'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/4AAQSkZJRgABAQAAAQABAAD/2wCEAAMDAwMDAwQEBAQFBQUFBQcHBgYHBwsICQgJCAsRCwwLCwwLEQ8SDw4PEg8bFRMTFRsfGhkaHyYiIiYwLTA+PlQBAwMDAwMDBAQEBAUFBQUFBwcGBgcHCwgJCAkICxELDAsLDAsRDxIPDg8SDxsVExMVGx8aGRofJiIiJjAtMD4+VP/AABEIAAYACgMBIgACEQEDEQH/xABoAAEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABRAAAgEDAgcAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQIDAAQFBhESEyEiJEHTAQEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGBxEAAQQBAgcAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQIDBBEABRIUITEzQUJh/9oADAMBAAIRAxEAPwCVlrq7xeo9PYmCCzngyPNkM7o0TokQAkjKAsGHcCp3Bqy9ljeNvBtj1PqX6UpVChSpK3JVur7qehr0GBpGg6MkMp4FghLdC0A8txPn6c//2Q=='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Fernando Alonso had a wonderful start to his stint with Aston Martin in Bahrain as he managed to score a podium with a 3rd place finish. While this was only the team's second podium since the team has been in Formula 1, Alonso has gotten quite close to a milestone as this one made him jump to a whopping 99 career podiums.
This performance has been quite astonishing when contrasted with the team's position on the grid last year. However, signs of improvement were apparent for them throughout the pre-season testing and the race weekend.
Previously, Fernando Alonso scored a surprise podium during the Qatar Grand Prix when he raced with Alpine in 2021. That year also marked Alonso's return to the grid after three years. It took him a 469 day gap to score a well-deserved 99th podium in his first race with Aston Martin. The competitiveness that the Spaniard displayed with the car was far better than how it has been ever since he returned to Formula 1.
This race week was also special for Fernando Alonso as it marked 22 years since his debut in the sport. He scored his first-ever podium at the 2003 F1 Malaysian GP with Renault, and then went on to win two consecutive world championships in 2005 and 2006. A lot of victories and podiums came to him after 2006 and close chances at the title whilst he was with Ferrari.
Fernando Alonso's podium makes it a promising season for Aston Martin
Aston Martin are a fairly new team on the grid and while their first season was okay with Sebastian Vettel scoring their first podium in 2021, their performance fell in 2022. The team could hardly get into Q3 in most sessions. However, after Vettel announced his retirement, Alonso opted to fill the vacant seat. While many thought it was a bad decision, things seem to have improved for him and the team after the Bahrain GP.
The car looks extremely competitive since not only Fernando Alonso, but his teammate Lance Stroll also secured a pretty good finish in the race (P6). The car displayed a promising pace and further developments can perhaps help them maintain this consistency. It is also possible that the team might go on to win races soon in the sport. Regardless of how it goes, it is surely a headstart for the Spaniard and his team.
