This season, Fernando Alonso returned to F1 after two years to join Alpine. But the Spanish driver admits that he has not yet returned to 100% condition. As the team's special adviser, Alain Prost was not surprised by this, and he compared Alonso's return to his own situation when he played for Williams in 1993.
Prost said that due to restrictions on riders participating in pre-season tests, as well as the impact of Alonso's pre-season cycling accidents, and considering that he has not competed in F1 since the end of the 2018 season, people should not accuse Alonso of not running at his best speed at the beginning of the season.
"He needs time and I'm not surprised by that. It's a process, he's done well on the simulator, but to be more comfortable in the car, more needs to be done. ”
"In terms of physical condition, we are more concerned about the physiological condition of the driver, the stomach, vision, the head and the whole body. Don't forget he also had a bike accident, so I don't know what effect this will have, so I'm a little worried. ”
"He's going to get better and better and in my opinion he's not at his best at all. He knows that and we want him to do better at the French Grand Prix. ”
As a four-time world champion, Alain Prost also has the experience of returning after a temporary departure from F1. At the end of the 1991 season, Alain Prost tried to build his own team, but due to the failure to make the trip, he decided to say goodbye to F1 for a year of rest. In 1993, Alain Prost joined Williams and returned to F1, winning the world championship again that season.
Prost admitted that after his first test for Williams in Portugal in 1992, he had doubted whether his decision to return to F1 would be wise.
"When I came back to Portugal, I asked myself why I was coming back, both physically and mentally, and it was a challenge."
"I was really healthy at the time, with a body fat percentage of only 5 percent. But when I took the F1 test in September with a healthy body, I felt completely lost. ”
"It means that everything you do outside the car is important, but some of the important things can only be done inside the F1 car and you need to train completely different muscles. Physiological functions, vision, etc., are impossible to train outside the car. ”
At the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, Alonso finished 6th with consecutive surpasses after the restart of the race, setting an individual best of the season.
This weekend, F1 will come to France, and it is worth mentioning that Alonso is the only two active F1 drivers who have won pole positions multiple times in the French Grand Prix. Hopefully, Alonso, who has moved to the Paul Ricard circuit, will be able to continue the excellent form of the previous stop!