Pit Chat: Ferrari win some silverware after all…
Date published:
December 15 2020
Ferrari somehow managed to win the Champions League in Abu Dhabi, while the R25 shows Formula 1 what it is missing.
For one last time, we take a look back over the stand-out images, clips and social media posts from the season finale at the Yas Marina circuit. Tissues at the ready…
Ready player two
First we have to spare a thought for poor Stoffel Vandoorne. The Mercedes reserve driver was overlooked when Lewis Hamilton missed out at the Sakhir Grand Prix and a cruel joke was played on him when the Formula 1 roadshow rocked up in Abu Dhabi.
Alonso tops the timings in ‘young driver test’
Date published:
December 15 2020
Fernando Alonso showed all his old dash to set the fastest time for Renault in the ‘young driver test’ at Abu Dhabi.
Despite the tag given to the post-season test contested by eight of the 10 F1 teams with this year’s cars, 39-year-old Alonso was given special dispensation by the FIA to take part – along with fellow veterans Robert Kubica and Sebastien Buemi.
And Alonso, who will return to the grid next year after two seasons away when Renault are rebranded to Alpine, was able to outpace the Mercedes and Red Bull cars which were the class of the field during the 2020 season.
Alonso’s test P1 ‘ignited competitive spirit’
Date published:
December 15 2020
Fernando Alonso revealed that setting the fastest time in the Abu Dhabi post-season test had “ignited the competitive spirit”.
The two-time former World Champion, who will turn 40 next July, was granted a special dispensation by the FIA to take part in the ‘young driver test’ along with fellow veterans Robert Kubica and Sebastien Buemi.
With a total of 15 cars running at Yas Marina, it meant Alonso was able to compare himself alongside a couple of his rivals from a decade ago as well as the next generation of talent which is hoping to follow in his wheeltracks by capturing the F1 drivers’ title.
Alonso downplays the importance of YDT
Date published:
December 15 2020
Fernando Alonso feels his day of running in the RS20 in Abu Dhabi may be “welcome” but it is “not very important”.
The double World Champion is in action at the Yas Marina circuit on Tuesday, putting in the laps in a 2020 Renault F1 car.
But while he already had a taste of the RS20, that was limited to just 100km during a filming day. On Tuesday he can do as many laps as he wants.
The FIA’s decision to allow Alonso to run in the young driver test, an outing usually reserved for drivers with two or fewer grands prix starts, irked Renault’s rivals.