"I anticipated the problem" - Fernando Alonso studied Daniel Ricciardo to ensure a smooth start to his Aston Martin stint

Fernando Alonso has stated that a good car isn't the only reason for his strong start to life as an Aston Martin driver.

Alonso moved to Aston Martin at the end of last year, replacing the retired Sebastian Vettel. With the Silverstone-based team struggling for results, many wondered if the Spaniard was making the right move.

However, Aston Martin have surprised everyone by emerging as the second-fastest team, ahead of Mercedes and Ferrari, this season. This has helped Alonso register a P3 finish in all three races so far — Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Australia.

The two-time F1 champion, in an interview with L'Equipe, has now disclosed that he took notes from Daniel Ricciardo's struggles with Renault and his own issues with the Alpine cars over the last two years. Using them, Alonso was able to guide the Aston Martin engineers to build a car that suited his driving style.

He explained (via es.motorsport):

"I don't think so. I studied Daniel Ricciardo's concerns when he left Red Bull for Renault. I was prepared for it, because I also had lived through it at Alpine. So, as soon as I got to Aston, I anticipated the problem."

He added:

"I told them about my driving style, about the steering column assist system. We worked together on some ideas and at the beginning of January I was already in the simulator or in the factory preparing myself. And they did a great job, especially when the car has good aerodynamics, whatever the technical feedback, I appreciate it. With a car like that I can set good times."

The 41-year-old also praised his team for making the right financial investment, something he believes is important for a team to be successful in the sport. He said:

"It's incredible, right? To have a car capable of being on the podium. To win I may still need help from the Red Bulls, whether they crash or break, but we're competitive. I never would have thought that three months ago."

He added:

"This shows that when you want to win, you have to put in the means. And do it for real. Hire the best, invest a lot, build a new factory. You need that winning mentality. We are here to win. And Aston has become a winning machine."

---

Fernando Alonso believes he still has few more years of him left in F1

Fernando Alonso believes that he still has a few more years left as a Formula 1 driver.

Alonso currently sits third in the drivers' standings, behind the Red Bull Racing pair of Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez. Reflecting on his F1 journey and his future in the sport, the Aston Martin driver recently said:

"When I started, my idea was to stay for seven or eight years, then I won the two championships and I thought about spending one or two more years and stopping, and now I find myself with the longest career in the history of F1."

Alonso will be back in action at the end of the month when F1 heads to Azerbaijan for the Baku Grand Prix.