The Miami Grand Prix Sprint Race did not go to plan for Aston Martin driver Fernando Alonso, but Ted Kravitz spotted him doing something very clever during the event.
Every team principal’s nightmare came true for Aston Martin boss Mike Krack as he saw Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll collide heading into the opening corner.
However, speaking on Ted’s Notebook, the Sky Sports reporter discovered a silver lining for the team in the closest moments of the race.
Ted Kravitz impressed by key Fernando Alonso moment during Miami Grand Prix Sprint Race
After a disastrous race in China for Lance Stroll, the Canadian looked a lot more at home on the quasi-street circuit in Miami.
Despite both Aston Martin drivers missing out on Q3 for the main Grand Prix, Stroll out-qualified his vastly more experienced teammate on both occasions, starting 7 on Saturday.
Unfortunately, they were too close for comfort and hit each other going into turn one, with Lewis Hamilton’s dive down the inside doing them no favours either.
The biggest loser was Lando Norris, who despite going as far to the left as he could, was still collected in the aftermath of their shunt and saw his race come to an end.
Stroll limped back to the pits but couldn’t continue but Aston Martin were able to repair any damage to the car before qualifying.
Alonso continued and had a good battle with Esteban Ocon at the back of the pack that was being held up by Kevin Magnussen’s defensive driving antics.
At the end of the race in Miami, Alonso did something that left Ted Kravitz very impressed and could benefit both Aston Martin drivers in the Grand Prix.
Given the Spaniard starts 15 on Sunday, he’s going to need all the help he can get if he’s going to finish in the points.
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Aston Martin could have pit stop advantage thanks to Fernando Alonso
Speaking about the Sprint Race, Kravitz said: “If you notice that Fernando [Alonso] went into the pits on the last lap, he was laying rubber in the pit box so that Aston Martin can have better and quicker pit stops tomorrow.
“Brilliant idea, when he’s out the points, great idea for Aston Martin and for Fernando Alonso.”
American racing driver James Hinchcliffe spotted the same thing on the F1 Post Sprint Race Show and added: “I happened to be standing right there as it happened, it wasn’t a practice pit stop.
“What they did, obviously not running in the points, wasn’t going to happen, they brought him in, they stopped him about five feet short of his marks and then he did a monstrous burnout through the pit box to lay more rubber down and give him more acceleration out of the box for the race tomorrow.
“Very, very crafty thinking!”
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Aston Martin hoping not to lose too much ground to Mercedes at the Miami Grand Prix
Aston Martin will hope that the work Alonso did in the pit lane that Kravitz spotted helps them climb up the standings in Miami.
Their battle this season in the Constructors’ Championship is with Mercedes who despite being disappointed with their pace in the Sprint Race will start 7 and 8 on Sunday.
Fernando Alonso has taken the battle to them for much of the season with Lance Stroll still yet to hit double figures in the Drivers’ Championship this year, but the Canadian is much better placed to secure a top-ten finish in the Grand Prix than his teammate.
Whatever happens, they’ll be hoping that Toto Wolff’s outfit don’t open up too much of a gap on them, otherwise, they’ll end up in a similar no man’s land in the standings similar to Alpine last year.
The post ‘Brilliant idea’: Ted Kravitz loved what he saw Fernando Alonso do in the Sprint Race despite hitting Stroll appeared first on F1 Oversteer.