Alonso Feels Coverage Of F1 Radio Messages Can Be Misinterpreted

In sixteen Formula 1 Grands Prix held this year, Fernando Alonso, the ageless lion of the sport has actually bagged 7 podiums. While it isn’t too helpful ever to undermine others who are racing on the grid or let’s say, devaluing other competitors, perhaps it helps to note that the Spaniard is truly an exception.

Someone who’s raced the most in Formula 1; even more than his one-time on track rival and former Ferrari teammate, Kimi Raikkonen of Finland.

Alonso’s been a career that’s marked with fierce determination, vast swathes of energy and that quintessential never say die spirit. He is not just a world champion, but a worthy double world champion; the kind of bloke that cool dudes that only wallow in style or sensationalism can only aspire to be one day. What’s further interesting about the man from Oviedo, Northern Spain is that he’s got to his name no fewer than 32 race wins.

Yet, having said all of that, Fernando Alonso of Northern Spain is also a man who doesn’t hold himself back in terms expressing what he truly feels about the radio messages in the topsy turvy world of F1, and how the same could be misinterpreted.

Very recently, he opened up about his situation in Suzuka, the home to the Japanese Grand Prix, where Alonso, who actually started his season with three consecutive podiums, could only manage a lowly P8:

So what did he say and what is it about the F1 radio messages and who the same could be misinterpreted that Alonso was quite vocal about, let’s find out:

“I wasn’t frustrated with the team, that’s a recurring narrative with the FOM broadcasts,” said the Aston Martin driver. “They often take these communications out of context.”

I’m curious if other drivers, when trapped behind slower cars and still being overtaken even with DRS engaged, simply communicate their satisfaction. 

“Personally, I’d opt for motivation and make the overtakes. Even with the DRS on, I was lagging behind. So I suggested an alternative strategy. We made a pit stop and outmanoeuvred them. That’s our approach – to overtake them on the track. But the broadcast seemed to focus mainly on the radio chatter.”

Having said that the great double world champion, among the drivers alongside Mika Hakkinen and Kimi Raikkonen, widely recognised for his attempts to curb the great Michael Schumacher having battled with him akin to a true samurai, happened to share the following:

I’m curious if other drivers, when trapped behind slower cars and still being overtaken even with DRS engaged, simply communicate their satisfaction. 

“Personally, I’d opt for motivation and make the overtakes. Even with the DRS on, I was lagging behind. So I suggested an alternative strategy. We made a pit stop and outmanoeuvred them. That’s our approach – to overtake them on the track. But the broadcast seemed to focus mainly on the radio chatter.”

Of course, not too happy with how his race panned out at Japan, F1’s most latest or recent Grand Prix, also the venue of two great wins in Alonso’s career (back in the day, one of the prominent wins coming with Renault), the iconic Spaniard happened to highlight further:

“I was disappointed because I thought we made our first pit stop early. Our pace was better than expected. I was running behind the Ferraris and had a good gap to Lewis [Hamilton] with minimal pressure. However, we made a pit stop on lap 12, possibly to get ahead of Tsunoda, which caught me off guard.”