Fernando Alonso explains difference between overtaking Lewis Hamilton and Carlos Sainz in the Bahrain GP

Fernando Alonso explained the difference in overtaking Lewis Hamilton and Carlos Sainz at the 2023 Bahrain GP. The two-time world champion shocked the world by appearing on the podium purely on merit in Bahrain's season opener last weekend.

Alonso masterfully overtook his long-time rival Hamilton to take the podium in Sakhir. The Spaniard pulled off an unlikely move through turns 9 and 10 when the seven-time world champion didn't cover the inside line heading into the left-hander.

The 41-year-old also overtook Ferrari's Carlos Sainz on the exit of a corner after the Scuderia driver lost shape having taken the inside line.

Fernando Alonso explained that the differences in Sainz' and Hamilton's driving styles allowed him to perform two types of overtakes. He told Crash:

“I had momentum on the exit. I committed. Luckily, Lewis didn’t close the door otherwise I would have hit his rear wing. You either do it like Lewis and don’t close the door or like Carlos Sainz - you close the door, then you are weak on the exit.”

However, to Alonso's dismay, both Red Bull drivers were miles clear of his Aston Martin in Bahrain. It will be interesting to see whether the Silverstone-based team can challenge the Bulls in the coming months.

Fernando Alonso opens up on racing with broken bones last year

Two-time world champion Fernando Alonso divulged that he had raced with fractured bones In the 2022 F1 season. During the Q3 session of the 2022 Australian GP, the Spaniard had a crash that resulted in a hand injury.

According to Alonso, his injuries did not fully heal until August of last year. He also mentioned that he often experienced discomfort while driving his Alpine F1 car at different GP events.

Alonso told Motorsport.com:

“In my case, I broke a few bones in both hands last year. So, until August, I was not fully recovered. I had some pain, but we love driving!”

Ahead of the new F1 season, Alonso's 2023 teammate Lance Stroll suffered wrist fractures in a cycling accident. Nevertheless, Stroll demonstrated remarkable mental resilience by finishing the season opener in P6. Fernando Alonso was swift to commend the Canadian driver's outstanding persistence in Sakhir.

As Aston Martin appears to have constructed a vehicle capable of winning races, it will be fascinating to observe whether Fernando Alonso can reclaim his position at the top this year.