Alonso: The strategy of starting on the hard tyres did not pay off.

Alonso: The strategy of starting on the hard tyres did not pay off.

      Fernando Alonso had hoped to fight for points in Sunday’s race at Interlagos, but the strategy of starting on Hard tyres did not work. As a result the Spanish Aston Martin driver finished fourteenth.

      Lance Stroll was involved in two incidents – with Gabriel Bortoleto on the first lap and with Yuki Tsunoda, who sent him into a spin. The Canadian driver was not in contention for points and finished sixteenth.

      Fernando Alonso (14th): “The day turned out to be unlucky. We took a risk by starting on Hard tyres, but unfortunately the calculation did not pay off. Fourteenth place at the finish is disappointing, especially after a strong performance in the sprint.

      Given the car’s race pace, I didn’t really have opportunities to fight, so we just tried to get the most out of the current conditions.

      Right now all our focus is on the next round in Las Vegas. We’ll try to perform strongly in the final three races.”

      Lance Stroll (16th): “Not the best weekend for us at Interlagos. In the sprint we looked more competitive, whereas in qualifying and the race not so much.

      The incident with Tsunoda took away all my chances in the race. I tried to recover, but I lost too much time in that episode. The Hard tyres didn’t work, but in the end it all came down to the car lacking pace.

      In two weeks we’ll head to Las Vegas. We’ll see what we can do there.”

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Mick Schumacher has stated that he has not yet made a decision regarding whether his racing career will continue in endurance racing or move to IndyCar, as Alpine seeks clarity on his plans for 2026. During an interview with Speed Week at the World Endurance Championship finale in Bahrain, the 26-year-old confessed: "I still need to determine what I want to do in 2026. I have choices—except for Formula 1. I have some excellent options on the table."

Schumacher has spent two seasons with Alpine in the WEC but has recently completed a promising test with Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing in IndyCar, which has sparked speculation about a potential move to the US series. "It was a lot of fun," he remarked about the test. "The car felt like an accelerated Formula 2 car with superior tires. The atmosphere was great—the people at RLL are very skilled and approachable. I was impressed by the Americans’ enthusiasm for motorsport."

"I’ve always enjoyed single-seaters, so an IndyCar season is a strong possibility. However, I’ve also settled in well at Alpine—these two years have been enjoyable. It would be ideal to have clarity and a contract by the end of the year."

Nonetheless, Alpine appears to be growing impatient. Team principal Philippe Sinault was quoted by TZ Munchen: "It’s time for a decision. As you can imagine, we need clarity as soon as possible." Sinault emphasized that the French manufacturer wants to keep Schumacher in its endurance lineup. "He’s truly enjoying his time with us, you can count on that. If he wants to stay, we certainly want to continue with him."

Alpine motorsport chief Bruno Famin confirmed that "no decision has been made yet regarding the 2026 driver lineup," as the team balances its WEC program with its Formula 1 obligations. Regarding F1, Schumacher admitted it still resonates with him emotionally. "Of course, Formula 1 is still on my mind," he noted. "And if an opportunity arises, I probably wouldn’t refuse. Formula 1 remains close to my heart." "I have some excellent options available." Mick Schumacher has stated that he has not yet made a decision regarding whether his racing career will continue in endurance racing or move to IndyCar, as Alpine seeks clarity on his plans for 2026. During an interview with Speed Week at the World Endurance Championship finale in Bahrain, the 26-year-old confessed: "I still need to determine what I want to do in 2026. I have choices—except for Formula 1. I have some excellent options on the table." Schumacher has spent two seasons with Alpine in the WEC but has recently completed a promising test with Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing in IndyCar, which has sparked speculation about a potential move to the US series. "It was a lot of fun," he remarked about the test. "The car felt like an accelerated Formula 2 car with superior tires. The atmosphere was great—the people at RLL are very skilled and approachable. I was impressed by the Americans’ enthusiasm for motorsport." "I’ve always enjoyed single-seaters, so an IndyCar season is a strong possibility. However, I’ve also settled in well at Alpine—these two years have been enjoyable. It would be ideal to have clarity and a contract by the end of the year." Nonetheless, Alpine appears to be growing impatient. Team principal Philippe Sinault was quoted by TZ Munchen: "It’s time for a decision. As you can imagine, we need clarity as soon as possible." Sinault emphasized that the French manufacturer wants to keep Schumacher in its endurance lineup. "He’s truly enjoying his time with us, you can count on that. If he wants to stay, we certainly want to continue with him." Alpine motorsport chief Bruno Famin confirmed that "no decision has been made yet regarding the 2026 driver lineup," as the team balances its WEC program with its Formula 1 obligations. Regarding F1, Schumacher admitted it still resonates with him emotionally. "Of course, Formula 1 is still on my mind," he noted. "And if an opportunity arises, I probably wouldn’t refuse. Formula 1 remains close to my heart." Formula 1 | Pirelli may implement a maximum tyre mileage regulation for the upcoming Qatar Grand Prix due to concerns about a recurrence of the structural failures experienced at Losail last year. (…) Audi's shift accelerates in anticipation of the F1 concept unveiling. Audi's shift accelerates in anticipation of the F1 concept unveiling. Formula 1 | Audi's much-anticipated entry into Formula 1 is starting to take form, as the manufacturer has announced that it will reveal its concept F1 car (…) Drivers split on suggested two-stop regulation. Drivers split on suggested two-stop regulation. Formula 1 | The ongoing quest for increased excitement in Formula 1 may soon lead to a significant overhaul, as the sport is looking into mandatory two-stop strategies (…)

Alonso: The strategy of starting on the hard tyres did not pay off.

Fernando Alonso had hoped to fight for points in Sunday's race at Interlagos, but the strategy of starting on hard tyres didn't work. As a result, the Spanish Aston Martin driver finished fourteenth.