Alonso Manages Back Injury During Hungarian GP Weekend
Budapest, Hungary – Fernando Alonso is navigating a manageable back injury as he competes in the Hungarian Grand Prix weekend, aiming to maximize performance ahead of the upcoming summer break.
Aston Martin confirmed that Alonso would sit out the first practice session on Friday, with reserve driver Felipe Drugovich stepping in to allow Alonso additional treatment for his lumbar injury. Alonso returned for FP2, securing a fifth-place finish, while his teammate, Lance Stroll, achieved fourth.
“It’s going to be like this the whole weekend,” Alonso stated. “I have a small injury in the lumbar area, so I need some rest. But the summer break is coming, so it’s just two more days of managing comfort in the seat. We found solutions with air pads and other adjustments, which worked well. I had no pain in FP2, so that’s positive.”
Despite the discomfort, Alonso remains optimistic, noting, “Always you have small pain and discomfort. The MRI revealed a small muscle injury, but I think it’s manageable. I don’t have pain in the car, which is the most important thing.”
In FP2, Alonso expressed satisfaction with Aston Martin’s competitiveness, although he indicated room for improvement in vehicle balance. “The balance is not quite where I’d like it to be, struggling a bit with understeer and mid-corner rotation. We’ll review data from FP1 and see what adjustments we can make.”
Stroll also noted the team’s promising form, completing FP2 in the top five. “The car felt good today,” he commented, while acknowledging the uncertainty of Friday timesheets due to varying fuel loads among teams.
As the Hungarian Grand Prix weekend progresses, both drivers aim to refine their setups and capitalize on their potential performance.
