Different settings to help Fernando Alonso
With a difficult start to the season, Fernando Alonso has not been spared from criticism. The changes made to his car have been beneficial for his return to form.
A particularly difficult return to F1 for Fernando Alonso. His first Grand Prix ended in retirement and only five points scored in five races, the outcome was not favorable for the Spaniard. Although he has not always appreciated criticism in the past, he now considers it a positive thing. However, he admits that it took him some time to readapt to F1.
(I) I knew it was an adaptation process. I thought it would be quicker because Formula 1 felt more natural to me compared to WEC, Dakar, or Indianapolis. Take Monaco, for example. I hoped to secure a good position on this track, but I missed Q1. It was disappointing, but I knew it was just a matter of time. I didn’t like receiving criticism and comments, but they turned out to be a blessing,” he said to the Spanish site SoyMotor.com.
It was simply a matter of time. Not satisfied with his car’s behavior, Alonso asked his team to make some changes to his car. The power steering system was completely revised to improve his comfort and the sensations he could feel through the steering wheel. It may be a small detail, but nonetheless important for an F1 driver.
Without feelings, I am dead!
It is actually power steering that has concentrated the efforts of the double world champion and his engineers because it is crucial for the driver’s feeling: « I always have an aggressive movement with the steering wheel in the middle of the turn. From that moment on, I simply feel the front tires. If the steering wheel is softer, it means I’m losing grip. If it becomes harder, it means I have too much grip and you can expect the rear to move at some point. I feel everything in my hands and the front of the car. If you take it away from me, I’m dead. »
Since then, the driver has been delivering strong performances. He has finished in the points in the last six races, including a nice fourth place in Hungary. During the race, he even held off the seven-time world champion, Lewis Hamilton, for ten laps. Performances that silence Alonso’s detractors.
It was a blessing, because I knew it was only a matter of time before people saw me finishing in the top 10 again. […] Some races weren’t great, like in France where I finished ninth. It was a good race, but nothing special. But it was considered a great performance as I started to do well in races again.
Fernando Alonso has only 38 points in the drivers’ standings. There is no doubt that the Spaniard will continue in the same vein to score points. The season is still long.
