ALONSO: “SPRINT MEANS NOTHING TO US”
Eliminated in the first session of the Brazilian Grand Prix sprint qualifying, Fernando Alonso expressed that the sprint race holds no significance for him. The Aston Martin driver was one of those knocked out in SQ1 during Friday’s sprint qualifying.
However, speaking after the session, Alonso made it clear that this result did not affect him, stating that due to the limited points awarded in the sprint race, the team’s primary focus was entirely on Sunday’s race.
The two-time world champion said, “We couldn’t find the pace we wanted in sprint qualifying. After the first practice session, we made some changes that we knew might compromise the car’s speed, but we needed to focus more on Sunday than on Saturday.”
“It’s unlikely we’ll score points in the sprint race, so it’ll be more like a free practice session for us,” he said. “Honestly, the sprint means nothing to us because only eight cars earn points. So, by the format, being fast on Friday night and Saturday doesn’t gain us anything.”
“That’s why we’re much more focused on Sunday, and this is exactly how we approach sprint weekends.”
