Fernando Alonso qualified P6 for the Turkish Grand Prix, but he was promoted to fifth after pole-sitter Lewis Hamilton started the race P11, thanks to an engine penalty. This was Alonso’s first top-five start after the 2014 Japanese Grand Prix.

With the Spaniard starting ahead of the seven-time world champion, Lewis Hamilton, Red Bull’s advisor, Helmut Marko was counting Alonso to replicate his Hungarian GP heroics to assist Max Verstappen to finish ahead of the Briton.

Before the race, Helmut Marko said, “We know that Alonso is not a big Hamilton fan, and we saw him also in Budapest”

Meanwhile, the two-time world champion, Fernando Alonso, respondws to Helmut Marko about his role in the title fight between Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen.

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Red Bull must focus on their season and manage alone: Fernando Alonso

On the Turkish Grand Prix eve, Fernando Alonso said, “In Hungary, we were committed to fighting Hamilton, but it was mainly due to the characteristics of the track. Under normal conditions, Red Bull and Mercedes are too fast.”

“In Monza, for example, Bottas started last and ended up on the podium all the same. Certainly, I like battling with great riders, but Red Bull must focus on their season and manage alone,” concluded the Spaniard. (Translated via Google Translate)

Alonso apologizes to Mick Schumacher after second lap collision

Fernando Alonso, who was starting from a strong position to fight for the podium, spun on the opening lap of the race after Pierre Gasly‘s front right wheel tangled with the Spaniard’s rear left. As a result, the AlphaTauri driver was awarded a five-second grid penalty.

After the opening lap incident, Alonso dropped to P15 just behind Haas’s Mick Schumacher, who secured his career-best P14 qualifying result. And a lap after, the two-time world champion tipped the young German driver into a spin, for which he received a five-second penalty.

However, after the race, Alonso apologized to Mick Schumacher for causing the collision and reveals he deserved the penalty because the Haas driver spun because of him.

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Can Fernando Alonso secure his first podium after the 2014 Hungarian GP at the next race in Austin? What do you think? Let us know in the comments section below.