Alonso celebrates first Q3 of the season with P9 in Brazil

Fernando Alonso put an end to his qualifying woes at the Brazilian Grand Prix on Sunday, advancing to the final qualifying segment (Q3) for the first time this season and clocking the ninth‑fastest time overall. The 42‑year‑old Aston Martin driver said the result felt "good" and highlighted that the car was finally on a more stable footing after a string of sub‑par qualifying sessions.

Alonso’s lap in Q3 was set on a damp‑to‑dry track at Interlagos, a circuit that often rewards drivers who can adapt quickly to changing grip levels. While the pole position went to Max Verstappen, the Spaniard’s P9 placed him ahead of his teammates and several midfield rivals, including the struggling McLaren and Alpine entries. The result also marked the first time any Aston Martin driver has made it into Q3 this year, a small but significant step forward for the team’s development programme.

Team principal Mike Krack praised the performance, noting that the car’s recent aerodynamic updates and a better tyre strategy had helped the driver extract more from the package. "Fernando’s feedback is vital, and today we saw the car respond much better in the later part of the session," Krack said in the post‑qualifying debrief. The improvement comes after a series of technical setbacks that saw the team struggle to find a consistent rhythm in the early rounds of the championship.

For Indian fans, the Brazilian qualifying session aired live on FanCode at 02:30 IST, with the race itself scheduled for 05:30 IST on Sunday. The broadcast will feature a pre‑race analysis segment that will likely discuss Alonso’s progress and what it means for the championship battle, especially as the title fight tightens between Red Bull and Ferrari.

Alonso’s upbeat comment – "the first Q3 of the season feels good" – underscores a renewed optimism for the remainder of the season. If the Aston Martin team can translate this qualifying pace into race‑day performance, they could become a dark horse in the fight for podiums in the upcoming European rounds.

Source: Formula1.com