F1 News: Fernando Alonso Hints At More Performance Despite Chinese Qualifying P3

Alonso reflects on his P3 start for the Chinese Grand Prix.

Lydia Mee | Apr 20, 2024

Jun 18, 2023; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; Aston Martin driver Fernando Alonso (ESP) sows pride after / David Kirouac-USA TODAY Sports

Aston Martin driver Fernando Alonso has suggested there is more pace to be unlocked in his car despite securing a third-place start at the Chinese Grand Prix. His comments followed a challenging yet successful qualifying session that hinted at further potential improvements.

In the qualifying session for the Chinese Grand Prix, Aston Martin's Fernando Alonso landed a third-place position on the starting grid, behind Red Bull's Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez who will start from first and second, respectively. Despite a minor setback in the initial sectors, Alonso's determination shined through, communicating optimism and a strong belief in his team's capability to enhance performance.

Speaking during his post-qualifying interview, Alonso explained:

"Sector One I had a moment in Turns One and Two and I nearly lost the car. Then I said 'OK, I keep going or abort the lap' because I lost two tenths in two corners.

"We didn't give up and kept on pushing through the lap and set a good lap time. The car improved since the Sprint. We made a few setup changes, let's see if we can convert that into points.

"I'm extremely happy and proud of the team. We are not giving up and are not in the position we want yet but we keep pushing."

Behind Alonso, McLaren's Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri secured fourth and fifth places, respectively, followed by Ferrari's duo of Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz.

Chinese GP Qualifying Results

1. Max Verstappen
2. Sergio Perez
3. Fernando Alonso
4. Lando Norris
5. Oscar Piastri
6. Charles Leclerc
7. Carlos Sainz
8. George Russell
9. Nico Hulkenberg
10. Valtteri Bottas
11. Lance Stroll
12. Daniel Ricciardo
13. Esteban Ocon
14. Alex Albon
15. Pierre Gasly
16. Zhou Guanyu
17. Kevin Magnussen
18. Lewis Hamilton
19. Yuki Tsunoda
20. Logan Sargeant

Published Apr 20, 2024

LYDIA MEE

Lydia is the lead editor of F1 editorial. After following the sport for several years, she was finally able to attend the British Grand Prix in person in 2017. Since then, she's been addicted to not only the racing, but the atmosphere the fans bring to each event. She's a strong advocate for women in motorsport and a more diverse industry.