Alpine's Chief Technical Officer Pat Fry has praised Fernando Alonso for his "outstanding" work during his 2021 comeback season. Alonso made his return to the F1 grid last year following a 24-month hiatus, and is now in his 19th campaign in the sport. Throughout this time, the Spaniard has worked alongside Fry at various teams, including Ferrari, McLaren and now Alpine. In fact, Fry has been colleagues with Alonso in seven of the last 14 years. In an exclusive interview with RacingNews365.com , the engineer has given an insight into what Alonso is like to work with, going against suggestions from some quarters that he is a disruptive character.
Alonso's "total commitment" is a standout characteristic
As well as the vast amount of knowledge that Alonso brings, Fry also admires the two-time World Champion's committed approach to F1. "There is that wealth of experience, where I think he's driven so many different cars, [that] getting in this thing and knowing what's important is a major benefit, to be honest," Fry explained. "The other standout thing about him is just [that] there is [an approach of giving] absolutely everything. It's total commitment, if you like, and demanding that of us as well, which is the right thing, isn't it? It helps."
How Alonso impressed Alpine in 2021
Fry believes that this commitment was particularly impressive in 2021, when Alonso joined Alpine following his two years away from F1. He has praised the Spaniard's ability to bounce back after difficult moments, such as during the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix weekend. "Last year, he was absolutely outstanding," Fry said. "To pull the team around [him] and build it up, and to get out of the car at Imola after qualifying, [when] it was a bad session for him, and then come back stronger. "There's certainly the commitment there, which is good."
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