Fernando Alonso — 2022 season

Fernando Alonso's 2022 Formula 1 season with Alpine was a study in resilience and frustration, characterized by a series of strong performances often overshadowed by mechanical failures that ultimately curtailed his championship aspirations. This marked his second year back in the sport and the first under the new ground-effect regulations, which introduced tunnel-floor aerodynamics and 18-inch wheels, aiming to promote closer racing across the Formula 1 — official site grid.

Going in

Returning to the grid in 2021, Alonso had already demonstrated his enduring speed and race craft. For 2022, the new technical regulations represented a reset, offering Alpine an opportunity to climb the Constructors' Championship standings. The A522 chassis was expected to be a solid midfield contender, and with Alonso's experience, there was optimism for consistent points finishes. The season's early races would be crucial in understanding how Alpine's package stacked up against rivals like McLaren and Alfa Romeo in the competitive midfield.

How it played out

The initial phase of the season saw a mixed bag of results. Alonso secured points with a 9th place finish at the Bahrain Grand Prix, but this was followed by a DNF in Saudi Arabia due to water pressure and a collision-induced DNF at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix. Through the first five rounds, he had accumulated only 2 points. However, a significant shift occurred from the Spanish Grand Prix onwards. Alonso embarked on a remarkable run of scoring points in 10 consecutive races, including a strong 5th place at the British Grand Prix and another 5th at the Belgian Grand Prix. His qualifying performance at the Canadian Grand Prix, securing a P2 grid slot, was a clear highlight, showcasing his raw pace despite finishing 9th in the race. This consistent mid-season form saw him rapidly climb the standings.

Unfortunately, the latter part of the season was plagued by mechanical issues. DNFs due to water pressure in Italy, engine failure in Singapore, and another engine issue in Mexico (where he finished 19th after running strongly) severely impacted his points tally. The reliability problems were a stark contrast to his teammate Esteban Ocon, who finished 8th in the Drivers' Championship with 92 points, compared to Alonso's 9th place with 81 points. While Ocon's consistency was commendable, Alonso's raw pace and ability to extract performance were often evident, particularly in qualifying, but reliability proved to be the Achilles' heel for his 2022 campaign with Alpine. For context, also faced car performance challenges that year, though ' issues were more fundamental to their W13 concept.