Fernando Alonso admits that the challenge of facing unpredictable weather conditions at the Austrian Grand Prix is one he looks forward to. The Alpine driver put in a solid performance at the first of the 2021 F1 calendar's back-to-back visits to the Red Bull Ring, finishing ninth in the Styrian Grand Prix. Despite the good result, Alonso is aware of the issues that the drivers could be facing again this weekend. "As we saw last weekend qualifying and traffic management can be difficult with it being such a short lap," Alonso said in an Alpine official team preview. "Tyre management is also key here and the compounds are a step softer this weekend which presents a new challenge. "The weather is also very unpredictable, where one minute it’s clear blue skies with high temperatures, and the next it’s pouring down with rain and possible thunderstorms. "We enjoy these challenges as drivers and I think this makes racing here twice in a row quite interesting as you try to adjust and perfect your weekend." Alonso seemed in high spirits following the Styrian Grand Prix and is aiming to continue his momentum during his return to the circuit. "It’s the third race of our first triple header this season so I made sure to take some time to recharge the batteries ahead of this weekend," the Spaniard explained. "It’s my first time experiencing back to back races at the same venue in Formula 1. "But I am looking forward to getting back to the track for another race here and to keep the momentum going." Whilst Alonso has so far fared well in Austria, his Alpine teammate Esteban Ocon did not have such a strong weekend. The Frenchman finished the race down in 14th, only a small improvement from his 17th place starting position. Ocon is hoping to bounce back from this at the Austrian Grand Prix. "There’s no better opportunity than to comeback straight away at a back to back race," the 24-year-old said. "We have some ideas to explore and things to test to see what we can do to improve the performance. "I’m feeling motivated and determined to get back into the top ten this weekend, and I’m looking forward to it."
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