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Fernando Alonso, the Spanish Formula 1 legend, has heaped praise upon British motorsport fans in advance of this weekend’s British Grand Prix.
The two-time world champion, who drives for Aston Martin, declared they ‘understand Formula 1 like no other’ public in the world.
The glowing tribute was given during media day in Silverstone, where he is competing on what he calls one of the special circuits.
Silverstone has two special features, according to the Asturian.
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The British public is a very knowledgeable group of Formula 1 fans.
“They don’t just come for the spectacle – they come because they know this sport as much as the engineers in the paddock.”
The 42-year veteran’s comments are likely to resonate with British F1 lovers, who have prided themselves for years on their extensive knowledge of the sport which originated in their backyard.
Alonso’s praise is a refreshing departure from the generic tributes that drivers usually pay to audiences in different countries.
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The Spaniard, who has been racing in F1 for over two decades, went on to highlight Silverstone’s technical merits, describing it as ‘probably the best circuit on the calendar’ for the current generation of ground-effect cars, with its high-speed corners perfectly suited to modern Formula 1 machinery.
However, Alonso remained characteristically realistic about his chances this weekend, acknowledging that the top four teams remain ‘light years ahead’ of the rest of the field.
The former Ferrari and McLaren driver admitted he would consider a points finish ‘another good weekend,’ targeting ninth or tenth place as a realistic goal.
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He said that the top eight cars of these four teams were “almost untouchable”.
Only if there is a situation, such as in Austria, where two of the eight did not finish in the first three places, can the option to be sixth or seventh become available. But that’s just not normal.
When asked about his reputation for strong race pace, Alonso’s response was equally direct: “I was” – referring specifically to his performance in the recent Austrian Grand Prix, where he managed to match the pace of faster cars without excessive tyre wear.
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