Downplaying Spectacular Overtake on Lewis Hamilton, Fernando Alonso Humbly Dissects the Technical Side

The beginning of the 2023 F1 season belonged to Fernando Alonso. With Aston Martin, he scripted the comeback of the year. From social media memes to news headlines, he was everywhere. And in the season opener at Bahrain, his overtake on Lewis Hamilton got him Crypto.com’s ‘Overtake of the Month’ award. Though the exquisiteness of the move was amplified by the media and fans, the Spaniard has humbly shown the technical side of the overtake.

“What a superb move from Fernando Alonso!”, exclaimed the commentators as Alonso overtook Hamilton in the unlikeliest of corners in Bahrain. Most of the overtakes in Bahrain take place on the DRS straights. But Alonso successfully executed one on Hamilton at Turn 10. And on the latest episode of BBC’s Chequered Flag podcast, he told Andrew Benson that it was the raw pace of the car and fresher tires that helped him get the move done.

Alonso said, “Well, we had a different pace in that moment. I had newer tires and yea, I think it was spectacular in the way it was and the corner that was. Because normally in Bahrain, you wait for the DRS straight and you get the easier overtake than Turn 10. But I was just in a different pace in the moment. My car was faster.”

He also mentioned how the move was not as great as it was displayed to be. He said, “In Formula 1, it happens like this – when you meet some other great drivers with big names, legends of the sport as Lewis and you get that possibility of overtaking him, it makes more noise in the media and with the fans. But actually, the technical side of the overtaking is less rewarding than some other overtakes you do in the weekend that are not shown on TV.”

This wasn’t the only instance when Alonso won the overtake of the month. He replicated it two more times and the Hamilton was on the receiving end of the overtake one more time.

Read More: Fernando Alonso’s “Bad Guy” Image Crushed to Pieces As Physiotherapist Reveals His True Lifestyle

Lewis Hamilton Gets Hunted Yet Again as Fernando Alonso Racks Up 3 ‘Overtake of the Month’ Awards

At the Azerbaijan GP, Fernando Alonso overtook his compatriot, Carlos Sainz‘s Ferrari, at Turn 4. And with that, he overtook 4 other drivers who were in contention for the award for the month of April. “It’s good that my name is in the first two months,” said Alonso as he received his 2nd consecutive ‘Overtake of the Month’ trophy.

And this was not all. In June, he won the award again for his overtake in Canada. And unfortunately for Lewis Hamilton, he got hunted for the 2nd time. The 2-time champion overtook the 7-time champion at the last turn in Montreal, etching his name on the award for the 3rd time since its inception.

The 1st half of the 2023 season was immaculate for Alonso. It was his world, all of us were just living in it. The 2nd half before the summer break brought restored some balance with other teams and drivers giving him a tough time. However, the Spanish racer can go into the summer break unworried after a well-fought P5 at Spa.

WATCH THIS STORY | Lewis Hamiltons Emotional Rollercoaster: Insights on Mercedes Contract Talks