Fernando Alonso expects things to get "very interesting" as the sport enters the phase at which upgrades can be expected to arrive 'thick and fast'.

After three races, the Spaniard and Max Verstappen are the only drivers to have made it to the podium at all three events.

That said, the Australian Grand Prix saw the Spaniard have to work that little bit harder, with the early elimination of Charles Leclerc and George Russell almost certainly aiding his cause.

Despite the fact that Baku is a Sprint weekend it is anticipated that a number of teams, certainly McLaren, will have upgrades, while the subsequent return to Europe should see them arriving on a regular basis.

Alonso, who has forgotten more than most currently involved in the sport will ever know, believes the next phase of the season is going to be key.

"It seems that qualifying is quite important now, because race pace is very similar," says the two-time world champion, "and I think now we enter into a part of the season that is going to be very interesting... which team is developing the car faster.

"I think the first three races being away from Europe, it's difficult to bring upgrades and things like that," he continues. "But from now on, maybe we see the level of the teams changing a little bit, race-by-race, depending on who brings an upgrade that is good enough.

"For us, it's happy days at the moment," he says. "We never expected to be on the podium, maybe even throughout the season, and in three races we have three. So everything that is coming now is a plus.

"We are taking every opportunity, we need to learn and we need to grow as a team, also maybe now off-track because we are racing against Red Bull, Mercedes, and Ferrari, teams that are used to this kind of pace of development and things like that.

"Maybe we are just in a learning process, so we take this 2023 in a very humble manner, and let's see how it goes."

Interesting times, indeed.

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READERS COMMENTS

1. Posted by kenji, 12/04/2023 11:12

"Over all the years following the ups and downs of Alonso's career one thing certianly stands out. That is the energy and drive than he brings to the team/track evey time he visits. He is there with just one purpose in mind...winning, even if the car is not capable. I don't think that Alonso has a 'B'plan and there doesn't appear to be any competing interests either. He's purpose driven and it shows. Many years ago, reading comments from his team mates , when was driving in WEC, they all commented that his prodigious talent was there for all to see every time he took his place behind the wheel. I recall. sketchily, comments made in reference to a double night time stint at Le Mans through atrocious weather where he took the car up and into contention with a brilliant drive. Pure Alonso. Awesome and a credit to F1. A driver's driver."

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2. Posted by Max Noble, 12/04/2023 7:46

"@elsiebc - agree it will all be great engineering sport until everyone hits the Excel spreadsheet redline… and it is game over until next year.
It used to be that the genius of Adrian Newey could be countered by spending more with lesser minds… Now that chance has been removed it is a direct “Brains Trust” race. Bit like pitting the local Kindergarten with toilet rolls and double-sided sticky tape against the Manhattan Project. 10/10 for effort 1/10 for impact. Game, set, and match to Manhattan… Oh, and next season, and then the next season, and… "

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3. Posted by Stitch431, 12/04/2023 7:31

"Definitely another tune than Lewis is humming. That's the spirit! Not trying to change the rules but instead, put your shoulders under the development of the car. That's racing!"

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4. Posted by elsiebc, 11/04/2023 15:46

"Those upgrades and changes in the "level of the teams", the "interesting" phase of the season, will only happen until the cap is reached, for the good of the sport and all."

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5. Posted by Motorsport-fan, 11/04/2023 9:27

"Definitely an older and wiser Fernando, shame we lost him for all those seasons."

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Now is when it gets interesting, says Alonso

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