Alonso: Qualifying was better than I expected

The Spaniard had looked to be struggling with the A521 throughout practice, but rolled back the years when the pressure mounted.

While his teammate Esteban Ocon failed to get out of Q1, with yellow flags disrupting his final run, Alonso put his car ninth on the grid.

Looking ahead to his first Formula 1 Grand Prix since 2018, the 39-year-old said that points were now his target.

"The week has been difficult," Alonso told Sky Sports F1. "I lack confidence in the rear of the car.

"You never know what to expect in the first session of the year but I am happy.

"I was hoping a lot for qualifying but I think the wind direction changed. I came with some confidence into qualifying and it was better than I expected. I need to get a good start tomorrow, to get away from problems. I'm looking forward to it.

"You have to pace yourself for the tyre management. The adrenaline and the fun to drive is amazing.

"57 laps in a row - that will be the first time since testing. Top 10 and to score points is the target. If we do a good start and strategy, anything is possible."

Read our full qualifying report here.