The frustration was all too evident for Aston Martin driver Fernando Alonso at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix last weekend, and a new radio message during the race summed it up perfectly. After the first virtual safety car period, Alonso made a telling remark over the team radio, declaring their race was “over.” Aston Martin had been eyeing a strong result at Imola, with both cars running in the top 10 early on. But things quickly unraveled.
Unlucky Imola for Fernando Alonso
Starting fifth on the grid, Fernando Alonso slipped to 14th after making a pit stop on Lap 12. Despite giving it everything, Alonso managed to claw his way back up to eighth. However, all his efforts were undone when Esteban Ocon’s retirement triggered a safety car. That moment marked a turning point — and Alonso sensed it. Nothing was going to go his way.
“Yeah, our race is over,” Alonso stated on the radio during the VSC. “We are so unlucky. Everything is wrong for us this year.”
Still determined to fight back for points, Alonso pushed for a second stop on Lap 46. What followed was a heated exchange with his race engineer Andrew Vizard.
When Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli stopped at the side of the track, Alonso radioed in again. “It’s gonna be virtual, or hopefully safety car or red flag or whatever they want.”
Alonso was audibly frustrated when the team instructed him to stay out. “No, box!” the Spaniard said. “We will unlap ourselves. Why do you want me to keep out? Box or not?” “Stay out,” Vizard responded. “Aw, come on,” Alonso replied in disbelief. “Yeah, it’s going to be torture, it’s a wreck.”
“I’m the unluckiest driver in the f***ing world! It’s wrong, our strategy. Not even safety car or anything like that will help us,” Alonso said. “It’s so unfair, so unfair,” he added. Vizard could only respond, “It’s bad, isn’t it?” Alonso continued, “Unbelievable. I mean, hundred races, only one of the 99 would be enough. It has to be the one of hundred.”
Also Read:
Emilia Romagna Grand Prix 2025 Results: Max Verstappen clinches second win of season after daughter’s birth; Lando Norris takes second placeMeanwhile, Red Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen clinched the victory at Imola — his second consecutive win at the iconic venue. McLaren's Lando Norris finished second and Ferrari's Charles Leclerc third on the podium.
The TOI Sports Desk excels in a myriad of roles that capture the ...
Read MoreThe TOI Sports Desk excels in a myriad of roles that capture the essence of live sporting events and deliver compelling content to readers worldwide.
From running live blogs for India and non-India cricket matches to global spectacles featuring Indian talents, like the Chess World Cup final featuring Praggnanandhaa and the Badminton World Championships semifinal featuring HS Prannoy, our live coverage extends to all mega sporting events. We extensively cover events like the Olympics, Asian Games, Cricket World Cups, FIFA World Cups, and more.
The desk is also adept at writing comprehensive match reports and insightful post-match commentary, complemented by stats-based articles that provide an in-depth analysis of player performances and team dynamics.
We track news wires for key stories, conduct exclusive player interviews in both text and video formats, and file content from print editions and reporters. We keep track of all viral stories, trending topics and produce our own copies on the subjects.
We deliver accurate, engaging, and up-to-the-minute sports content, round the clock.
Read Less
Start a Conversation
Post comment