Fernando Alonso laments loss of FP1 as Aston Martin is unable to analyze upgrades in the 2023 F1 Canadian GP

Fernando Alonso has given his take on the tricky Friday practice sessions prior to the 2023 F1 Canadian GP.

Though Aston Martin brought major new upgrades to the race, they were unable to test them due to a long red flag in the first practice session and the drastically changing weather conditions in the second session.

Fernando Alonso first thanked the Canadian fans for sticking around for both practice sessions despite the weather and red flag. He also expressed his disappointment for not analyzing the new upgrade package enough in the practice sessions and said (via F1.com):

“It’s good to see all of the support here and be back racing in front of the Canadian fans. But it was a shame that we weren't able to run in FP1 due to the technical issues."

"We didn’t have a lot of time to fully understand the new upgrades on the car, so we will have to analyze everything overnight and learn more tomorrow. We will keep an eye on the weather radar again for tomorrow, as it could be another mixed day.”

Fernando Alonso and Aston Martin have arrived in Montreal with an aim to at least grab another podium and beat Mercedes. They have brought major upgrade parts that could further bridge the gap between Red Bull and the rest of the field.

However, Mercedes is looking quite strong, with both Lewis Hamilton and George Russell finishing in the front row in FP2. The weather could hamper Aston Martin's tests even in the third and final practice session.

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Fernando Alonso could decline if he does not win a race in 2023, feels Mika Hakkinen

Former F1 world champion Mika Hakkinen feels Fernando Alonso needs a race win in the 2023 F1 season or he could start losing his pace and determination.

Speaking to Unibet, Hakkinen initially praised the Spaniard and how great he is performing with Aston Martin. However, he also expressed concerns that Alonso's speed could start declining if he does not stand on the top spot in any race.

Hakkinen said:

“He’s doing an incredible job and the patience he has to race without winning because you go there to win. You need to find the right place at the right time. He’s done a great job, but the one thing I know is that if he doesn’t win this year, his speed will start declining. It’s a law of physics.”

As of now, Fernando Alonso has only finished second in the Monaco GP and has bagged several podiums in 2023. However, he is simply unable to catch the reigning world champion Max Verstappen, who is driving faultlessly.