Three out of three. Few bet on Aston Martin before the start of the Formula 1 World Cup and yet Fernando Alonso has managed to place the green car on the podium in the first three rounds of the season, something he had not achieved since he was world champion in 2006. The last visit to the drawer has been in Albert Park after a crazy Australian Grand Prix where there were safety cars, red flags and four starts.
"It has been a real emotional roller coaster; the last half hour has been difficult to understand what was happening. It has been confusing", commented the Spaniard, in the end "happy". "I thought we had the podium and the red flag was a bit surprising. Then the touch with Sainz. We were out of the points, then we were in. We couldn't attack Hamilton, he had a fantastic race", he analyzed.
Of all the decisions made by the race management during the Grand Prix, Alonso was not satisfied with the red flag due to the accident of Magnussen, who after losing a wheel from his Haas parked his car on one of the sides of the Australian track. "The red flag was not necessary. There was a lap or two to go. It was unfair," he opined.
That start led to a new accident between Ocon and Gasly and a touch from Sainz to the man from Oviedo that almost ruined the Aston Martin test. "I didn't know who had touched me," said an Alonso who at first, on the radio, complained bitterly that the commissioners decided to make a new start: "A stupid rule. How can they put up a red flag?"
"Then I saw that it was Carlos, who had a penalty. When you have cold wheels you won't crash into anyone. When you put up a red flag, they do it for safety, with a start with all the cars and after a warm-up lap behind the safety car, which is going very slowly, you create more danger because something is going to happen again", he recounted that race incident.
In any case, Alonso once again finished very satisfied with the performance of his Aston Martin, undoubtedly the big surprise at the start of the World Cup. "Incredible reliability, it's being very good. It's important to finish third and Stroll fourth. Ferrari and Mercedes only had one car on the track. A round Sunday," he concluded.
