That was Fernando Alonso, a double world champion, inarguably the greatest driver to emerge from Spain, the man who aligned a desperate surge for speed and unputdownable grit to halt none other than Michael Schumacher’s charge (2005-06), and above anything else, a man so used to competing at the front of the grid, that the only real fights he was involved in during one of the most painful stints in his F1 career, saw him battle neophytes who were struggling to find their footing in the sport as he drove around in circles in an uncompetitive McLaren. He was up into tenth the Dutchman finally relieved, but the one vanquished muttering desperately on the radio two words that captured his pain and agony of competing in a car that was barely drivable: “GP 2 engine!” Suddenly a rather strange moment occurred, one which a certain band of fans usually accustomed to seeing high-octane, closely-fought action from one-of-a-kind driver, would’ve honestly dreaded seeing.Īt halfway stage, on Lap 26 (with only 27 more to go), McLaren’s ‘main-man’ found himself challenged by the Toro Rosso of Max Verstappen.Īfter pursuing the MP4-30 for nearly half a dozen laps, Max Verstappen moved around Turn 1 to pass the black and grey liveried car. The Ferraris were fast and were closing the gap to the race-leaders.īut a different battle was developing further down the grid in the mid-field.
The order at the front of the grid was being dominated by the Mercedes pair of Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton.
The venue was the majestic Suzuka, home to the Japanese Grand Prix.
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