Fernando Alonso expressed mixed feelings despite achieving his best qualifying performance of the Formula 1 season at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix. The two-time world champion took advantage of the challenging, rain-soaked conditions at Interlagos, where the wet weather reduced the usual performance gaps between cars, allowing him to highlight his driving prowess.
Alonso leveraged his vast experience to progress beyond Q1 and, for the first time this season, qualified in Q3 with his typically uncompetitive Aston Martin. The 45-year-old Spaniard was the first to switch to intermediate tires as the track conditions improved during the pole position battle, ultimately securing ninth fastest.
“It was difficult, but I felt we maximized the performance on the full wets, and the lap was decent. I couldn’t quite replicate it again,” Alonso told Sky Sports F1 regarding his decision to switch to intermediates. “I thought, ‘We’re P9 now, so if we don’t change tires and continue, we might miss out on Q3.’ So switching to intermediates was a gamble—either it works and we stay in Q3, or it doesn’t and we’re out anyway. It was worth the risk.”
Still, Alonso wasn’t completely satisfied, believing a top-five qualifying spot was within reach if he had optimized his Q3 runs better. Asked about his disappointment, he acknowledged, “Yes, definitely. Being first in the queue, I thought we had a shot at top four or five if the rain intensified, but it wasn’t as heavy as expected. The weather stayed stable for two timed laps for everyone.”
“On my first Q3 lap, the tires were too cold and I had zero grip. On the second, I spent too much deployment in the first lap because I thought qualifying was only one lap. I ended up in no-man’s land—no grip on the first lap and no deployment left for the second. I’ll take this as a learning experience.”
Although Alonso will officially start eighth on Sunday due to a grid penalty handed to Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, he views the race as a rare chance for Aston Martin to increase its modest total of seven points from the opening 19 races of the 2026 season. “I believe we have a better opportunity,” he said. “In wet conditions, there’s more room for mistakes or for scoring points. At this stage of the season, we’re willing to take that gamble. We struggled more than expected in dry conditions this weekend—P3 was around 18th place for us. So I prefer the wet tomorrow.”
Fan Take: Alonso’s performance highlights just how crucial skill and experience become when weather levels the playing field in Formula 1. For fans, this could signal more unpredictable and thrilling races ahead, especially for teams like Aston Martin ready to capitalize on variable conditions.
Source: www.crash.net
