Fernando Alonso has been at the center of discussion during much of pre-season – thanks to the potential of the AMR23 – but the Spaniard made a potentially more shocking revelation earlier today.
Alonso’s accident at qualifying in Australia last year was an extremely difficult pill to swallow, given that he was in contention for a front-row start until that point.
A hydraulic issue ultimately cost the Spaniard during Q3, preventing him from capitalizing on the electric pace he demonstrated throughout the weekend.
However, Alonso has revealed that he also sustained broken bones as a result of his accident at Albert Park – which did not fully heal until August.
The Double World Champion was asked by the media if there were any similarities between his previous injuries and what Lance Stroll faced this summer:
“I think they are very different things. I don’t know exactly what Lance has, and it’s a private thing that you can ask him – and he will check [how he feels] in the car.
“It’s already very good news that he’s here and will try – that shows his desire to win and motivation to win.
“Fighting for whatever position we can achieve this weekend, he’s here and ready to try, so that’s a very good sign.
“In my case, yes, I broke a few bones in both hands last year [in Australia], so until August, I was not fully recovered and had some pain – but we love driving.”
The shocking nature of this revelation goes without saying – especially considering that Alonso’s injuries were never mentioned last season.
Alonso was seemingly unaffected by this incident, though, producing incredible moments – such as qualifying P2 in Canada – despite his injury.
It was only two years ago that Alonso was competing in Formula 1 with a metal plate in his jaw – following a pre-season cycling accident in 2021.
Suffice it to say that there has been plenty of adversity for him to overcome in recent years – both on and on the track.
However, there are no injuries of note going into the 2023 season, which could become one of the most fruitful for Alonso in the last decade – provided the AMR23 can deliver on its promising pace in testing.
