Martin Brundle says driver with eight podiums in 2023 looked ‘dispirited’ in Bahrain

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Aston Martin driver Fernando Alonso seemed ‘dispirited’ at times during the Bahrain Grand Prix, Sky Sports F1 pundit Martin Brundle says.

Alonso impressively qualified in sixth place for the season-opener in Sakhir, beating McLaren duo Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri as well as Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton.

However, the Spaniard had to settle for ninth in Saturday’s race, and Sky commentator Brundle says his lack of pace relative to the cars around him left him demotivated.

Norris, Piastri and Alonso were all able to make moves on Alonso prior to their first pit stops, and that meant it ended up being a somewhat lonely race for the veteran.

Aston Martin instructed team-mate Lance Stroll to let him past in the closing stages after Alonso bolted on a fresh set of hard tyres.

Brundle says Alonso left time on the table in Bahrain

Speaking live on Sky Sports F1, Brundle suggested that Alonso was driving somewhat within himself during the Grand Prix.

He noticed that the 106-time podium-finisher wasn’t approaching turn four, at the end of the second DRS zone, with the same aggression as some of his rivals.

“[Alonso] looks a bit dispirited in the race actually,” he said. “Into turn four, he’s not bothering to use the extra track on the outside at all as most people on a charge are. He’s keeping well within the normal racing line.”

Alonso faces retirement decision after Aston Martin go backwards

There was a solid double points finish for Aston Martin to begin the 2024 campaign, but they have clearly lost ground from a year ago when Alonso finished third in Bahrain behind the two Red Bulls.

That was the first of eight podiums for the double world champion, who ultimately placed fourth in the championship between Hamilton and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc.

Speaking before the on-track action in Bahrain, Alonso said he would decide whether he wants to continue in Formula 1 after the first few races of the season.

At 42, it remains to be seen whether he has the appetite to remain in the sport if he’s only able to fight in the midfield with his AMR24 machinery.