Fernando Alonso declared his Italian Grand Prix weekend as “anonymous” which “no one will remember” – other than him.
Finishing ninth, after 51 laps around Monza, was Alonso’s worst result of the season, although with the upside he has now scored points in 14 consecutive races to equal his personal best run in a single season.
Alonso’s Aston Martin, however, was found wanting around a circuit where extreme levels of low downforce are required, leading to the AMR23 struggling for both one-lap and race pace.
“Many, many lessons we need to take from this race,” said Alonso. “We weren’t competitive so that’s the main focus for us to try to understand, and on this type of circuit what we need to do differently for the future, and also for next year when we come here.
“Race-wise, there is not much to talk about. We were slow from the beginning to the end, it was not possible to fight for better than ninth so we take these points, but also hopefully many lessons.”
Given what Alonso has achieved this season, and just a week after finishing second to Max Verstappen in the Dutch GP, the two-time F1 champion conceded to enduring obvious frustration.
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“It is frustrating because it was a very demanding race mentally, physically to drive the car because there was very low grip, it was very tricky to drive,” added Alonso.
“So for me, one of the most difficult races of the year, and it’s the worst result, so it’s going to be an anonymous race. No one will remember this.
“I will, in my head, because it has been a tough one. But as I said, hopefully, good lessons we take from here with the car, and with all the data we have from the race, and we will get better next time.”
Asked by Speedcafe as to the exact nature of those lessons, Alonso replied: “Well, the efficiency of the car is not as it should be on this type of track.
“The drag level is very important, and it seems it has been our weakness. We know that, now we need to get better, and bring some ideas.”
At least Alonso was again in the points, a testament to not only the reliability of his car Aston Martin has provided him with this year but also the performance of the team overall across a race weekend.
“We are doing the job every Sunday, executing the maximum from the car,” assessed the 42-year-old.
“Sometimes, unfortunately, it’s ninth like here, sometimes it’s second like last week.
“But we are doing a good strategy with good stops, not making big mistakes like some of our competitors at the beginning of the year, so we have a good gap in terms of points.
“But it’s getting closer, and even Ferrari is ahead of us now in the constructors’ championship with this result. Let’s try to bounce back in Singapore.”
First practice at the Marina Bay Street Circuit will commence at 17.30 local time (19.30 AEDT; 10.30am UK) on Friday, September 15.
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