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Former Red Bull Racing driver Mark Webber thinks his old rival Fernando Alonso could be a frontrunner in 2022. The Australian TV pundit expressed his views on the Alpine F1 driver's undying competitive edge and what could be expected from him next year in a competitive car.
According to Webber, if Alpine develops a competitive concept for the 2022 season, the double world champion could be a serious threat at the front of the grid. Commenting on Alonso's current form, Webber told F1 Nation podcast:
“Fernando, he is driving well. Has he got the last two tenths that Max and Lewis will have in qualifying? I don’t think so.”
Although Alonso has not been evaluated against Max Verstappen or Lewis Hamilton in an equal car in his current form, the Australian believes that were the Spaniard to be a given a competitive car, he would be a "dangerous" threat come race day.
The Australian described Alonso's performance by saying:
“Has he got the knowledge, the nous of how to strip down and pull a race afternoon together? Unbelievable. The guy is still a bit of a magician, we know that.”
Webber feels Alonso would be a serious frontrunner in 2022 if Alpine build a competitive car
Recounting Alonso’s start in the Turkish Grand Prix, Webber said:
“He loves positioning the car in the first sector. If you go back through all of his onboard, he's always sniffing around that outside anyway. That’s where he always is, it can be a bit of a high-risk manoeuvre”
The two-time champion’s return to the sport after a two-year hiatus has been applauded by critics. His competitive form, despite the underwhelming tools at his disposal, was on display during qualifying in Turkey. Had Alonso not been clipped by Pierre Gasly in a risky move at the start, he would have likely been well placed to finish fourth or even target a podium in the race. Instead, the contact unraveled his race, resulting in a 16th-place finish.
Recollecting his own on-track trysts with Alonso, Webber said:
“Singapore all day long, he's down there, Barcelona [he] has a look, Malaysia. I guess I used to hang out with him a bit on the track so I know where, generally, he would end up and be. He's the last guy you want to be hanging out with for two hours in your mirrors.”
Webber, who was also a close friend of the double champion, battled the former Ferrari driver during his Red Bull Racing years. The Australian was one of the few drivers on the grid with whom the Spaniard shared good camaraderie both on and off the track.
Evaluating Alonso’s relentless racecraft, Webber said:
“That’s what Fernando is good at. When he’s behind you, he will be very good at finding a way to create pressure in unconventional ways. And then, as we saw with Lewis in Budapest, when you’re trying to pass him, he is the driver that mixes it up the most.”
Alonso’s battle with Lewis Hamilton was one of the key highlights of the Hungarian Grand Prix. Given that Alonso was placed sixth on the grid in Turkey while Hamilton was 11th, fans anticipated a repeat of Hungary at some point in the race.
Explaining Alonso’s battling skills, Webber said:
“He will be constantly mixing it up and just constantly changing. For you to get into a rhythm behind him, he’s very, very good.”
Delving into what to expect from the Spaniard in 2022, Webber explained:
“The new car for him next year will be interesting, because this year, he's fine floating around where he is and Alpine are doing a good job with him. There's no question about that. But next year will be fascinating. If they come out with a rocket , he could be dangerous.”
Alonso’s aim of returning to F1 was with the aim of being able to be competitive by 2022, anticipating that the regulation change and new cars would level the playing field. Webber’s evaluation of Alonso is a gentle reminder of how competitive the Spaniard could be in the new cars.
It resonated with a statement the Spaniard would often make about himself in the past, saying that he didn't need the best car to win a title, and that even second best would be enough.
