be with the Williams and Alpine for points.
The Williams of Alex Albon will no longer be in the equation due to the disqualification after a floor issue. He will start at the back of the grid.
“One Ferrari behind, one Mercedes, maybe it’s unrealistic to finish in front of them but we have to fight hard with the Williams and the Alpine if we want to score points.”
Alonso felt both the cars getting into Q3 was definitely a positive but also indicated the midfield getting much tighter with the new upgrades and how Aston Martin cannot afford to stop developing the car with the close pack.
“We’re definitely happy with both cars in Q3 but I think at the same time we see Williams bringing the upgrade here they are very strong, Alpine they brought the upgrade in Spa Ocon was faster than us in the race and here Pierre is doing a mega job as well so we have to be careful and we cannot stop developing the car because the midfield is getting tighter and tighter.”
