Michael Andretti has lavished praise on two-time world champion Fernando Alonso labelling him as the ‘complete driver.’
The Spaniard made three attempts at conquering the prestigious Indy500, while he successfully qualified twice, unfortunately, he fell short of finishing within the top 20 on one occasion.
Despite facing a streak of misfortunes, Alonso’s performance with the Andretti team in 2017 left a lasting impression on team owner Michael Andretti. It was undoubtedly his most impressive outing among the three attempts.
In an exclusive interview with the Spanish publication Marca, Michael Andretti openly discussed the enduring and exceptional talents that Fernando Alonso still possesses to this day.
“He is the complete driver. He is not only fast, he is also intelligent. He impressed me when he worked with us in Indianapolis.
“Theoretically what he needed was to get confident with driving the car, but he was aware of all the other things: ‘How do I do the pit stops? What are the starts like?’ He was very on top of all those little details. That impressed me. As team manager he is the most complete driver you could wish for.”
With his tenure at Aston Martin and the commendable achievements he has attained, surpassing his teammate Lance Stroll, Fernando Alonso has once again asserted himself as one of the finest drivers on the grid.
This sentiment is shared by none other than Michael Andretti, who wholeheartedly agrees, stating that:“Finally, he is in a competitive car, and he is getting the most out of it.
“In all the teams, the ones he’s been in he’s been the leader, he’s almost always outperformed his teammates in qualifying and in the race, so I’m not surprised.”
As Fernando Alonso continues to excel during his highly successful tenure with Aston Martin, it is remarkable to witness his timeless presence on the track, defying his 41 years of age and appearing as youthful as ever.
In a remarkable display of longevity, Fernando Alonso achieved his 365th race start out of 368 races at the British Grand Prix, solidifying his extraordinary career legacy.
While enjoying a streak of podium finishes earlier in the season, Aston Martin’s vulnerabilities have been exposed due to upgrades from rival teams.
Nevertheless, Alonso remains undeterred, displaying unwavering confidence as he sets his sights on securing a race victory this season alongside his Silverstone-based team.