Alpine confirms that Fernando Alonso will be in Bahrain

After not being able to attend the presentation Alps Because of the restrictions that exist between Switzerland, where you reside Fernando AlonsoAnd the United Kingdom, the Asturian Knight will join the team in Bahrain. Undoubtedly a good sign as the Spaniard appears to have made a full recovery after undergoing jaw surgery after being hit by a car while training on his bike.

Thus, Fernando Alonso may be in the pre-season, which will happen between March 12 and 14 in Bahrain. This is confirmed by Alpine through a statement:Esteban Okun will join his team-mate Fernando Alonso next week at the Bahrain International CircuitThe team looks forward to learning more about their car this year. “

It should be noted that the one who actually managed to test the A521 is Esteban Ocon, who will be Asturian’s partner this season. The Frenchman, since he managed to travel to the UK, participated in a photo day in Silverstone, where he was able to present 16 lapsAnd the 100 kilometers, Which is specified by the regulation for this type of launch. The regulation also stipulates that they must be rolled with special tires as competition tires can only be tested in the pre-season period. Despite this, the sensations Esteban Ocon They were good. “The car felt fine when I drove it for the first time We were able to complete our program as planned. “

Okon on Alonso: “He will be in full swing from the first race”

Additionally, Esteban Ocon gave an interview in which he talked about Fernando Alonso. “We’ll see if Fernando is more of a challenge than Ricardo. What is for sure is that It would be so fun to be with AlonsoBecause he’s a two-time world champion and he’s got a lot of experience. It will definitely be full from the first race. Always I have a good relationship with Fernando and I have a lot of respect for his personality. Running with him is so much fun, because he is He is a fast rider, yet clean. He said I look forward to working together, it has been a great collaboration so far and I hope everything will continue like this in 2021. “

Pilot 24 years He may admit it Fernando Alonso It’ll make you better: “It’s clear and that’s what I’m looking for every year. Always improving, always questioning myself, looking at what my partner is doing, like I did with Daniel last year. I think that’s how you get better in the end.” Even Fernando, at his age, and with experience, continues to learn things. Wonderfulness and the search for perfection is the most important thing in high-performance sports, and it is something that I will continue to strive for throughout my career. “

Esteban Ocon He also spoke about the advantage he had of racing with Renault the previous year:Of course you’d better have already had a season with your squad. We saw that last year with Daniel, which improved compared to 2019. I will also try my best to improve during this second year. I feel better integrated into the team, and I look well surrounded. I am calmer, will know who to speak to at crucial moments, and so get better right away. ”

Okon finally hopes that, with the arrival of Fernando Alonso, The Alps can climb the podium more than three times this season:We want to have more than three coronation podiums this year, Although last year’s mark wasn’t bad. But Until we shoot in Bahrain, we will not know where we will be. This year will be exciting as it is a new era for the team. New colors, new people, new classmate. There are many changes but I hope they are good. I think the team will have a good futureSo I can’t wait to get started. “

Alonso: “The aim is to continue the attack from the beginning”

Although he could not attend the Alpine Show, Fernando Alonso wanted from afar to confirm that he had fully recovered, so he promised to continue the attack from the start. “I am very happy to be back in Formula 1 and to be part of the next chapter in this Alpine sport. I have been working hard to prepare to get back in competition and the goal is to keep on attacking from the start. Driving a car for the first time is always a special thing, ”he began by saying.“ We have a strong team, and with Esteban we have to strengthen the team and achieve good results. We know it’s going to be a very soon season, but we’re up for the challenge. The car looks very good And I have fond memories of when I raced in blue in Formula 1“, he added.

however, Fernando Alonso You’ll only have a day and a half to prepare for the season to adapt to your new car, so you may need a Grand Prix race before you can get the most out of the A521. “I usually think so Every driver needs three or four races to improve everything in a new car, Maybe a little more if you change teams or if you are new to Formula 1. To be 100%, at least the first two races may be necessary, He admitted in an interview with Alpine.