Welcome at RacingNews365

Become part of the largest racing community in the United Kingdom. Create your free account now!

  • Share your thoughts and opinions about F1
  • Win fantastic prizes
  • Get access to our premium content
  • Take advantage of more exclusive benefits
Sign in

Fernando Alonso bemoans 'mandatory' tradition in strange F1 interview

The Aston Martin driver had finished eighth fastest in FP1 following a strong showing and took 13th in FP2.

Fernando Alonso has bemoaned the "mandatory" F1 media interviews after Friday practice following running at the Australian Grand Prix. Alonso, who is starting a record-extending 22nd F1 season, took an encouraging eighth in FP1 for Aston Martin following an anonymous pre-season test in Bahrain, before slipping to 13th in the afternoon session. Unless for medical reasons, drivers are required to speak to media on Thursday previewing the weekend, on Friday following practice and after both qualifying and the grand prix.  After stepping out of the AMR25, Alonso answered questions in very typical Alonso-fashion, keeping his cards extremely close to his chest. "Nothing, and if I learnt something, I will not tell you," Alonso said when asked for his thoughts after finishing an encouraging eighth in FP1. "We come here because it is mandatory, but there is nothing really to talk about because we've just jumped out of the car. "And as usual, it will be 24 Fridays like this and you can ask anything and I will not answer. "I need to review everything with my team and privately discuss what we did today, but there were no major problems. "The car goes, the engine is alive the brakes are okay and the gearbox is changing gears up and down, so it is good."

Never miss a thing from the Formula 1 season! Add the 2026 F1 schedule to your calendar at the touch of a button. Subscribe below and put the dates and times of every race directly on your PC or smartphone, so you don't miss a second from the new season.

Download the F1 calendar Download the F1 calendar

A variant with just the race and qualifying is also available.
Click here to download it..

F1 calendar 2026
Race Date
jpn Japanese GP 29 Mar 2026
usa Miami GP 03 May 2026
can Canadian GP 24 May 2026
mco Monaco GP 07 Jun 2026
esp Barcelona GP 14 Jun 2026
aut Austrian GP 28 Jun 2026
Full calendar
x
WATCH LIVE Max Verstappen takes on Nordschleife NLS2