Leo Turini: Fernando Alonso continues to amaze

      After another Grand Prix, the famous Italian journalist Leo Turini usually worries most about Ferrari's failures, but this time he also noticed how the drivers from some other teams performed yesterday in Zandvoort. Along with Lando Norris's second consecutive victory at the Dutch stage of the World Championship, a truth emerged that can no longer be hidden. In short, Mercedes and Ferrari found themselves in a difficult position. And there’s no point in saying that both teams will, of course, attempt to restore a normal atmosphere.

      Let me explain. It is quite unusual to hear such a charismatic character as Lewis Hamilton say over the radio to his engineers: “Are you using me as a guinea pig? What is going on?” Charles Leclerc's nervousness was also quite evident, as he was understandably irritated to finish behind his teammate, and in the championship standings, he is already a couple of places below Lewis.

      Perhaps Frederic Vasseur needs to provide some clarifications. Moving on. Kimi Antonelli performed well in the Netherlands and did the best he could despite not particularly favorable circumstances. He finished second, but the whole world heard George Russell's dissatisfied comments (which were quite justified in this case) when the Mercedes team asked him to yield his position to his teammate.

      Ultimately, an old truth was confirmed, which is that the main competitor for any driver remains their teammate. Technology in Formula 1 is evolving at an insane pace, the technical regulations have been reshaped so that, to be honest, I still have a lot of questions, and yet the unwritten laws still apply, which is why stories continue to unfold in the championship that the public eagerly discusses.

      With such sentiments, we head to Monza. Since Antonelli has a passionate desire to set all sorts of new records, he has another chance, as Italians have not won their home race since 1966. Back then, it was Ludovico Scarfiotti who achieved this, securing his only career victory behind the wheel of a Ferrari 312.

      And 20 years ago, in 2006, Michael Schumacher triumphantly bid farewell to Ferrari, announcing his decision to retire after that magnificent victory. In this whirlwind of emotions and coincidences, I find it necessary to pay tribute to a person who can hardly be considered a model of charm and charisma. But Fernando Alonso continues to surprise, even though he has been competing in Formula 1 for a quarter of a century.

      In the Netherlands, he fought with the spirit of a young man eager for success, giving his all to finish ninth, although such a result means nothing for the statistics of his endless career. However, it vividly symbolizes the romance of Formula 1, which I continue to speak about with all my stubbornness.

      So, ahead is Monza. Antonelli has already announced that he will start from the back rows due to a power unit replacement. Nevertheless, the Italian whiz kid is getting closer to winning the championship. Speaking of Ferrari, I expect that on their home track, the team will return to high positions thanks to a more powerful engine, and the Scuderia fans will finally have a reason to rejoice.

      And if Hamilton and Leclerc are on their way to a winning double, then at least they will have a solid reason to compete with each other for a result higher than a modest 4th place...