'Daddy' Alonso shares his thoughts on becoming a father for the first time.

      "Everything went smoothly for both the mother and the baby."

      Fernando Alonso has announced the arrival of his first child after arriving late at Suzuka, following his absence on Thursday. The news was initially shared in the paddock by fellow driver Franco Colapinto before Alonso had even arrived in Japan. "Alonso is a dad! I have all the insider info," joked the Alpine driver. "I’m going to start calling him 'daddy'."

      Alonso later confirmed the news to DAZN, stating that he had just landed in the country. "I’m still a bit jet-lagged since I only arrived this morning. Fortunately, it will be evening here in a few hours, so I can catch up on some sleep."

      The 44-year-old mentioned that both his partner Melissa Jimenez and the baby are doing well. "You never really anticipate anything particular. Things unfold as they will, and there's always some stress and concern to ensure everything is alright. Everything went smoothly for both the mother and the baby. It’s an incredibly happy and special occasion."

      However, Alonso swiftly redirected his focus to track issues, noting Aston Martin’s challenges along with Honda’s at Suzuka. "In FP2 we didn’t feel great about the car. It’s largely the same as before. We’ve introduced a few upgraded components," he explained.

      With persistent vibrations and reliability issues, expectations remain cautious for Honda’s home race. "It's also Honda’s home race. During this challenging period, we have to be here to support them, and hopefully finish the race for the first time this year. Completing all the laps is our goal," Alonso added.