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Former F1 driver Damon Hill praised Fernando Alonso and drew similarities between him and former world champion Niki Lauda. The 41-year-old Spanish driver is performing brilliantly in the 2023 F1 season with his new team, Aston Martin. He has already secured two podiums in the first two races of the season.
Speaking on the F1 Nation podcast, Hill recalled how Alonso commented on the 10-second penalty he received in the Saudi Arabian GP, which could have been handed to him much sooner.
This was quite impressive and intelligent from the veteran driver since he could have had a chance to counter the penalty if it was given to him early in the race. Damon Hill said:
"He made the comment [when being interviewed after the race] that the [penalty] decision could have been given to him much sooner in the race, and then he might have been able to do something about it."
Hill praised Alonso for his smartness, though he pointed out how Niki Lauda and Jackie Stewart could be the only drivers that were smarter than him. Later on, he explained how the Spaniard always thinks like a racing driver and is amazing in how he races. Hill concluded:
"I don't think there's a smarter guy who's ever sat in a racing car than Fernando Alonso, perhaps with the exception of Niki Lauda. I'm probably missing out Jackie Stewart. But he is a thinking racing person. He's just... I was going to say machine but he's not a machine, he's a person, but he's just amazing. He always impresses me with everything he does."
Even before the Saudi Arabian GP, there were several on-track instances which proved how clever Fernando Alonso is as a racing driver. His overtake on Hamilton in the 2023 F1 Bahrain GP, him wagging his finger at Yuki Tsunoda in the 2022 F1 Austrian GP, and many other examples prove that he is one of the most fun and fastest drivers on the grid.
Fernando Alonso delighted with strong start to 2023 F1 season
Fernando Alonso's move to Aston Martin could be one of the best decisions of his career. Despite being the oldest driver on the grid, the Spaniard is performing exceptionally well in the 2023 F1 season. He finished third in the first two races of the season, putting him third in the drivers' championship. Right after the Saudi Arabian GP, he expressed his delight and praised the car and the team who developed it. He said:
"What a start to the season! Probably unthinkable from one month ago when we launched the car. They have made a fantastic car and a fantastic execution in strategy. The Red Bulls may be a bit out of reach but the rest are behind."
It is hard to believe that Aston Martin are ahead of other top teams like Mercedes and Ferrari. Though they are miles away from Red Bull, they have the best chance of giving a fair fight to the reigning world champions.
