PALMER: A win for Alonso in 2023? I wouldn’t bet against it after his Bahrain masterclass

Fernando Alonso has been waiting a decade for a car that he can compete with at the sharp end of Formula 1, and finally in 2023 it seems he has one.

The Aston Martin looked hooked up from the word go in pre-season. Felipe Drugovich was in the car on the first morning, and I went trackside to watch in the afternoon. It took a while for Fernando to emerge in the car, but from the very first lap I saw, he looked comfortable and was hustling on, visibly more than most others out there.