Engine problems and penalty, Alonso's setbacks in Canada

Saturday's surprise ultimately turned into a slight disappointment in the race for Fernando Alonso. The Spaniard who succeeded in the rain took his car up to second place in qualifying did not have time to really hope to keep this position. Quickly overtaken by Carlos Sainz, racing events and then engine problems then added to the setbacks of the Bull of Asturias. A disappointment for the pilot Alpine who misses another opportunity to score big points.  

« We were unlucky once again with the virtual safety car. I was right on the starting line when it went out and I was going to enter the pit lane when it ended so we stayed out », underlines Fernando Alonso. Already in Australia, the safety car had destroyed the driver's strategy Alpine.  

But this is not the only difficulty encountered by the Spaniard. From the 20th lap, the engine reliability of theAlpine has been talked about again. “ The biggest problem was the engine. We had an engine problem from lap 20 or something like that », Specifies the veteran of the grid.  

Alonso's defense not to the taste of the commissioners

« I lost something like a second by the engine deployment and from that moment we forgot about the podium, or giving up with the car, we just stayed in the DRS train with the cars in front to defend ourselves. But it was very difficult to stay with Esteban Ocon et Charles Leclerc because on the straights, we lost a second “, explains Fernando Alonso.  

With his problems and the facts of the race, Fernando Alonso still managed to finish in 7th position in the Canadian Grand Prix. But the Spaniard's difficulties this Sunday were not over. After a visit to the commissioners, he received 5 seconds of penalties for his defense on Valtteri Bottas on the penultimate lap of the race.  

Video of Alonso's defense of Bottas here. 

« This weekend we deserved better than this 9th position, admits the pilot Alpine. But it’s still good for both cars to be able to score points at the end. We ultimately lost a great opportunity to fight for a potential podium because I felt I had the pace for it. »

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In the end, it was finally in 9th position that Fernando Alonso ended his decline in Montreal. From 2nd to 9th place, the veteran of the grid is still not taking off in the standings while Esteban Ocon gained plenty of points with his 6th place. The Frenchman now has 21 more units than his teammate, 39 for 18 points.