After a thrilling come back to the podium on Sunday in Qatar, Fernando Alonso has shot a bold claim to Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen, hoping 2022 could be a “reset” for everyone on the grid. Alonso returned to the podium for the first time in seven years after Hamilton won the Qatar Grand Prix, with Verstappen second.
The Alpine driver was promoted to third on the grid after the Red Bull driver was relegated back to seventh due to a grid penalty, and managed to hold off Sergio Perez in the latter few moments of the race to take the third place.
“I’m enjoying, f*** I was waiting so long for this, so I’m happy,” he said in the post-race interview.
After two years away from the championship, it was Alonso’s first podium for Alpine and his first in Formula One since the 2014 Hungarian Grand Prix, over 100 races ago.
The Spaniard already has two titles to his name, after winning 2005 and 2006 championships with Renault.
Speaking after winning driver of the day, Alonso felt it was just the beginning of his comeback, and hopes to challenge Hamilton and Verstappen next season.
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