Hype continues to build around Fernando Alonso and his Aston Martin team as the first race of the season approaches.
The AMR23 looked to be a very well put together car when it took to the Bahrain track for pre-season testing last week. And the good signs continued in free practice on Friday as Alonso split the two Red Bulls in the first session, before topping the timesheets in the second.
More significantly, his race simulation during FP2 provided real evidence that Aston Martin are in the fight. He was able to match Max Verstappen for pace over the course of his long run on the soft tyres – evidence that Alonso might not only challenge for the podium, but perhaps even the victory.
Of course, practice doesn't mean anything just yet. Qualifying on Saturday will be another indicator of just how quick this new Aston Martin machine is, while they will also have to get the job done in the main event on Sunday afternoon.
But the signs are looking very good for the oldest man on the grid, who clearly still has that competitive streak within him. He is here not just to take part, but to compete and to win.
Despite turning 42 later this year, he told Luxury London : "I still think that a third championship is possible. I feel fast. I feel fit. I feel motivated.
"Obviously I want to win more races and I want to fight for championships in the future. I worked hard for that and, although it's difficult to have a guarantee of success in Formula 1, everyone that sees me working knows that I will give 100 per cent. I will not give up that easily, so let's see if we can do it.
"I hate losing. I'm a very competitive person, so every Sunday when you are not winning, I cannot wait for the next Sunday, to have an opportunity to win again."
After practice on Friday, Alonso was keen to manage expectations, telling Sky Sports : "At the moment, there is still not much focus on times because we have to improve a few things on the car in terms of setup. Also, it's still very early days. We're still changing a lot of things and trying to reinforce the team in every area, not only on the car performance. It's going to be a very interesting process, but the team is learning every day."
