The Spanish Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin), who once again caused a great sensation this Sunday by finishing second in the Canadian Grand Prix, the eighth of the Formula One World Cup, declared at the Gilles Villeneuve circuit in Montreal that he is "happy" after "a tough and very demanding race; there were seventy qualifying races".
"We were hoping to be able to put a better face on Max (Red Bull's Verstappen, more leader after winning this Sunday) today, but I lost a position at the start with (English seven-time world champion) Lewis (Mercedes' Hamilton) and then I had to push; I couldn't relax for a single lap", the double world champion from Asturias commented, as soon as he got out of the car in Montreal; who celebrated his 104th podium in the premier class, the sixth in the first eight races of the year: the first eight for him with Aston Martin.
"It has been our most competitive race, it is only 7 seconds with Red Bull, we have gone to the maximum in each lap, brushing against the walls and in each protection. That said, I have enjoyed this Grand Prix to the fullest," said the Spaniard.
"At the beginning I had a good rhythm, but Lewis (Hamilton) too. It was a very tough and demanding race; there were seventy qualifying laps," he said, at the foot of the track, in the interview conducted by his former English teammate Jenson Button, the new and undisputed captain of Aston Martin.
"I don't know if we had problems with the brakes or with the fuel, in the end", answered, when questioned by Button and without wanting to give clues, Fernando, in a second youth at the age of 41 and who is facing his twentieth season in F1 .
"The car felt good; and I simply followed the instructions that the team gave me," said the great Asturian driver, who this time finished nine and a half seconds behind 'Mad Max', cutting the usual advantage that the new sports idol of the Netherlands took him out on board his almost invincible Red Bull.
"Hopefully this means that we have more rhythm; and that in the next races we can push him even more," Alonso said after finishing second this Sunday in Montreal, where in 2006 -the year of his second title- he achieved one of his 32 victories in the premier class.
