The double F1 champion kicked off the new F1 season with a hat-trick of podium finishes. This comes after his switch from the Alps to an in-form Aston Martin, which Max Verstappen believes will win this year’s Grand Prix.
Verstappen also pointed out that Alonso should have more F1 victories than his current 32.
Ferrari’s decline at the start of the turbo-hybrid era in 2014, before Alonso’s ill-fated move to McLaren in 2015, hurt that figure as the team hit rock bottom through a turbulent engine partnership with Honda.
The slump prompted Alonso to quit F1 in pursuit of the so-called “Triple Crown”, winning the 24 Hours of Le Mans twice and the WEC in 2018-19, although he failed to qualify for the Indianapolis 500 powerful.
Alonso says his LMP1 sports car achievement at Toyota should prove his speed hasn’t diminished in his time away from F1, despite only one podium finish when he returns to the top flight in 2021.
#8 Toyota Gazoo Racing, Toyota TS050 Hybrid: Sebastien Buemi, Kazuki Nakajima, Fernando Alonso
Photography: Joe Portlock/ motorsport pictures
Alonso said: “It didn’t take that long (because I had a realistic chance of winning the race).
“I know people always think I’ve been in the darkest tunnel for decades (but) I was world champion (in the WEC with Toyota) four years ago.
“I know it’s not F1, but our world is more than F1. You know, there are so many beautiful things in motorsport.
“Just four years ago, I was winning and dominating the WEC.
“I’ve been fighting for a podium in Alpine for the last two years. I’ve been fighting for pole position in Australia last year, as I was in Canada eight months ago.”
Alonso added that there were “exceptional circumstances” that brought him back into the spotlight following his move to Aston Martin, but he was not uncompetitive before.
He continued: “In 10 years, I never felt like I was out of Q1, and now all of a sudden I’m alive.
“I’ve always been competitive and hopefully now I’m even better.
“But it doesn’t change much until you win, get seventh or third, or get second, or get 11th. It doesn’t change — you win or you lose.”