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Fernando Alonso adamant he can win a race in 2023 season as he targets key Grands Prix
Fernando Alonso believes he can win a race this season following Aston Martin’s impressive displays in 2023. The Spaniard, who currently sits third in the drivers’ championship standings, has also pinpointed some key Grands Prix where that victory could happen – with the upcoming race in Monaco one of those singled out.
It has been just over 10 years since two-time world champion Alonso last won a Grand Prix – the 2013 Spanish Grand Prix while racing for Ferrari – but thanks to Aston Martin’s form this season another race win has become a real possibility.
Alonso’s first year with the team has brought him four third-place finishes from five races and that has helped Aston Martin to second in the constructors’ championship on 102 points – 122 points behind leaders Red Bull.
READ MORE: Stroll reveals what it's been like to work with two-time champ Alonso so far
The 41-year-old has been one of the stories of the season so far and many are predicting a race win at some point. Alonso is also backing himself strongly to bring Aston Martin a Grand Prix victory in 2023 and has pinpointed the races where that could be most likely, with his eyes locked onto the potential at Monaco.
When asked by Sky Sports F1 presenter Martin Brundle if he could win a race or two in 2023, Alonso replied: “I think so, yes.”
He continued: “Hopefully soon. I don't know. We seem to have a car that is maybe not the fastest on the straights. We need to improve that, but we are very good on the corners.
"So, I would say that the slowest speeds of the championship, let's say Monaco, Budapest, Singapore. These kind of circuits, I think we put our main hopes at the moment."
With Aston Martin’s impressive rise, following their seventh-placed finish in the constructors’ championship last year, Alonso will be feeling good about his decision to join the team from Alpine.
But, for a man who has seen and done it all in Formula 1, he still concedes there were doubts over whether he had made the right call.
“Of course,” the Spaniard admitted when asked by Brundle about those doubts surrounding the move.
“I think, back in August, every team is optimistic for the following year. Alpine thought the car would be good and I spoke with Lawrence [Stroll] when Seb [Vettel] retired. He said we had a fantastic team and the car will be very different to what Sebastian and Lance [Stroll] are driving right now. I said, ‘Okay, everyone is thinking the same, but let’s see.’
“It’s a coin in the air – you never know the result and you don’t have a crystal ball. But I am happy with the outcome for sure.”
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