Fernando Alonso’s Formula 1 comeback with Alpine had got off to a decent start, but in recent races he has hit his stride after what the team’s sporting director Alan Permane describes as a “false start”.
This is Permane’s third stint working with Alonso at the Enstone team, having been race engineer to team-mates Jarno Trulli and Giancarlo Fisichella during the Spaniard’s first spell there in its Renault era, then chief engineer during the second.
He paid tribute to Alonso’s hard work and positive attitude during the first part of the season, which has now helped the double F1 champion to a run of three consecutive points finishes.
“Instead of having any tantrums or hissy fits, he looked to himself. He said ‘it’s me, I need to improve'” :: Alan Permane
“There’s no magic bullet, it’s hard work and he works hard,” said Permane when asked about Alonso’s progress.
“He worked hard pre-season. I think he thought he was probably a bit more prepared than he was and then Bahrain, where he had a very decent qualifying but didn’t have a decent result but a DNF, was a bit of a false start and there were some struggles.
“And instead of having any tantrums or hissy fits or anything, he looked to himself, he never once blamed the car or the team.
“He said ‘it’s me, I need to improve, I need to do this, I need to be better’ – and he said it in the office and in the press as well. And in fairness to him, that’s what’s he’s done.
“I don’t think he’s finished that process yet. He’s still building his team with these guys around him and doing a great job.”
Permane, who last worked with Alonso in 2009 at the Renault team, also believes Alonso’s approach has evolved over the decade.
While Alonso has always been a very focused and rigorous driver, on his return with Alpine he has been even more determined to leave no stone unturned in the pursuit of performance.
“He’s doing everything right, he’s not taking anything for granted,” said Permane.
“It’s easy to say he’s a bit older, a bit wiser, that’s what I guess we all are, but that’s what it looks like.
“He’s careful, he’s just putting in the hard work whether that’s behind the wheel or behind the laptop, he’s there and putting the hours in and putting the effort in.
“I don’t recall seeing him on many circuit walks before, it was something he detested. I’m sure he probably still does because you don’t suddenly grow to love them, but if he thinks it can make him half a percent better or something he’s out there, having a look at it, looking at the kerbs. So he’s putting in the graft.”
Alonso has now scored 19 points, with a best finish of sixth in the Azerbaijan GP. That was an opportunistic drive, climbing from 10th to sixth in the two-lap ‘Mini Prix’ after the late-race red flag.
Given the competitiveness of the Alpine, it’s a good return and over the past three race weekends he has had the advantage over team-mate Esteban Ocon.
But although Alonso argues that the perception of his performances early in the season was not as positive as it should be, it’s clear that he has taken a step recently. While he scored his first point on his second start at Imola, on his first experience of the car in wet conditions he made a series of errors in the race as part of an early-2021 steep learning curve.
“I’m really enjoying myself driving the car,” said Alonso. “I was enjoying myself even at the beginning of the year. I struggled a little bit and I think the general opinion was a little bit more negative than what it actually was.
“I’ve never been too far away and I finished a couple of races just behind the rear wing of Esteban and it was not the impression that I think that people got, but I’m happy that they have changed in impression now.”
