The Miami weekend brought an unexpected turn in the front row as Fernando Alonso celebrated the unusual sight of a front-row start. After testing hiccups with the car’s setup and the Aston Martin box scrambling to fix early issues, Alonso admitted he did not anticipate his team’s performance. Throughout the sessions, he noted that the new asphalt challenged everyone, but the team gradually found a rhythm and gained more margin in the later stages. The Asturian driver secured a front-row berth ahead of his fellow Spaniard Carlos Sainz, while the Mexican driver and the celebrated Red Bull pairing stood close behind in a sprint that set the tone for the race ahead.
Alonso’s mindset remained pragmatic. He acknowledged that the target was never a guaranteed victory given how the weekend had unfolded. Even reaching the podium would be a stretch, yet every lap offered value and learning. The Spaniard approached the start with a cautious optimism, hoping to challenge Sergio Perez and perhaps lead a few laps from the front, while acknowledging the tougher parts of the track would define the early phase of the race. In front of the team’s microphones, Alonso spoke with confidence, hinting at ambitious plans for the following day.
Verstappen: “I made a mistake and I have to admit it”
The discussion after qualifying centered on the balance and pace of the car as Max Verstappen reflected on a moment of misjudgment that he acknowledged candidly. He described a Sunday that was marked by solid tire management and strong race speed, even as the challenge from rivals remained intense. Ferrari’s improvements in Baku were a reminder that the field would not concede easily, and Verstappen anticipated notable developments as the weekend progressed and the prize drew closer. He remained confident that performance would evolve as the race unfolded and that his team would adapt at the right moment.
The post-qualifying press conference in pole position highlighted a critical point: two Spaniards, Alonso and Sainz, joined Verstappen in the top three, underscoring Spain’s continued strength in the sport. During the early moments of the weekend, Alonso spoke in his native language, addressing the media with a sense of pride and a reminder of the diverse, multilingual fan base that follows the sport. He emphasized the significance of having a Mexican driver with two Spaniards in the top tier for the first time in history, celebrating the global reach of Formula One and the shared language that unites millions of fans. The moment underscored the sport’s vibrant, multinational culture and the excitement of watching nations rally around their favorite drivers.
In addressing the team’s broader strategy, Alonso insisted that Aston Martin would remain competitive and push for strong results. He reflected on the early rounds of practice where concerns about competitiveness had surfaced, noting that risk-taking in the initial segments had produced mixed results for teammate Lance. Yet, the day in Miami was seen as a stepping stone. The team’s work in the later sessions appeared to pay off, even as rivals continued to push hard. Alonso’s takeaway was clear: adaptation and relentless testing could yield meaningful gains, and the crew would keep chasing performance while the car continued to evolve. The day’s effort, he suggested, would bear fruit in the race that followed, with the field watching how the strategy and pace would unfold under race conditions.