During the chaotic closing stages of the recent Russian Grand Prix, you could be forgiven for missing how close a Formula 1 great came to taking their first podium finish in more than seven years. When the rain came, Fernando Alonso was one of the standout performers on slick tires and overtook Daniel Ricciardo, Carlos Sainz and Sergio Perez to run third. Then, the second bank of rain hit and Alonso was forced to pit for intermediates, slipping back to finish sixth. This wasn’t some unsuccessful gamble as, after all, it didn’t cost him any positions in the final reckoning. But those three cars he passed were before they pitted, showing his excellence in judging the available grip and...
Full Story »