Fernando Alonso hails ‘perfect start to this project’ after the 41-year-old veteran finished THIRD in his ‘unreal’ Aston Martin… which lived up to its billing as this season’s potential surprise package in F1 season opener in Bahrain
Fernando Alonso said Aston Martin have the second-best car on the Formula One grid after he claimed a remarkable podium at the season opener in Bahrain.
Max Verstappen began his title defence with a straightforward victory in Sakhir, as teammate Sergio Perez secured a 1-2 finish for Red Bull.
Alonso appeared destined to finish fourth but inherited the final spot on the podium after Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari broke down in the final stages.
Afterwards the 41-year-old said: ‘First of all congrats to my team-mate Lance [Stroll] – 12 days ago he had the surgery. He is fighting right up with everybody so amazing for the team, it was great.
‘To finish on the podium first race of the year is just amazing. What Aston Martin did over the winter to have the second best car on race one is just unreal.
Fernando Alonso claimed a remarkable podium for Aston Martin at season opener in Bahrain
Alonso inherited the final spot on the podium after Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari broke down
‘Obviously I would love to start in front of them [the Red Bulls and Ferraris] and use our pace, but we had not the best start and had to pass on track.
‘It felt a little bit more exciting and more adrenalin for sure, so hopefully people enjoyed it. We did enjoy it as well, so let’s enjoy it together. ‘
‘To finish on the podium first race of the year is just amazing.
‘What Aston Martin did over the winter, to have the second best car on race one, is just unreal.
‘We had not the best start and had to pass on track – it made it more exciting but we enjoyed it.’
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