After miraculously surviving one of the most dramatic, and violent, F1 crashes in recent memory Fernando Alonso cannot wait to get back into his race car at this weekend's Bahrain Grand Prix where he has won on three occasions.
Less than two weeks since his death defying accident during the Australian Grand Prix the Spaniard said, "I’m very pleased to be heading to Bahrain after the crash in Australia. I’ve spent some time resting and I can’t wait to get back in the car."
Alonso took the positives out of the season opener Down Under, "Although on paper Melbourne wasn’t a great race for us, before the crash I’d been having some good battles and the car felt pretty promising, so I hope in Bahrain we can experience more of the same."
Having won at the desert venue with Renault in 2005 and 2006, then on his Ferrari debut in 2010, it is no surprise the double world champion is fond of the place, "I really enjoy racing in Bahrain. It’s been a good circuit for me in the past – I’ve had three victories there – and there are quite a few good opportunities to overtake."
"There are lots of variables to think about and it’s one of the longest races, which usually produces some kind of drama. Hopefully we can enjoy some close racing and keep ourselves out of trouble.”
McLaren and Honda are desperate to reverse the slump they have been in since the start of their partnership last year, and Alonso revealed, "We’re still pushing to bring upgrades to each race, so providing we can get everything to the car in time we’ll be aiming to get as much track time as possible with the new chassis from the start of free practice."
As for the remains of his crashed chassis Alonso said, "There’s been a massive effort from the teams in Woking and Sakura, who have been flat-out manufacturing parts for this race to ensure we can get back up to speed after the chassis was damaged, and I’m hugely impressed with how quickly they’ve managed to turn it around."
The physical effects of his massive shunt is likely to linger into the weekend in Bahrain, where conditions will be taxing for drivers.
But Alonso is confident ahead of round two, "Living in Dubai, I’m used to the climate in the Middle East, and racing in different temperatures over the weekend, as well as managing the car’s performance over a long race distance in tough conditions, brings another level to the challenge for the drivers."
"I’m looking forward to seeing what our package is capable of at what has previously been a pretty challenging circuit for us," he concluded.
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