Fernando Alonso is hoping to take advantage of opportunities for "risk and reward" at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. The Spaniard has enjoyed a strong start to the 2023 F1 season, having claimed three consecutive third-place finishes in the opening races of the campaign. Now, after a four-week break in the calendar due to the cancellation of the Chinese Grand Prix, Alonso is keen to get back behind the wheel. "It's good to be back after a few weeks away from racing," the Aston Martin driver commented. "I have recharged the batteries after a high adrenaline start to the season, and I am now looking forward to Baku."
Alonso ready for 'unique challenge' of Baku
Alonso admits that the characteristics of the Baku City Circuit pose a challenge to the drivers, but this is something that he hopes to benefit from. "The circuit presents us drivers with a unique challenge, as we face lots of tight slow-speed street sections and then extremely high-speed straights that create lots of opportunities for risk and reward," the two-time World Champion said. The weekend will also feature the first Sprint race of the year, alongside the introduction of a new Sprint Shootout in place of Free Practice 2. This session determines the grid for the Sprint, while a traditional qualifying session on Friday sets the order for Sunday's main race. "I'm excited to see the return of the Sprint this weekend too," Alonso added. "We've seen some fun races in the past there and I'm sure it'll be no different, especially now with two qualifying sessions and two races. "After three races we know our car better, but we need to pick-up where we left off in Australia and keep up the development push over the next few races."
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