Photo Credit: Aston Martin Aramco Cognizant F1 Team
It was P3 for Fernando Alonso in qualifying for the Canadian Grand Prix at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal. Alonso traded fast times with Max Verstappen throughout Q1, eventually finishing Q1 in P2 being just over 6 tenths to Verstappen in P1.
Q2 was a lot trickier for Alonso with the changeable conditions to soft tyres from intermediates. The Aston Martin team were a little slow to react to the changing conditions to dry tyres. However, the Spaniard made his way into Q3, setting his fastest lap for P7 on intermediates while the cars around him set theirs on softs.
In Q3 like others, Alonso was impacted by the red flag for the stricken McLaren of Oscar Piastri. However finishing in P3, Alonso was happy with this good starting position. With Nico Hulkenberg under investigation for a potential red flag infringement, that could become P2.
“It was a very tricky qualifying in terms of choosing the right tyre at the right time. P3, we take it. I think it’s a good starting position for tomorrow”.
Alonso also praised the fans and promised them some enjoyment tomorrow.
“Unfortunately yesterday in FP1 they had to wait for us to go out and today I hope they enjoyed it and tomorrow they will.”
When asked about what Aston Martin can now achieve tomorrow with their new heavily updated car, Alonso wants to put the Red Bull of Verstappen under a lot more pressure than he has faced throughout the campaign so far.
“Tomorrow we have a chance to put some pressure. I think they have very easy wins until now and hopefully tomorrow they have to push a little bit more”, said Alonso.
Alonso concluded by saying he wants to be “always two seconds behind them, not 20 seconds”.
