Alonso on first test Renault: "Car outperforms me"
F1 News
- GPblog.com
Today he was allowed to drive one hundred kilometres on the Circuit de Barcelona in Spain. Fernando Alonso tested for the first time in Renault's current Formula 1 car during a filming day. It took some getting used to for the two-time world champion.
Good feeling
Alonso had a good day in Barcelona, even though it was only a hundred kilometres. "For me it was very special to be back in an F1 car and with the team. The feeling was good", can be read on Motorsport.com following a video interview. But Alonso still had a hard time. "I think the car is currently performing better than I am, because I can't get the most out of it. Returning to F1 speed isn't that easy, but every lap I did better".
Room for improvement
Alonso clearly saw the potential at Renault today, but the French team is not there yet. "There is room for improvement, and we are going to try that in the short term." Not only the car, but also Alonso itself can still improve. "You have to get back in shape, train according to the F1 standard. That applies especially to the neck and your upper body, I'm going to work on that in the coming months to strengthen that".
Focus on 2022
Renault is clearly finding its way up, also given Daniel Ricciardo's podium finish at the Nürburgring, but Alonso is not directly aiming for 2021. "Within the team we all have a lot of hope. At the same time, we know that we have to keep both feet on the ground, because the regulations will remain more or less the same until 2022. The backlog of teams in the middle will remain next year. With both feet on the ground and a lot of positive energy and optimism for next year, I think we have a great team, talented people, great sponsors and a lot of fans worldwide. I think we have all the ingredients for a good 2021."