Fernando Alonso's 'extra brain capacity' differentiates him from rest of F1 grid, claims British racing driver

Former LeMans winner Allan Mcnish has credited Fernando Alonso with an extra brain capacity that differentiates him from the rest of the F1 field. Alonso is renowned for his ability to assess the strategy of other drivers on the track.

The Spaniard has always had this characteristic and even Esteban Ocon, his former teammate had pointed that out as one of Alonso's standout qualities. Talking about race awareness and how things used to be when he was racing, McNish touched on the aspect of race awareness and that Alonso has stood out in that respect.

Contrasting how things were when he was racing to how they're now, McNish pointed out Alonso's ability to come out with those "PR-radio messages" to get things done while racing. He said:

"I still believe the driver with the brain capacity that has got that extra headroom to be able to deal with all of that will deal with other things, and now it’s race strategies. It’s like Fernando, able to make these very clear comments, which are purely for PR purposes on the radio while he’s wheel-to-wheel with someone going round the outside of a fifth-gear corner, and that’s because he’s got that extra brain capacity."

He added:

“So for me, the skill of what you use your hands and your feet and your brain for have changed, but you still require those skills to be able to do it in the first place.”

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Fernando Alonso's partnership with Aston Martin kicks off this season

Alonso's stint at Aston Martin will kick off this season. The Spaniard is replacing Sebastian Vettel, who announced his retirement from the sport last season.

The challenge at Aston Martin is going to be very interesting for Alonso, as the team appear to have the resources to fight at the front of the grid. At the same time, when it comes to results, the last few years have not been kind for them. The 2022 season saw Aston Martin finish seventh in the standings.

Contrast that to Alpine, the team Alonso left, which finished fourth last season, the Spaniard's move to Aston Martin seems like a step down. Nevertheless, he has taken a gamble on Lawrence Stroll and Aston Martin. So it will be interesting to see if that pays off or turns out to be another failed campaign for the Spaniard.